EFFORTS to protect two Poole recreation grounds could be given a Royal seal of approval during the Diamond Jubilee year. Baiter and Whitecliff recreation grounds could become Queen Elizabeth II Fields in Trust after a Poole council meeting overwhelmingly
Volunteers are needed to help cut back scrub and holly in Upton Wood on three conservation work days. Purbeck District Council and Dorset Countryside Volunteers are organising the events on Sunday, March 11, Saturday, March 24, and Sunday,
BOURNEMOUTH’S Highcliff Marriott hotel has chosen Poole-based Lewis-Manning Hospice as its charity of the year. General manager Andrew Francis said: “Many of our employees have been touched by cancer in some way and we hope that by supporting Lewis-Manning
AROUND 60 people attended a public meeting to discuss how to stop the Boscombe Centre for Community Arts (BCCA) from being replaced by housing. The event was organised by the Friends of the BCCA and people met at the Portman Hotel on Ashley
AN 85–year–old grandfather is leading protesters into battle over the plans for a gypsy and traveller site in Poole. Lionel Aldridge has organised a 256–signature petition against the proposed site, which would be located close to a school
IF you want to get involved in the Olympics without leaving Poole, the council is seeking volunteers to help celebrate London 2012. Friendly, approachable people are being sought by Borough of Poole for events to help provide an Olympic Legacy
INSPIRED by her own son’s health battles, a Christchurch mother-of-two will run a marathon for a children’s charity. Businesswoman Wendy Meddelton will run the Rome Marathon alongside her business partner at Kleeneze, Lesley Davis. Having never run
CAMPAIGNERS are trying to stop the £50m restaurant and cinema complex that will be built next to Bournemouth’s Pavilion. The Green Party has launched an online petition and will lobby the town’s MPs over the plan, which now has planning
THE old saying goes that our school days are the happiest of our lives. For New Zealand born Soprano singer, Hayley Westenra, they were also the start of her love of music. The girl from Christchurch has established herself as one of the most significant
NEXT in the season of live satellite broadcasts from the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow to the big screen at the Regent in Christchurch is Le Corsaire, on Sunday March 11 at 3pm. Based loosely on Byron’s poem, this lavish production with music from Adolphe
DOZENS of employers will be at the latest Daily Echo Jobsfair tomorrow, Thursday March 8, at the Premier Inn in Westover Road, Bournemouth. The event runs from 10.30am to 6.30pm but it’s good to arrive early when the employers are fresh.
AS ONE is in possession of a PlayStation Move controller, I will be playing Grand Slam 2 as God intended. That’s assuming God is a Sony executive, which he probably isn’t. So let’s have a career, because that’s how we always play sporting games
AS a referee, Danny McDermid rarely got applause at AFC Bournemouth but he got an ovation on Saturday thanks to his army uniform. He returned from Camp Bastion in Afghanistan only a week before the game and was one of 10 servicemen introduced to 8,000
SHOPPERS and staff were evacuated from the Sovereign Centre in Boscombe yesterday morning after a fire broke out in a store electrical sign. The alarm was raised at 9.47am after the manager of the 99p stores spotted flames coming from a large
Baking. It won’t have escaped your notice that baking – cakes, bread, pies – is the new thing in food trends, and here on the Taste blog we’re not averse to jumping on a bandwagon. Personally, I love to bake. I find cake making relaxing (in
A GOVERNMENT minister visited Bournemouth to be one of the first in the town to try out a new bus pass that can be topped up online. In a bid to banish the days of fumbling around for change or getting a stern look off a bus driver when you present a
I HOPE Echo readers will write or email to try and save the Portland helicopter. It has been proved lately that people power can win, so come on folks, make the effort. Don’t be lethargic and leave it to others, your help is needed. If you think this
THERE have been many ‘clangers’ by Bournemouth councillors in recent years. These include demolishing the Winter Gardens, enlarging the BIC Windsor Hall, removing the swimming pool and not putting it in the ground floor of the IMAX and the Boscombe
IN answer to Cllr Philip Eades’s letter of February 27, he fails to explain the true facts of the new “opt in” kerbside green waste collection scheme. The scheme needs 8,000 households to sign up for it to break even. Any surplus can be used to offset
Further to recent comments about our litter-strewn highways, I think maybe the A31 Ferndown bypass takes some beating. The amount and variety of rubbish among the roadside bushes is truly unbelievable. What a wonderful impression of our area this
BOURNEMOUTH councillor Michael Filer is proposing the town should ask for a law to restrict blue badge (disabled) parking. My friend has a blue badge and when I drive her to Bournemouth we very rarely have trouble in finding a parking space
HAVING represented one of the Residents Associations opposing the planning application to build houses in Talbot Heath, I would like to respond to some of the comments in your report of the refusal of this application. (Echo, February 29) The Talbot
WHEN it comes to shorts, how long is too long for swimming? If shorts are so clownishly long that you, or other pool-users, are likely to trip over them, they would obviously present a danger. Mr Andy Toms’ shorts, however, were not so unusual. They
LUKE STENTAFORD aged 22 of Bure Homage Gardens, Christchurch. Proved in absence of driving Citroen with no insurance. Fined £525, victim surcharge £15, costs ££85 and licence endorsed with six points. CHARLOTTE WOODMAN aged 24 of Elm Avenue, New Milton
DETECTIVES are appealing for witnesses to come forward after a man allegedly assaulted a police officer in Blandford. The alleged incident happened outside Blandford Post Office along The Close at around 2.30pm on Tuesday February 28 when a
I went to an ENECO exhibition, and can only totally agree with the letter from Elizabeth Clarke (‘Language of propaganda’ Echo, March 2). The worst, and most misleading exhibition board, was the one purporting to show the the view from the shore of
KEVIN MICHAEL STYLES aged 56 of Dullar Lane, Sturminster Marshall. Admitted driving a Volkswagen T-Sporter Panel van through a red light on A350 Holes Bay Road, junction with Sterte Road. Fined £45, victim surcharge £15, costs £35 and licence endorsed
RUSSELL JOHN PHILLIPS aged 30 of Upton Heath Estate, Poole. Admitted driving a Vauxhall Astra through a red light on A350 Holes Bay Road Junction with Sterte Road. Fined £65, victim surcharge £15, costs £35 and licence endorsed with three points. JOHN
STANISLAW SOWINSKI aged 58 of Fitzharris Avenue, Bournemouth. Admitted driving a Nissan Vanet motor van through a red light at A3060 Castle Lane East junction with Deansleigh Road. Fined £35, victim surcharge £15, costs £35 and licence endorsed with three
A BOURNEMOUTH Council bid to evict Occupy protesters from an empty arts centre was adjourned on Tuesday afternoon. Demonstrators from the movement have taken up residence in the Boscombe Centre for Community Arts (BCCA), which could be part
SO EARTH is toast. That is unlucky, but the Reapers promise a slow and painful death via massive invading ships emitting laser beams with impressive girth. That’s okay, then. For those not up to speed, the Reapers have a lovely habit of harvesting
A FATHER was left high and dry after being told he could not go into a public swimming pool because his trunks were too long. Lorry driver Andy Toms was accompanying his stepdaughter and her friend to the Littledown Centre pool in Bournemouth
THE first stage of the switch to digital television took place in our region this morning - here's what you need to know. • If you have Sky, Freesat or cable, you won't be affected. Only televisions that receive their signal through an aerial
A TWELVE-year-old girl reported seeing a semi-naked man on her way home from school in Corfe Mullen. The Lockyer’s Middle School pupil was walking along Wareham Road when she spotted the man, who was naked from the waist down.
A PENSIONER died after tripping over in Poole High Street – the same morning inspectors decided they did not need to urgently replace loose paving stones. An inquest heard retired engineer Charles Hurst, 87, had driven to the shops from his
MATT Ford is confident he can bring another Australian wonderkid to Poole in the shape of Jack Holder – brother of Pirates captain Chris. The Wimborne Road chief believes his club’s relationship with the Holder family could help seal the signature of
DROPPED Kane Daysh hit back at boss Ken Vaughan and claimed his selection policy had ruined Poppies’ FA Vase chances. The annoyed defender revealed he was considering quitting the Wessex League club as the fall-out from their Vase exit continued. Daysh
BOURNEMOUTH director of rugby David Dunn was left to count the cost of his side’s 22-18 defeat to Redingensians as Lions’ title tilt took a turn for the worse. The third-placed visitors ran in three tries without reply as the home side relied on the
BOURNEMOUTH FA chief Daren Hills is set to meet club secretaries and managers to discuss the future of Sunday morning football. Talks will take place at the end of the season and are aimed at finding ways to boost flagging numbers in the Hayward Sunday
DONAL McDermott is convinced he can flourish in his new central role for Cherries and admits he is still learning the ropes in the position. The Dubliner caught the eye after being deployed behind lone striker Wes Thomas during Saturday’s ill-deserved
BOSS Lee Bradbury admits he is “under pressure” to get results and is hoping to help Cherries turn the tide against League One high-fliers Sheffield Wednesday. Defeat by leaders Charlton on Saturday, courtesy of Yann Kermorgant’s stoppage-time header
JAMES Mikolajewski played a starring role as Wimborne claimed a narrow 25-19 victory at Southern Counties South rivals Melksham. Mikolajewski registered two tries, a conversion and a penalty as Wimborne emerged victorious after withstanding
• Tim Green, 56, from Buckingham, said: “It’s very nice, but it’s not the best beach in the UK. There are some in West Wales that are a lot better. “But it is a lovely beach and we’ve been coming here for years.” • Ken Franklin, 65, visiting
IT’S official – Bournemouth has the best beach in the UK. The resort came top in a list of the top ten UK beaches in a survey by the TripAdvisor company, and even proved a match for the Costas and the Canaries by coming fourth in a list of
