A CHARITY has had to train more debt advisers to cope with thousands of calls from cash-strapped families struggling to keep a roof over their heads. Since the New Year, Shelter Dorset has been inundated with pleas for help from people facing eviction
FOREST Holidays has been criticised for allegedly allowing one of its prime New Forest campsites to be used for caravan storage. Now the New Forest National Park Authority is launching an investigation to see if there has been a breach of planning rules
I have recently been asked a number of questions about our plans for the Waterfront site and some concern has been raised regarding our current planning application and how the site may be used. I would like to address these questions and concerns,
Friday, 21st THEATRE Murdered To Death – Lighthouse Poole Water – Salisbury Playhouse Uncle Vanya – The Nuffield, Southampton Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat –The Mayflower, Southampton MUSIC
FLOOD wardens resigned en masse after a new home was put close to the bank of the River Stour. The five volunteers all live at Iford Bridge Home Park in Bournemouth. Ken Ayres, 73, the head warden and secretary of the residents association, said: “That
NO decision has been taken yet on whether to close Boscombe Police Station, a meeting heard. The station, which does not have a custody suite, was among six said to be under consideration for closure as police chiefs attempt to make savings. Cllr Phil
A DORSET MP is backing proposals for a fuel stabiliser to help ease the pain at the pumps for hard-pressed motorists. Richard Drax, MP for South Dorset, said the government had to “get real” over many people’s reliance on their cars and vehicles. Prices
FIBRECITY can't say when work on their suspended project will restart, say Bournemouth council. Councillors met with Fibrecity today after serious concerns were raised by an officer about the delays. Contractors have laid off staff and
POOLE pensioners dependent on vital home care paid the third highest rates in the country last year, according to a community watchdog. Data obtained by Which? uncovered a postcode lottery and highlighted a gulf between care charges in Borough
ANDY Coulson quit as Downing Street communications chief today, saying the continuing row over phone-hacking when he was editor of the News of the World was distracting from his job. Prime Minister David Cameron said today he was "very sorry" that Mr
BOURNEMOUTH council tenants face a 6.1 per cent average rent increase thanks to a new government formula. The rise will hit people in 5,132 homes from April at a time of rising inflation and benefit cuts. The figure, which will be debated by the Adult
ON a cold, wet day, there’s nothing more appealing than a proper pub lunch. And The Fisherman’s Haunt is the perfect place to relax in front of a roaring fire and enjoy some top-notch winter warmers. We felt rather like we’d stepped back in time to the
RINGWOOD School pupil Helena Manning has reached the finals of the Top Model UK competition due to take place in the Hilton Metropole in London in March. The 15-year-old, who lives in West Moors, was one of 4,000 hopefuls who entered. She said: “I’m
NEW Forest commoners are being urged to take part in a census which will provide vital information to support the traditional way of forest life in the future. Official verderer Oliver Crosthwaite Eyre told the January Court of Verderers the census will
BOSCOMBE’S Christmas lights were still on three and a half weeks after the big day itself and council staff did not even realise it. Some traders are even in favour of leaving them because they make the precinct more welcoming in the evening. Christmas
ENOUGH tulle to choke a herd of elephants, more sequins than Broadway & Beyonce night at a drag queen convention and more bare flesh than the queue for Sin-Derella’s nightclub in Tyneside on a Saturday night. No, not Dancing on Ice (Sunday
The prospect of eating squid still scares some of us, but the Big Fish Fight encouraged us to be more adventurous in what we eat in the bid to take the pressure off popular fish stocks. So, fancy trying something new tonight? This recipe by
THIS week we finally get to see if psychological thriller Black Swan really is as wonderfully melodramatic as we’ve heard. Natalie Portman danced her way to victory at the Golden Globes picking up best actress for her performance in the Darren
A FORMER acting head teacher has been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for abusing young boys. Joachim Casey, 48, of Wareham, sexually molested two boys, abusing one of them from the age of nine. Casey was suspended from his post
FRIENDS of Julie Bywater yesterday told a court how her caring, trusting nature might have cost the popular teaching assistant her life. Ms Bywater would “do anything for anyone” and hated to be on bad terms with ex-boyfriends, Winchester Crown Court
POOLE-based cosmetics company Lush has closed its website after learning hackers had access to the bank details of customers. A message at lush.co.uk says:"Our website has been the victim of hackers. 24 hour security monitoring has shown us
ONE of the experts behind a report warning of the dangers of slashing UK fire budgets has assured: “There will be no cuts in Dorset.” Dorset Fire Authority member David Milsted, who chaired the group that produced a dossier for communities secretary
YOU may think that Members of Parliament (and some of their Lordships) are a bunch of ******* and after the expenses scandal, who could blame you? The fallout from the dark days of early 2009 is still er.. falling out. One former MP has been jailed for
SO in these austere times our worthy councillors and chief executive go on a “jolly” to Darlington to see a few sheets of steel being welded together (“Poole is bridging the gap with twin sails”, Daily Echo January 19). Just how much did that cost? As
EXPANDING Christchurch Library when 20 others face closure and Dorset County Council has suffered a worse funding fate than many other councils, with a 15.2 per cent reduction in their main grant for 2011/12, appears to me to be very insensitive
MY daughter thought she would treat her old dad to a trip to the Bee a Bug. No, not a new local boozer but an (I nearly said quiet, it was far from quiet) indoor soft play area situated in Westbourne for the fives and under. Fantastic. The little ones
AROUND two years ago local motorists were stopped in a census and asked for their opinion on how to improve the roads. I would guess that almost none said we should reduce the speed limits on our dual carriageways. I would like to ask Mr Tite why, when
WELL look who's speaking up in the Echo yesterday, Councillor Collier for Poole apologising after all the problems are well over for the failure of bin collections for four weeks over Christmas. The councillor thanks us for our patience. Well
THOSE of us who have supported Terry and Rose Kelly of `Kelly's Kitchen', Christchurch in their case against Dorset County Council's plan to extend the Library in the High Street, would like to know how it can go ahead in view of the cut-backs
THE ECHO Food page called 'Taste' left an unpleasant one in my mouth on reading the piece called 'Fishy Business'. Mr Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, who has been out with fishermen seeing for himself the fruits of Britain's membership of the EU –
I READ with interest the letter from Cllr Ron Whittaker (Letters - 11 January 2011) regarding his proposal to reduce the number of councillors on Bournemouth Borough Council. The law, not the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE
“THEIR stoicism and faith in the face of such adversity is inspiring.” Eileen Ivermee from Christchurch has recently returned from a month working in a cholera clinic in devastated Haiti. Following in the footsteps of her husband, Peter, who flew out
On the very day that Education Secretary Michael Gove signalled a return to a more traditional national curriculum, pupils at Canford School received a masterclass in the works of Charles Dickens. Better still it was was delivered by the Victorian novelist
PROTESTERS claim around 50 people will picket minister Eric Pickles when he arrives in Poole today for a Radio 4 political debate. The communities secretary will be on the panel for ‘Any Questions’ with a live broadcast from 8pm onwards at Poole Grammar
BOURNEMOUTH-based tour operator Palmair has rejected claims it owes a charter airline over £250,000 in unpaid aircraft leasing fees. Astraeus Airlines based near Gatwick allege they are owed the cash for the lease of a Boeing 737 from last year. Palmair
CARETAKER Cherries chief Lee Bradbury has echoed chairman Eddie Mitchell’s sentiments by stating his desire to keep hold of the club’s star players. Bradbury is likely to be in charge throughout the January transfer window after being appointed for an
ROOKIE Lee Bradbury plans to draw on his experience of some of the country’s leading bosses but is vowing to be his own man in the Cherries hot-seat. Bradbury was put in caretaker charge by chairman Eddie Mitchell last weekend in the wake of Eddie Howe
LEE Bradbury is actively looking to bolster his backroom team after revealing he attempted to persuade Burnley-bound Jon Dalzell to stay at Dean Court. The fitness guru played a key role in Cherries’ success under Eddie Howe, overseeing the team’s rigorous
BOSS Lee Bradbury insists Cherries can prosper against Brighton – with the right application and a full house spurring them on. The caretaker manager is preparing for his first home match in charge against the League One leaders tomorrow (3pm). Bradbury
TAFFY Richardson believes Poole Town are in the FA Vase last-chance saloon and admits he is desperate to inspire them to Wembley final glory. Dolphins entertain relatively unknown Cambridgeshire outfit St Ives Town in the fourth round tomorrow (3pm).
BASHLEY boss Steve Riley has handed goalkeeper David Elm the captain’s armband in a bid to ease the burden on former skippers Dave Allen and Chris Knowles. The midfielders had shared the on-pitch leadership role this term, but Riley felt they were being
DARREN Powell feels Jakub Malara has shown he possesses the ability to become Wimborne’s first-choice goalkeeper. Malara, who arrived at Cuthbury from Poole Borough, has covered for an ill Alan Walker-Harris in Magpies’ past two games. And the Pole’
DAVID Dunn believes he’s on the verge of strengthening his Bournemouth side with the capture of a player who has “international experience”. Lions are battling for top spot in National Three South West after putting together a formidable eight-game winning
WIMBORNE manager Mark Sturney admits they won’t rush injured skipper Russ Tinsdale back into action despite their perilous position in South West One East. Tinsdale misses All Blacks’ daunting trip to runaway leaders Maidenhead tomorrow (2pm) with a
A POPULAR Poole Park is getting a £360,000 restoration including a new performance space, a restored fountain, and two new petanque pitches. Parkstone Park, at the heart of Ashley Cross, will be closed for 15 weeks while the works are carried
