CHERRIES chairman Eddie Mitchell believes television big-wigs will be missing out if they fail bring their cameras to Dean Court this season. Mitchell was speaking after Cherries supporters had criticised the decision to snub the club's FA Cup
CALLS are being made for an inquiry into the major fire that gutted the creative arts block and theatre at Lytchett Minster School. Questions have been asked about the hour’s delay between the start of the blaze and the fire service being alerted
A NEW permanent NHS dentist should open for Swanage patients this April, health bosses have confirmed. Residents were shocked after the only dental practice in town stopped treating NHS patients and went private in March last year. Local campaigner
PURBECK residents can have their say on a range of planning documents, under a consultation running until February 14. Officials want people to comment on Purbeck District Council’ housing strategy, affordable housing, updated planning application
A FERNDOWN horse whisperer is appealing for help after watching her home of 13 years burn down. Shari Penegar, 41, who lives on fields off the Heatherlands Estate, has also faced floods covering much of her land, and said she needs a new home for
WINIFRED Stevens was full of joy surrounded by family and friends for her 103rd birthday party yesterday. The pensioner, known as Freda, welcomed loved ones including her two great-grandchildren and former neighbours at the Waypoints care home
BOURNEMOUTH Symphony Orchestra will be taking an inspiring new music education project to schools in the south over the next two years. The orchestra has received a £140,000 education grant from JP Morgan to take its BSO Blast to 24,000 children
DORSET’S Police and Crime Commissioner has lobbied the government calling for a radical review of the police funding formula. Martyn Underhill has submitted a two-page letter to Chancellor George Osborne urging him to ensure Dorset stops becoming
TWICE as many Bournemouth residents are living with HIV compared with the national average, latest figures have revealed. Three in every 1,000 people in the borough have the virus and hundreds of them don’t know they are affected. The town
WHOOSH! Our parachute catches the wind and suddenly there’s nothing but us, thin air, sun-kissed sea and ‘our’ ship. Within seconds my wife and I can see why parasailing is so popular, even if we've been dunked in the ocean a few times. But
BEING a seasoned skier, I normally head for the French or Swiss Alps in winter. Iconic peaks, world-class pistes and a lively apres ski atmosphere keep me coming back year after year. But eager to try something different, I agreed to pack my salopettes
A STAGGERING 1,724 bicycles were stolen in Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch last year. The number of bikes stolen in 2012 was more than four each day and was up from 1,605 the previous year. And the total for the final four months of the
PLANS to drastically reduce parking on a major Poole road have been scaled back following an outcry from residents. Poole council had wanted to remove all parking during the day on the narrowest part of North Road to make it easier for buses to
THE dress code for Kurumba Maldives’ 40th Anniversary Gala Dinner was ‘resort formal’, and while the idea of spending a week in a barefoot tropical paradise with the sand beneath my toes was irresistible, so was the chance to pack a ball gown and unveil
THE end of the festivities doesn't mean the onset of the blues! Nigel Slater dishes up some delicious post-Christmas grub. Try these recipes for some tasty ideas that can be enjoyed into the New Year and beyond... SWEET POTATO SOUP, POTATO
JANUARY is a prime time for wine lovers to bag a bargain. Here are some of the best value pickings: Everyday wines from Asda’s new mid-tier range, The Wine Selection, offer a refreshing drop of sunshine. Margaret River Semillon Sauvignon, Australia
A MISSING dog who sparked a 10-day hunt is safely back home, thanks to Facebook. Cockapoo Alfie escaped from his back garden on December 23, and wandered for miles before he was found safe and well on Wednesday. Distraught owners Mark and Emma
POLICE are warning motorists to keep their cars safe after two Blandford taxis were broken into. Cash was stolen in each of the incidents, with the first theft occurring between 5.45pm and 6.55pm on December 29 in Kingston Close, and the second
ONCE again I am compelled to write with a huge moan. I am totally sick of seeing chewing gum squashed into every conceivable bit of pavement in Bournemouth town centre. It is a total disgrace. For goodness’ sake, Bournemouth council get
I HAVE seen much anecdotal discussion of NHS failings, but in the past five years, following cancer and internal burns from radiotherapy, I cannot fault the treatment I have had, both medical and psychological. I have been treated by specialists
I WAS saddened to read yet another article about an ‘action group’ campaigning to prevent 35 homes being built in a Dorset village, Charlton Marshall. Our family have lived in two homes in Wimborne and one on Canford Heath, two on what was at one
WE are a nation of animal lovers. Most people care for their pets and think the world of them. No matter what the expense, they will shell out to keep their pet healthy. However there a few who do not share that opinion. Two cats were found
THERE have been articles regarding unitary authorities. My proposal would be combining Christchurch, New Forest and Romsey under one overall administration to save on costs and may be even cut back on the number of councillors. Plus, in doing
Walking away from suicide. That’s what my friend, S., suggested I should name this blog when we were mulling over the significance of the daunting challenge I had set myself. But I didn’t like it. Not a bit. I didn’t get the relevance. I didn’t
I WOULD like to respond to the letter sent in by Mr John Dewdney prior to Christmas concerning his disillusionment with Christchurch Council in respect of those councillors who seem to be unrepresentative of the feelings of the communities they represent
DIG out your favourite Arran sweater and sandals then head down to the Lighthouse Poole for one of the finest folk bands in the UK. Friday evening will see Southern Tenant Folk Union return to the venue, following their sell-out show in 2011. The
THE very best in British theatre is to be streamed live to Christchurch. The Regent Centre is to screen a series of live performances from London’s prestigious National Theatre (NT) beginning this month. The screenings will be part of the NT Live
WHERE has the loveable comedienne Lucy Porter been for the last two years you may well ask? The answer is that she decided to produce children instead of comedy shows. In the last two years she spent 18 of the 24 months pregnant. Despite this intensive
BOURNEMOUTH live music venue Sound Circus has pulled off something of a coup with their latest booking. Welsh doom-mongers Funeral For A Friend make a rare visit to the club opposite Bournemouth train station. The band pull no punches in their
THERE has been so much talk recently regarding the letting off of fireworks, mostly from pensioners complaining about them being let off outside of Bonfire Night. Don’t they ever consider that people have other times to celebrate such as birthdays
A DOCUMENTARY about former Boyzone star Shane Lynch which was filmed in part at a Wimborne School is set to air tonight. The programme ‘Shane Lynch: Dyslexia My Secret Past’ follows the Irish boy band singer, who left school at the age of 14 unable
The coalition Government came under a sustained attack today for a raft of welfare reforms that critics claim are punishing the poor and hitting women hardest. A senior child protection figure warned that record numbers of children would be taken
New years are often used as excuse for a new start - and here in Echo Towers we're no different. Comments on Daily Echo stories are a matter of constant debate in the Echo offices, but a recent spate of complaints about repeat offenders and comments
WORK on building a new £50million cinema and restaurant complex in the heart of Bournemouth will start in a few months, developers have promised. The developers of West Central say they are preparing to appoint contractors ready for work to start
POLICE are renewing their appeal for CCTV footage after a woman was threatened at gunpoint by a robber outside a supermarket. The 59-year-old was getting into her car yards from cashpoint machines outside Morrisons in Chiltern Drive, Verwood when
AN RSPCA inspector has spoken out after two adult cats were dumped in a car park. Graham Hammond said the cats, a tortoiseshell and a ginger male, were found in the downstairs parking area at Castlepoint Shopping Centre, Bournemouth, on Friday.
GOAL hero Eunan O’Kane is confident Cherries can still produce an FA Cup shock and insists: “We are not scared of anyone.” The midfielder was in bullish mood ahead of Cherries’ replay with Wigan Athletic after his fine strike had earned a 1-1 draw
BOSS Ken Vaughan heaped praise on his back-up boys after depleted Poppies had registered a 2-1 win over Wessex Premier rivals Totton & Eling at Victoria Park. Goals from Martin Warren and Connor Phillips saw Poppies record back-to-back league
POOLE Town striker Warren Byerley dropped his broadest hint yet that he could be set to stay at Tatnam. Byerley, 27, signed non-contract terms with Dorchester in November before immediately joining the Dolphins on dual registration to get match
MARK Gamble’s second-half penalty earned Bashley a share of the spoils from a 1-1 draw with Premier Division rivals Frome Town. Gamble netted from the spot to restore parity at the Aldersmith Stadium after he had been felled on 70 minutes.
MANAGER Steve Cuss saluted his charges for a “thoroughly deserved” victory after Wimborne Town had played a leading role in Shock Saturday. The Magpies forced their way back into the play-off picture by completing a famous double over in-form Marine
CHERRIES star Marc Pugh insisted he had been denied a “blatant penalty” as he defended himself amid claims he took a dive at DW Stadium. Pugh and his team-mates reacted furiously after he had been booked for simulation during the first half of
