POOLE Park visitors upset at the loss of the green space’s prominent flower displays turned green with envy when they saw this £7,500 cricket wicket being laid. In a bid to save cash, the council recently grassed over a display bed at the Kingland
THE owner of a New Forest bed and breakfast will feature on Channel 4 show Three In A Bed tonight. The show, which pits bed and breakfast owners against each other, will see Liese Cairnes, owner of Leyland Country House, in Lymington show her
AN investigation has been launched in Ringwood to find a cruel attacker who shot a cat in the eye with an airgun Nine-month-old tabby Rosebud survived the sickening attack but needed surgery to have her right eye removed. Her horrified owner
PARKSTONE Park’s swanky makeover – which was due to be unveiled more than three weeks ago – has missed a key feature, say residents. The £360,000 facelift at Ashley Cross, now said to be ready by the end of May, has left the Victorian-style loos untouched
A CELEBRITY couple received “star treatment” after a short break in Purbeck ended in Poole Hospital. Actor John Alderton and Shirley Valentine star Pauline Collins were staying at the Manor House Hotel in Studland last weekend when he suddenly felt
WHEN you spend as much time pressing the flesh as Ed Miliband, you would think he would have got it right by now. But according to The Apprentice star Nick Hewer, the Labour leader has the “weakest handshake in Western Europe”. Although
BLINK and you’ll miss British asparagus season. Just eight weeks long, you feel compelled to try and shoehorn it in to a meal at every opportunity. The woody-tipped vegetable, which heralds the start of summer, was served as a limp accompaniment
A FORMER headteacher of tragic teenager Emily Longley has described “a gentle and caring” girl who was planning for the future. The 17-year-old, who was born in Britain but emigrated with her family to New Zealand, was found dead at a bungalow on Bournemouth
THE man accused of murdering Heather Barnett appeared before Winchester Crown Court yesterday. Italian national Danilo Restivo, 39, of Chatsworth Road, Charminster, is accused of killing the 48-year-old mother of two at her home in Capstone
CAMPAIGNERS are battling to save the career of an award-winning stationmaster who says he was sacked for trying to prevent an accident. Ian Faletto claims he was dismissed by his bosses at South West Trains after clearing a shopping trolley
DORSET teenager Georgia Hall carded her lowest-ever score for 18 holes to win the strokeplay stage of the English Championship at West Sussex yesterday. The reigning English U15 champion shot an amazing six-under-par 66 to qualify in first place for
A STAR’S bodyguard may not be an obvious presence on the red carpet - but that’s the point. At the height of Harry Potter mania, Emma Watson’s bodyguard was better at blending in than most, due to being petite, blonde... and a woman. Danielle Curzon
Champagne Risotto with Lemon Thyme Tomatoes Serves 4 1 litre vegetable stock 250ml Champagne or other sparkling white wine, such as cava or prosecco 3tbsp butter 1 leek, thinly sliced 1 garlic clove, finely
OUTRAGED independent councillors have vowed to start a petition demanding a by-election after a colleague defected to the Conservatives days after being elected. It has emerged that Throop and Muscliff councillor Derek Borthwick was enquiring
POLICE have identified a woman who died following a fall from a road bridge over the A31 at Ringwood yesterday morning. She is Rebecca Mae Wheeler. Ms Wheeler was 41 years old and local to the Ringwood area. She was divorced,
SHOULD one need a reason for our withdrawal from the EU, here are a few which might interest your readers. 1) At present we are contributing some £46 million a day and we are being asked by the EU dictators to increase our payment even more. 2) £4.5
I WOULD like to thank all our blood and platelet donors for their donations during April. Faced with two long holiday weekends in a row at the end of the month, we needed to build up blood stocks in advance. We asked our donors to make a special effort
WHAT a disgraceful thing to do. One week ago the voters of the Throop and Muscliff ward of Bournemouth Council elected you, Derek Borthwick, standing as an Independent, as their councillor. Days later you then took it upon yourself to cock
EVERYONE’S favourite newsreader Angela Rippon will be lending her authoritative tones to commemorative concert We’ll Meet Again – The Spirit of the Forties. The Raymond Gubbay production defines itself as defining the period with the very best
Are two Kirills better than one? If the matchless performance of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No1 is anything to go by, the answer is in the affirmative! With the BSO’s Principal Conductor Kirill Karabits completing his second season suitably attired
THEIRS was a village that had not seen an election for more than 28 years. Now a group of 11 West Parley residents are celebrating a landslide victory in which they overthrew the entire council. The Keep West Parley Green trounced their opponents
A RECENT letter stated incorrectly that the BBC licence fee is ‘near £300’. We would like to make your readers aware the licence fee, which helps fund BBC programmes and services including TV and radio, actually costs £145.50 a year. TV
LIKE many people I was appalled to learn of the graffiti attack on Christchurch’s historic Norman House or Constable's Hall as some refer to it (‘An attack on history’, Daily Echo, May 9). Unfortunately this sort of thing is becoming all too common –
I AM informed that Cllr Derek Borthwick has gone over to the Conservatives only three days after being elected for a second term in office as an Independent, apparently on the promise of a chairmanship and the hope of becoming Mayor. He should be made
I SYMPATHISE with the two remaining independent councillors who have apparently been nourishing a viper in their bosom. There is talk of betrayal on the part of Cllr Derek Borthwick who has quit the Independent group on the council to join
READING the comments from M Predeth (Echo, May 9) re the election count: Pity that M Predeth cannot get the facts right before jumping in with comments about getting our lips around a pint or two on election night at Littledown. I admit to enjoying
A FORMER councillor is facing more complaints over his coach company. Richard Powell – who apologised last year for forwarding on racist text messages – runs a firm called Southern Coaches. The Daily Echo reported complaints about his
BRAVE Pirates star Christian Hefenbrock is hoping to make a quick return but admits he is still feeling the effects of his horror smash. The Poole reserve was knocked unconscious when he collided heavily with the air fence in an ugly heat-two spill during
DANNY Hollands insists size does not matter when it comes to the lottery of the play-offs. The midfielder admits Cherries are the smallest club left in the running for promotion to the Championship, but believes Lee Bradbury’s side can continue to punch
DESPITE taking up residence near the port of Poole, Mathieu Baudry wants to drop anchor at Dean Court. The Frenchman, who hails from across the Channel in Le Havre, is keen to avoid being remembered by Cherries supporters as a one-hit wonder. Baudry
LUCKY charm Liam Feeney feels privileged to have featured in Cherries’ rapid rise and is determined to seal a place in Dean Court folklore. The talented winger is aiming to close in on a memorable hat-trick when Cherries lock horns with Huddersfield
THE trust that runs the bar at Bournemouth’s Littledown Centre has defended itself after criticism over opening hours. A row kicked off on election day after Independent councillors Anne Rey and Ron Whittaker blasted the council for not opening the bar
TAFFY Richardson pledged his future to Poole Town and insisted he was confident about his Southern League prospects. The veteran midfielder revealed he was unfazed to be climbing a division – at the age of 44. Richardson was a central figure for Dolphins
