A REDEVELOPMENT of a Poole middle school, estimated to cost millions of pounds, has been approved by councillors. Oakdale South Road Middle School is to have a two-storey extension to accommodate six new classrooms, two temporary modular classrooms
A MAN has been jailed for ten years for grievous bodily harm and false imprisonment after attacks during one night in March. Scott Mackenzie, right, a 23-year-old from Salisbury, assaulted two men and held another against his will under the threat
TWO men stole a large amount of money from a customer at Natwest Bank in Poole. The victim, a 37-year-old Poole man, was making cash deposits at the counter when he was barged aside and the money was stolen. He chased the culprits but was assaulted
May we present the full-length trailer for the (first) Hobbit film? As a lifelong fan of the book (even after spending years trying and failing to get out of the jail in the Spectrum's Hobbit adventure game) I have
BIG Issue sellers will drum in a Flash Mob on the first day of Bournemouth's Arts by the Sea Festival. Around 65 vendors will perform at 4pm at The Triangle and 5pm at Bournemouth Square on Saturday, September 29. The work has been choreographed
THE new justice minister visited Bournemouth and told the Echo it was right apologies had been made after the damning Hillsborough report. Chris Grayling was visiting Nick King , the Conservative candidate hoping to become the Dorset Police and
TWO Dorset Police officers have received a commendation for rescuing a family from a smoke-logged house. PC Tim Brehmer and PC Rhys Griffiths selflessly went into the house in Christchurch on October 27 last year and led the two adults and two
THREE new bells have been added to Wimborne Minster for the town to hear. Each weighing 25kg, the bells were hoisted into the West Tower of the Minster yesterday (and will join the existing 10, which were installed to mark the coronation of King
THIEVES cut through a wire fence before stealing a burger van by towing it away in broad daylight. Police in Sturminster Newton have released a CCTV image of the crime and are asking for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward.
DORSET is home to a plethora of quality schools, both primary and secondary. Schools throughout the county achieved outstanding GCSE results for 2012, with many gaining higher pass rates than ever before. Local private, public and academy schools
Dorset Wildlife Trust has greeted with joy the announcement that part of the Jurassic Coast will be protected as a Special Area of Conservation. Defra has announced that the Studland reefs to Portland will be designated in this way. Peter Tinsley
NOW is the time to reach your full potential and guidance is available to help you secure your ideal job or create a new career path. Many local companies run adult training courses with support and progression opportunities. There are employers
JAMES Bond fans have the chance to watch Daniel Craig’s latest 007 outing in Bournemouth the day before its official UK release. Britain’s best known secret agent – last spotted dropping into the Olympic Games opening ceremony with a certain senior
DEPENDING on what you want to study, you could decide to stay on at school, or go to a sixth form college, specialist college, or university. You can apply to more than one sixth form or college. Many colleges let you apply online through their
THE Air Ambulance was called to the Canford Bottom roundabout after a van crashed into a tree around 11.40am today. The A31 is down to a single lane after the accident, between the Merley roundabout and the Canford Bottom roundabout. Firefighters
RESIDENTS are celebrating after council chiefs refused a “garden grabbing” plan to build new houses behind people’s homes. Householders in Christchurch were outraged by proposals to build five new homes in three gardens in Flambard Avenue in Christchurch
MEET Hugo Ellis – the East Dorset 11-year-old who dreams of becoming a Formula 1 racing driver. The St Michael’s schoolboy, known to his team mates as Bentley Dog, has been racing go-karts since he was eight and is already competing against boys
UNDER-21s are being encouraged to enter a photographic competition which focuses on Poole Harbour . Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC) and the Daily Echo have teamed up for this brilliant competition, which will see the overall winner from across
I do try to ring the changes with the recipes that I schedule in for a week - and blog - but some are just too good to wait – like this Harissa lamb in flatbreads. I'm not sure where I got the idea for this dish from, to be honest. I think I can
A YOUTH football club has stressed it is unaffected by an altercation that saw two adult footballers suffer stab wounds. Bournemouth Youth Poppies spoke out after the two footballers were arrested after an incident at the team’s Victoria Park ground
PLANS to build a new hospital to cater for both private and NHS patients in Bournemouth and Poole have been unveiled. The proposed Circle Hospital will be built on a redundant piece of land at the Sembcorp water treatment works at Francis Avenue
THE first-ever Purbeck Marathon was hailed a great success and first place went to Bournemouth’s Steve Way , who celebrated his first ever marathon victory. The race was staged on Sunday over trails and pathways and featured a gruelling 2,500ft
MARK CHARLES DUNNINGHAM aged 51 of Colborne Avenue, Wimborne. Admitted assault by beating a man. Conditional discharge for 12 months. To pay compensation to the victim of £50. Also admitted assault by beating another man. Conditional discharge for
ANDREW KEMP aged 55 of Bishop Court, Ringwood . Admitted driving a Vauxhall on the A348 Ringwood Road, Longham, with no insurance policy in force. Fined £100. To pay victim surcharge of £15. Disqualified from holding a driving licence for six months
AARON LEE HARRIS aged 24 of Aggis Farm, Verwood . Admitted driving an Audi A3 on Kings Park Drive, Bournemouth, with 55 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. Fined £250. To pay victim surcharge of £15. Costs of £85. Disqualified from
After the grade boundary scandal with regards to the English exams being marked down due to the swift boundary change, it has been revealed that the Education Secretary Michael Gove plans to scrap GCSE’s and replace them with the much more academically
CHARLES HENRY JAMES NICHOLLS aged 30 of Glenville Road, Walkford , Christchurch. Admitted driving a Ford Focus on Primrose Way with 61 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. Fined £110. To pay victim surcharge of £15. To pay costs
POOLE looks set to lose a tourist attraction described as a “little gem” by visitors. Dedicated to the world of children’s author Enid Blyton, Eileen Soper’s Illustrated Worlds, has been housed in the former Swan Inn in Old Orchard for the past
RAYMOND STEPHEN ERHIJIVWO aged 46 of Redhoave Road, Poole. Admitted driving a Citroen on B3068 Ringwood Road in excess of 30 mph. Fined £60. To pay victim surcharge of £15. Costs of £35. Licence endorsed with three points. ZOE DENHAM aged 22
MARK ASHTON FLYNN aged 24 of Trinity Close, London. Admitted assault by beating a man. Community order made to carry out unpaid work for 180 hours under supervision. To pay compensation of £250 to victim. Costs of £85. LUKASZ TACIJ aged 18 of
RAPPER Plan B has been a busy boy of late. He's currently co-starring with Ray Winstone in the big-screen remake of The Sweeney and dominating the charts with Ill Manors, the soundtrack to the gritty film of the same name which he directed. This
FREQUENTLY dubbed Britain's rudest comic, Roy 'Chubby' Brown will be bringing his own special brand of humour to the Pier Theatre next month. If you thought comedian Frankie Boyle was offensive, well Roy has been turning the air blue for over 40
BETTER late than never – 100 children donned fancy dress to keep up a long-established Burton tradition that was scuppered by wet weather earlier in the year. The village’s annual Scout Carnival was originally due to take place on the first Saturday
AROUND 10,000 people basked in sunshine for Saturday’s Ringwood Carnival. The crowd lined most of the route into town from the Parkside Estate. There were hundreds of children and adults dressed as gnomes, chickens, RAF pilots and more.
IT is – as the Famous Five might have said – jolly rotten luck. A Poole tourist attraction dedicated to the artist who illustrated Enid Blyton’s adventure stories is to close. Eileen Soper’s Illustrated Worlds has been in the former Swan Inn
AFTER yet another outstanding Bournemouth Air Festival and one that included an impressive flypast of a rare Catalina flying boat G-PBYA, Miss Pickup, members of the Poole Flying Boat Celebration (PFBC) joined the pilots and plane at Hurn Airport
WHAT a breath of fresh air it was, to visit the Thai Festival in Poole last weekend. A glimpse into a rich culture, grounded in a strong work ethic, faith and inner calm. A real experience for the senses – delicious Thai food, the scent of
I AM looking for anyone who has information about Gordon Creed, who was killed on the Magna Road in 1960. Any information will be very much appreciated. You can contact me by email to shirley_farrar@ yahoo.co.uk . Thank you. SHIRLEY FARRAR
UNLESS I’m missing something, wouldn’t the obvious solution be to reduce the roofline as required on the Imax centre, reconfigure the interior into a conferencing/ exhibition hall, then reinstate the former leisure/swimming pool where it originally
I NOTE with interest that local councils are looking at ways to encourage more shoppers into town centres. The simple solution is parking, lots of it and make it free. Councils seem to explore all other means to encourage shoppers except this
REGARDING the bombing of the Metropole Hotel (‘Air raid “killed 131”’, Daily Echo Aug 29) I remember my grandfather telling me that his next door neighbour was a chef at the hotel and was saved because he had gone down to the cellar for something
I FULLY accept that ceasing collections during the Christmas week is sensible and as far as the black bin collections everybody suffers the same. But yet again Poole Borough Council have spectacularly failed to use some intelligence and grasp the
EDUCATION bosses have said they are “optimistic” Bournemouth and Poole’s first free school will be ready to start teaching pupils next September. Scores of parents were left disappointed when Parkfield School announced in July that they would not
COUNTY Hall has been forced into issuing an apology to motorists after causing a huge rush-hour traffic jam on one of Dorset’s busiest roads. A five-mile tailback choked traffic travelling into Poole along the busy A35 Upton bypass yesterday morning
A DOMESTIC abuse victim who suffered in silence for six years has welcomed new reforms to criminalise mental torment. Men who bully their partners by verbally abusing them, taking control of their finances or isolating them from family and friends
Turbary Common Saturday 29th meeting at 10am at the main entrance in Turbary Park Avenue. Kinson Common Sunday 30th meeting at 10 am at the play area in Poole Lane Meadows. Both walks are free and weather permitting! More info on 01202-570581
THE Baker’s Arms has always been in the right spot to take advantage of my hunger pains. When you've been on a day out in Purbeck or West Dorset it's ideally placed for a bite to eat as you head back along the A35 or from the Wareham area. I always
AN overturned car has blocked Littledown Avenue in Bournemouth this morning. Police are on the scene between Harewood Crescent and Holdenhurst Road, near to AFC Bournemouth's stadium. Two cars were involved, a white Ford Fiesta and a green
LIONS chief David Dunn analysed his team’s start to the campaign and insisted: “We can more than compete at this level.” Bournemouth’s 41-29 victory over Chinnor on Saturday made it two wins from three matches since promotion to National Two South
FORMER Cherries boss Eddie Howe has revealed he discovered strike sensation Charlie Austin by reading about him in the Daily Echo. Howe watched Austin notch a hat-trick as Burnley hammered Peterborough 5-2 on Saturday – his second Clarets treble
A MAN was killed after being electrocuted on the railway line in Christchurch on Monday night. An investigation is underway into the death of the man who was killed after coming into contact with the electrified rail. British Transport Police
BOSS Paul Groves last night called for Cherries to make a case for the defence after watching his charges miss another golden opportunity to get a first home win on the board. Groves's men were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw with League One
A FIRST home win of the season continued to elude Cherries after they were held to a 2-2 draw against Brentford at Goldsands Stadium last night. Despite some early promise from Paul Groves’s side, Simon Francis’s own goal handed the visitors
SWANAGE & Wareham have yet to register a victory from their opening three league matches of the 2012-13 campaign. Following heavy defeats at the hands of Marlow (44-25) and Newbury (66-0), Swans failed to get off the mark against Old Centralians
