Archive

  • Dog mess 'destroying' ancient Bournemouth heathland

    DOG fouling is destroying our ancient heathland, says a warden. Paula Blizzard is pleading with owners to understand the damage they are doing to areas like Turbary Common. Dog food is high in protein and the resulting waste contains

  • World's largest deck chair comes to Bournemouth

    THERE was no chance of this deck chair blowing over on Bournemouth Beach on Thursday, as it is believed to be the world’s largest, weighing in at almost six tonnes. Measuring a whopping 8.5metres tall and 5.5metres wide, the red and white striped

  • Poole Royal Marine reunited with Falklands enemy for ITV show

    A POOLE Royal Marine starred in an ITV documentary about meeting the Argentinian soldier he felt was his “ghost.” Nick Taylor fought thought the Falklands War 30 years ago and took part in the Battle of Two Sisters as a 21-year-old. He found a camera

  • Bournemouth Uni students get paws messy for charity

    SHOPPERS at Poole’s Dolphin Centre enjoyed a treasure trail and face painting during a fundraising event for Dorset Search Dogs. The Messy Paws event was organised by five second-year BS (Hons) Events Management students from Bournemouth University

  • Stevie Wonder to headline Bestival

    SOUL legend Stevie Wonder is signed, sealed and delivered to headline Sunday night at Bestival this September. Festival organiser Rob Da Bank said: “What can I say? What a day. I see part of my job at Bestival as giving you acts you may never

  • Join Echo's Julie in Race for Life

    THOUSANDS of women and girls have signed up to take part in this year’s Race for Life series to help beat cancer. Places are filling rapidly for this year’s events in Bournemouth and Poole. The Bournemouth seafront events – a 10km and

  • £2,000 grant for new businesses setting up in Pokesdown

    BOURNEMOUTH Council has launched a ‘Talent’ fund for traders looking to move into Pokesdown. The council is encouraging creative entrepreneurs a business support grant of £2,000 to open up a shop in the area. This is the second opportunity

  • Boscombe dad discovers drug paraphernalia hidden under bath

    A DAD said he jabbed his finger on a discarded needle hidden in his Boscombe flat. The 38-year-old said he dropped his wedding ring behind a broken bath panel and reached into find it. He said he withdrew his hand out with a needle sticking out of the

  • Steam train trips to celebrate Queen's jubilee

    RAILWAY steam enthusiasts can enjoy a series of new day trips from Poole, Bournemouth and the New Forest in 2012 – and help celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The charters will take hundreds of passengers on days out to Windsor, Oxford

  • Mum bids to honour her son’s dying wish

    A GRIEVING family plans to fulfil the last wishes of a young Bournemouth hospital worker who has died at the age of 21. An appeal was launched by colleagues of Kent Ericta at the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals earlier this month to raise

  • Bournemouth school urged to replace chopped trees

    A SCHOOL has been urged to replace several mature trees which were felled in its grounds after incurring the wrath of Bournemouth planners. The Oakmead College of Technology at Duck Lane came under fire after seven oaks, two hollies and a hawthorn

  • Students film hard-hitting drama

    FILM students from the Arts University College at Bournemouth have shot a 10-minute film called The Boxer. The production tells the story of a fighter with a detached retina who risks it all for one last championship bout. The final winning showdown

  • Brownsea Island trees to be thinned to help red squirrels

    Brownsea Island is being stripped of more rhododendrons and trees thinned along the south shore to improve habitat for the red squirrel. Across a 5.5 hectare (13.6 acre) area of the island the National Trust will be carrying out work to encourage more

  • Changes to Wimborne Square revamp

    CHANGES have been made to the Wimborne Square enhancement programme. New paving has been laid in High Street and the ‘events area’ is taking shape under the £410,000 project, which began in February. Work will continue in West Borough next week. Then

  • Call to keep Christchurch parking under control

    TALKS are continuing to try and keep on-street parking in Christchurch under the control of the borough council. At a meeting of Dorset County Council’s cabinet yesterday, councillors issued a 12-month notice to terminate the on-street parking agency

  • Do you hold Lotto jackpot ticket worth £1.3m?

    AN amazing Lotto jackpot prize of £1.3m is still waiting to be claimed in Dorset, it has been revealed. The lucky ticket was bought in the Dorset County Council area for the main draw on Saturday March 3 and National Lottery players are being

  • Crime is down in most deprived areas of Bournemouth

    CRIME is down in almost every category around some of Bournemouth’s most deprived estates. West Howe and Kinson are safer than last year – but there’s a warning that police cuts could send rates back up. PCSOs Sarah Playle and Andy Downs gave the figures

  • Next of kin appeal for Henry Alfred Special-Brew

    The coroner for Bournemouth, Poole and East Dorset is seeking the assistance of the public to find the next of kin of a man who recently died in Bournemouth. Henry Alfred Special-Brew, known as Alfie, was 71-years-old. His previous name was Henry Alfred

  • Wrong decision to add another class

    I FELT I must write in reply to the article “Council struggles to find primary places”. I cannot believe the education department are even thinking of adding a class to Hill View Primary school and taking away the library. My own children went to

  • A strange route for Olympic Torch relay

    IT is planned that the Olympic torch route through Bournemouth goes from the Mountbatten roundabout to the University roundabout and then to Ensbury Park. This route has Poole on one side (to the Uni) and sparsely populated areas on the other and then

  • Peace broken by a thoughtless group

    THE peace and tranquillity of a beautiful sunny morning on the riverbank opposite the Captain Cabin restaurant in Christchurch was shattered by the thoughtless and totally irresponsible behaviour of two women, their very young offspring and dog off it

  • Taking advantage of new passengers

    THE ‘dropping off’ parking fees at Bournemouth airport have been a contentious issue since they were introduced. Last evening, however, I was disgusted to note that a further imposition has been introduced when paying for parking using a credit card

  • Grazing is such a benefit

    I TAKE issue with some of the unsubstantiated claims made by Dr Chris Reading’s letter (Heathland grazing plans misguided) and further more his claims are not backed up by expert research undertaken by Natural England and the RSPB. Chris is absolutely

  • Gleeful absurdity of sharpener rule

    IF you heard a police appeal being broadcast warning you that a dangerous character was on the loose and he was armed, you might assume he had a knife or a gun. You wouldn’t think for a moment that he would be armed with... a pencil sharpener. But according

  • Things we’ve learned from watching The Apprentice

    It's back. It might not have the same music, but other than that all the things we love are there: Nick's narrowed eyes and furrowed brows; boys with daft hair and shiny suits; girls with daft hair and strident voices; and Lord Sugar witty repartee. But

  • We just want an honest answer

    WHEN the initial Canford Bottom road closures were announced there was no indication that access to the A31 westbound would be denied to Colehill residents, or, that travelling west you could not access Colehill or Wimborne. This came as

  • BSO: melodic motifs fully savoured

    Designated Northern Legends this programme called for an appreciation of the cerebral rather more than usual. The knell of tubular bells opens Glasgow born Oliver Knussen’s Violin Concerto with soloist Clio Gould entering on a high harmonic E. That is

  • Hamworthy Middle School: 'why we love our school'

    Year 7 pupil Sam Danvers, 11: “I feel really safe coming to school and we do a lot of extra things apart from lessons. We do lots of science, maths and even French. But I like PE the most.” Year 6 student Emily Searle, 11: “I really enjoy lessons and

  • Hamworthy Middle School: at a glance

    SIZE: 333 pupils and 40 staff HISTORY: Built in early 1970s FACILITIES: One of the few schools to have its own indoor heated swimming pool. OFSTED RATING: Good with Outstanding features, 2009 HEAD TEACHER: Karen Davies: “The inspectors told us this

  • Hamworthy Middle School: pupils must be proud of school

    RESPECTING others and taking responsibility for their actions are as important to Hamworthy Middle School pupils as learning maths and English. Thanks to the efforts of head teacher Karen Davies and her dedicated staff, the school has gone

  • Budget 2012: Your reactions

    SINGLE mum Marie Vickers had a mixed view on the budget. Marie, 29, lives with her mum and daughter Grace, two, in Poulner, near Ringwood. She has just set up her own cake business and currently relies completely on benefits. She said: “My income is

  • Strictly Come Dining fun for Oakmead College students

    STUDENTS combined two of the most popular shows on TV to create an entertaining night out for 60 guests. Strictly Come Dancing met Masterchef to create the fund raising event at Oakmead College of Technology in Bournemouth. Strictly Come Dining saw

  • Budget 2012: Local businesses react

    GIVING his third budget speech, Chancellor George Osborne said it was one that “supports working families” and “backs business”. He repeatedly used the phrase “Britain will earn its way in the world” and said the Government was “on the side of aspiration

  • Get ready for the Temptations at the BIC

    AS THE only surviving original member of the Temptations, baritone Otis Williams is in reflective mood, as he chats down the phone ahead of the group’s Saturday concert at the BIC. “It’s great to still be doing something that I love after all these years

  • Pirates: One title down, two to go...

    IT looks like Poole Pirates have done it again. Matt Ford was refusing to get carried away after his new-look team bagged another piece of treasure. But away from the centre-green microphone and cameras, he would no doubt have allowed himself a smile

  • Watt shines for Poppies

    SEVENTEEN-year-old rookie Jonathan Watt took the plaudits for bagging a brace as Bournemouth Poppies fought back to beat Alresford Town 3-1 on Tuesday night. West Howe youngster Watt was plucked from Dorset Premier League football and made his home debut

  • Riley happy with a point

    BASHLEY boss Steve Riley was happy with a point in a 0-0 stalemate against Southern League Premier Division rivals Arlesey Town at the Recreation Ground on Tuesday night. “We dominated the first half but could’nt get one past their keeper who made four