News Archive

Bridoprt travelled to Torrington for a Southwest Peninsular East fixture and returned from Devon with 2 goals to 1 victory in the bank. The Bees’ 2 goals coming from Jamie Cox and Callum Arnold. On Sunday afternoon Weymouth women’s team travelled to play Feniton Women and won the game by 5 goals to 1, Bianca Randall netted twice ...

There are reports that the Legionella bacteria has been found in the water supply of the Bibby Stockholm barge where 39 asylum seekers are being housed. Reports say that it is believed routine tests had been carried out prior to migrants boarding, but the results of the tests were known only after they had moved on ...

The cost of rural crime in Dorset has fallen by 28% since 2021, according to a recent report from insurer NFU Mutual. The 2023 Rural Crime Report, which was published by NFU Mutual on Tuesday 1 August 2023, revealed that rural crime cost Dorset £348,000 last year – a reduction of 28% from 2021. Dorset was one of ...

Charity Angels UK are currently seeking local women to be models for The Show. All the models will have personal experience of breast cancer and will strut their stuff on the catwalk to show how far they have come and that you can look good and feel terrific even after such a difficult diagnosis. Some will be young, ...

A rare Roman coin hoard acquired by Dorset Museum in 2022 has gone on display. The hoard of Roman coins was found in the parish of Askerswell in West Dorset in 2017 during a metal detecting rally. A total of 627 silver denarius coins were recovered, the majority being retrieved on the same day through archaeological ...

Police officers are appealing for witnesses to come forward following a report of a sexual assault in Weymouth. It is reported that at around 10pm on Monday 7 August 2023 the victim – a 17-year-old girl – was inappropriately touched by a man in the Swannery car park in Radipole Park Drive. The victim was reportedly put ...

Our reporter Idris Martin observed the country’s national media who descended once again on The Jailhouse Cafe overlooking Portland Port in anticipation of getting a glimpse of the first ‘refugees/asylum seekers’ boarding the Bibby Stockholm barge. For a while they were disappointed since, by lunchtime, all there was to see was a port worker pushing his ...

Dorset Police have amended the following item to clarify that the building site was not at the Pennsylvania Castle site itself, as previously stated. Officers investigating a burglary at a building site on Portland are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. Between 2am and 4.30am on Wednesday 26 July 2023 a break-in occurred ...

Only one of our local football clubs emerged from the weekend’s fixtures with any degree of success and that was Bridport who beat Newton Abbot Spurs at St Mary’s by 3 goals to 2 in a Southwest Peninsular East match. The Bees’ scores coming from Solomon Ayunga, Tom Richardson and George Claverley. In their opening National League ...

Officers are investigating criminal damage that was caused to a taxi in Dorchester and would like any witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to come forward. At around 1am on Sunday 30 July 2023 a taxi driver witnessed a man being verbally abusive toward women on the Shell garage forecourt in London Road. On his drive out ...

Dorset Police is setting up a diary of engagement events for the communities of Portland as the island prepares to welcome the first group of asylum seekers to Portland Port. The events are at venues across Portland during the next month and will give communities the chance to meet local officers dedicated to providing a visible ...

Dorset Police is piloting the use of two tactical watercrafts for the summer to enable increased patrols of the coastline and inland waterways. With almost 100 miles of coastline, the county is an attractive location for those wishing to take to the water and use jet skis, watercrafts and paddleboards in the warmer weather. However, police have ...

Dorset Police have launched a campaign today, Thursday 3 August, which focuses on the consequences of using mobile phones while driving agricultural vehicles and heavy machinery on roads. Using a mobile phone while driving is one of the five most common reasons for road deaths, known as the ‘Fatal Five’. Others include driving at an excessive ...

Portland’s internationally recognised b-side festival is partnering with Dorset’s touring arts charity Artsreach to present a special pedal-powered cinema screening in the stunning cliff-top gardens of Pennsylvania Castle this summer! Audiences can put their feet to good use and get immersed in the experience by hopping on one of sixteen special bikes to help power a ...

Dorset Council has received notice from Powerfuel that they intend to appeal the council’s decision to refuse planning permission for an Energy Recovery Facility at Portland Port. On Friday 24 March 2023, Dorset Council’s Strategic and Technical Planning Committee refused to grant permission for the proposed facility, with Powerfuel stating shortly after that they would lodge ...

Josh McQuoid the ex-AFC Bournemouth forward, capped five times by Northern Ireland has returned to Weymouth Football Club following his departure at the end of last season. The former Terras captain’s return was announced to the fans before their home two goals to one defeat at the hands of Division one club side Reading at the Bob ...

It is with great sadness that we report the death of former KeeP 106 presenter Jim Davis at the age of 81. From the launch of the station in 2018 until earlier this year Jim presented a number of popular specialised music programmes featuring organ music, military bands and big bands, dance bands and jazz, which ...

Police officers are investigating the circumstances of an incident in which a man sustained injuries in Weymouth and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward. At 12.27am on Saturday 29 July 2023 Dorset Police received a report from the ambulance service that a 48-year-old man from the Milton Keynes area had been found with ...

Dorchester is definitely worth a visit this summer. Dorchester Town Council has decorated the town centre with sunflowers and it looks incredibly bright and cheerful. The giant sunflowers suspended over South Street are back and, this year, there are spectacular giant sunflower murals on the pedestrian street too, painted with temporary eco paint. Once again, shops ...

Police officers are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward after a man was assaulted in Weymouth. At around 10.10am on Monday 17 July 2023 the victim, a man aged in his 20s, was walking through the pedestrian underpass between Corscombe Close and Westham Bridge when he was grabbed around the neck by ...

Weymouth Octoberfest, organised by members of West Dorset Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) makes a welcome return to Weymouth Pavilion on Friday & Saturday October 6th & 7th, and this year sees an all Welsh beer and cider theme. The festival is held in the Pavilion Ocean Room and has spectacular views of Weymouth Bay ...

Hazel Hoskin from Maiden Castle Farm reports that Mother Nature has surprised them with the Sunflowers coming to bloom earlier than expected. The popular Dorset Sunflower Trail will open for its third season on Friday 28 July 2023 from 11 am till 4pm. Sunflowers are stunning to look at and even better when the fields are golden ...

Police are appealing for witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to come forward following a serious injury collision in Weymouth. Dorset Police received a report at 8.32am on Thursday 27 July 2023 of a collision involving a Zontes motorcycle and a red Skoda Fabia in Newstead Road at the junction with the A354 near Asda. The rider ...

Officers investigating an alleged assault at a pub in Weymouth are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. Dorset Police received a report at 10.07pm on Saturday 22 July 2023 that a woman had been grabbed round the neck by a man in the Kings Arms pub in Trinity Road. Officers attended and carried ...

This year’s Takeover Challenge saw young people ‘takeover’ some of the top roles and responsibilities at Dorset Council. The Takeover Challenge is a yearly national campaign, running from 3-14 July, that allows young people to experience the workplace, inform decisions and have their voices heard. 33 young people, aged 10-17, including 21 young people who have a ...

Dorset County Hospital (DCH) is continuing to provide good urgent and emergency care despite the unprecedented pressures faced by Emergency Departments throughout the country. The Care Quality Commission’s latest national Urgent and Emergency Care Patient Survey highlights the experiences of thousands of people across the country who used A&E services during September 2022. Responses were received from 438 ...

If you are looking for something exciting and fun to do during the holidays that will suit all ages and you don’t want to break the bank, then there is a great FREE event taking place in Dorchester to round off the bank holiday weekend. On Monday 29 August the well-established Anonymous Festival, organised by Dorchester ...

Police officers are issuing a CCTV image of a man they would like to identify as they investigate the theft of a vehicle near Dorchester. At around 8pm on Wednesday 5 July 2023 a white Nissan e-NV200 van was stolen from the driveway of an address in Martinstown. Officers attended and conducted a search of the area, ...

Officers searching for missing man James Rakestraw in Weymouth are pleased to confirm he has been found. James was reported missing having last been seen on the evening of Monday 24 July 2023. Following searches and enquiries by officers, he has now been located. The police would like to thank everyone who shared our appeal.  

All of the Dorset League Cricket on Saturday was washed out, however the Beach Volleyball players competing in the Weymouth Beach Classic were made of stronger stuff. They played throughout Saturday despite the horrendous conditions and finished the competition on time. Event Director Peter Bennett said that it was the 40th time the competition had been held ...

The Friends of Radipole Park and Gardens hosted their annual Brass Band in the Park concert on Sunday afternoon. It was well attended and entertained locals and visitors alike in the beautiful well-kept gardens that are a tribute to the council gardeners who keep the park well maintained throughout the year. The Friends Group along with the council ...

Police are appealing for witnesses and anyone with dashcam footage to come forward following a serious collision in Dorchester. Dorset Police received a report at 12.53pm on Saturday 22 July 2023 of a two vehicle collision involving a grey Volkswagen Polo and a blue Suzuki Carry van on the B3143 Slyer’s Lane crossroads. A man aged in ...

Charity Founder and specialist nurse has reached the final of two prestigious national nursing awards. Hilary Maxwell, Chair of GO Girls and Gynae-Oncology Nurse Specialist at Dorset County Hospital has been nominated for two national awards. She has reached the finals in the Nursing Times 2023 Awards, Nurse of the Year and the RCN Nursing Awards, ...

Latest crime statistics have been published that show Dorset remains the sixth safest area in the country after experiencing a rise in crime lower than other parts of England and Wales. The Office for National Statistics released data on Thursday 20 July 2023, which shows that overall crime rose by 1.4 per cent in Dorset during ...

Councillors on Dorset Council’s area planning committee today, Thursday 20 July, have voted to approve an application to demolish the former Weymouth and Portland Borough Council offices at North Quay, Weymouth. The green light for demolition marks the first phase of an ambitious regeneration plan for Weymouth’s waterside economy. £19.5m Levelling Up Funding (LUF) was awarded ...

Dorset Police is launching new public scrutiny panels to assess how the Force is using stop and search and use of force powers and is looking for panel members. The panels are undertaken by the public, for the public and are designed to help the Force make improvements in the way that these powers are used ...

Round two of Reclaim Festival is kicking off this Friday 21st July, at the Nothe Fort in Weymouth. The festival is targeted at young people ages 16-25 years and features talented young musicians, DJs, art, vintage clothes, food, and refreshments – it is FREE to attend, and takes place at 6pm-10pm. Shop through a whole selection ...

Our reporter Idris Martin has been to Portland to witness the arrival of the Bibby Stockholm, the controversial barge which will house 500 asylum seekers. Idris says that the Jailhouse Cafe was doing good business since TV crews and journalists from all the main media outlets seemed to be there. The last time the area had ...

A cruise ship provided an economic boost after pulling into Portland for an extended stay due to poor weather conditions elsewhere. The Norwegian Dawn arrived early with 2,360 guests on board when strong winds made her previous planned call untenable. She docked at the port’s new £26m deep water berth the evening before her scheduled day-long visit. A ...

Officers investigating a collision in Bere Regis are appealing for witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to come forward. At approximately 12pm on Sunday 16 July 2023 a collision occurred involving a grey Honda Civic and a black Range Rover on the A31 at the junction with Bere Road. The driver of the Range Rover and a ...

On Tuesday 25 July 2023, Dorset Council’s draft library strategy will be reviewed by Cabinet for approval. The strategy aims to protect and enhance the council’s library service, with a fresh approach to delivering services and no proposed branch closures. The strategy has been shaped by public feedback and data. The first phase of consultation sought ...

Dorchester is to host a “Streets Alive!” event celebrating International Car-Free Day in Acland Road car park on 22nd September 2023. There will be a festival with stalls, music, activities, and demonstrations in the car park in the afternoon from 12pm to 5pm. Local school children will be taking part with members of the public ...

Three of Dorset’s leading climate action groups have come together to organise a pioneering event with the aim of spurring the local community into urgent action to combat the threats posed by climate change and ecological collapse. Zero Carbon Dorset, Dorset Climate Action Network (Dorset CAN) and Sustainable Dorset have joined forces to launch the ...

A man has been arrested in connection with a report of an upskirting offence at a shop in Weymouth. It was reported that at around 3pm on Friday 16 June 2023 a 14-year-old girl was in the Tesco Express store on Portland Road in Wyke Regis when a man was apparently seen apparently trying to take ...

Our correspondent Idris Martin reports that the local charity Family Matters whose motto is “A Gift From One Family To Another” held a fund raiser at the Famous Old Spa pub in Weymouth on Saturday. The charity provides good clothes, toys and equipment for babies and pre-schoolers to local families in need and all items are ...

Weymouth Football Club’s senior men’s team welcomed Bournemouth’s under 21 side to the Bob Lucas Stadium for a pre-season fixture on Saturday and turned over the Premier League youngsters by 2 goals to 1. The Terras goals coming from Dan Roberts and Tom Bearwish. Dorchester were also in pre-season action at the Avenue Stadium against Frome Town and ...

A man has come forward following a CCTV appeal in relation to a report of an upskirting offence at a shop in Weymouth. It was reported that at around 3pm on Friday 16 June 2023 a 14-year-old girl was in the Tesco Express store on Portland Road in Wyke Regis when a man was seen apparently ...

Police have said that a motorist has come forward following an image appeal in relation to an alleged fail-to-stop road traffic collision in Dorchester. The incident occurred at around 8.50pm on Thursday 15 June 2023 in Kings Road. A 13-year-old boy was riding his bike when he reportedly had to take evasive action to avoid a ...

Officers searching for a missing man in the Weymouth area have very sadly found a body. At around 1.45pm on Tuesday 11 July 2023, it was reported that the body of a man had been found in the Nottington area. While formal identification is yet to take place, it is believed to be that of John Manley ...

Three of our local football clubs were in pre-season action on Saturday. Weymouth travelled to Wimborne and returned with 3 goals to 2 win under their belts. The Terras goals coming from Tom Bearwish with a penalty with Tommy Stag and Elliott Rossiter adding a goal each. Dorchester went down at the Avenue Stadium by a goal to ...

Officers investigating a fail-to-stop collision in Weymouth are appealing for a witness who stopped at the scene to come forward. The incident occurred at around 6pm on Monday 19 June 2023 on Dorchester Road, near to the roadworks between the Manor Roundabout and Morrisons. It is reported that a male pedestrian was knocked to the ground by ...

Officers investigating an alleged assault in Weymouth are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. It is reported that at around 9.15pm on Saturday 1 July 2023 a woman was assaulted on the stairs near to Littlemoor Doctors Surgery. During the incident, it is alleged that the victim’s mobile phone was damaged. A 29-year-old local ...

It has been reported that the former Marks and Spencer store in Dorchester’s South Street is to become a hotel. The building was purchased by Whitbread, who own Premier Inn, in early June 2023, and it is the company’s intention to restore the building, which is in a poor state of repair, to be a 100 ...

Dorset Council has today (6th July) issued a further statement regarding the council’s position on the Portland asylum seekers’ barge scheme. It can be seen from the statement that, although the council opposes the scheme, it is not able to legally challenge the Home Office’s decision. The statement reads as follows: Cllr Laura Beddow, Dorset Council Portfolio ...

Officers investigating a road traffic collision in Dorchester are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to get in touch. Dorset Police received a report at 3.53pm on Wednesday 5 July 2023 of a single-vehicle collision involving a blue Renault Modus at the roundabout between the junctions with Peverell Avenue West and Bridport Road. The driver, a ...

A body has very sadly been found on a beach on Portland and is believed to be that of missing Joe Clements from Weymouth. Dorset Police received a report at 5.45am on Wednesday 5 July 2023 that a body had been found on Chesil Beach. While the body has not yet been formally identified, it is believed ...

An investigation is underway after a schoolboy sustained serious injuries following a collision in Weymouth in which the driver failed to stop. At around 2.45pm on Tuesday 4 July 2023 the boy, aged 12, was crossing Chickerell Road when he was struck by a car that subsequently failed to stop at the scene. Limited details are known ...

There are just three weeks to go until Dorchester is taken over by beautiful bright sunflowers this summer to raise money for Dorset County Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU). From 1st August, visitors are invited to visit the town centre to see a sunflower extravaganza. Beautiful sunflower sculptures will be suspended across South Street and ...

Dorset Council has today (3rd July) issued information regarding the Bibby Stockholm barge due to arrive at Portland Port to accommodate up to 500 asylum seekers. The information has been released by Dorset Council despite considerable local opposition – see the links at the end of this article. The information as supplied by Dorset Council reads ...

Officers investigating a report of an assault in Weymouth are appealing for any witnesses to come forward. It was reported that at around 3pm on Sunday 2 July 2023 a woman aged in her 40s was assaulted by a man on Westham Bridge. The woman did not sustain any serious injuries. Following enquiries, a local man aged in ...