News Archive

Crews from Swanage, Poole, Wimborne, Christchurch, Hamworthy & Wareham have been dealing with a health fire today (Monday 19th Nov). 3 hectares of health have been destroyed near to the Soldiers Road area of Wareham. The fire is now surrounded and damping down is in progress.  

A lorry and a car have collided on New Road on Portland. Fire crews from Portland, Weymouth and Dorchester are currently dealing with the incident. Police have confirmed that the road is partially blocked affecting traffic in to and out of Fortuneswell.

£1.3m has been secured to help tackle domestic abuse across Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Dorset County Council is supporting Hart District Council in leading on an innovative project bid to prevent domestic abuse and support victims across the region, securing £1,297,125 of funding. The funding has been awarded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities ...

The theme of this year’s Brake Road Safety Week 19 – 25 November 2018 is for road users on both two wheels and four (or more) to be #BikeSmart and show due consideration for each other. More information about this national charity can be found on its website www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk Dorset roads policing officers, including the No Excuse ...

A man who admitted carrying out a burglary at a home in Wool has been jailed. Jamie Andrew Dickson-Smith, aged 41 and of no fixed abode, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Wednesday 14 November 2018 after he admitted committing the offence on Friday 28 September 2018. He was sentenced to two years and four months ...

A new road safety programme, aimed specifically at defence personnel, is launching this week. Statistics show that vehicle-related collisions are the second largest cause of non-operational fatalities and injuries across the Ministry of Defence, only exceeded by training incidents. Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has now worked in partnership with the Ministry of ...

The incident occurred at around 10.45pm yesterday, Friday 16 November 2018, on The Esplanade near to the King’s Statue. The victim, a man aged in his 30s, reported that he had been involved in an altercation with two men and a woman and had sustained a stab wound to his back. He was taken to hospital for ...

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue responded to a report of a caravan on fire on Glue Hill. Initially two crews, one from Sturminster Newton and one from Sherborne fire stations were in Sturminster Newton. On arrival crews located the caravan on fire which was situated near to a thatched property, extra crews were initially requested due ...

310 guests celebrated the best and brightest from the air ambulance community on Monday 12th November at the national Air Ambulance Awards of Excellence 2018. Awards hosts Richard Madeley and Angellica Bell handed out 12 Awards to outstanding individuals and teams, whose stories were inspirational, astounding and humbling. The awards, which are independently judged, went to ...

Detectives investigating an incident in Weymouth that left a woman with a possible stab wound are appealing for anyone with information to come forward. At 7.18pm yesterday, Wednesday 14 November 2018, Dorset Police received a report from the ambulance service that paramedics were at Dorchester South train station treating a woman aged in her 30s who ...

In the lead up to Christmas, Brewery Square is preparing to welcome families to the development with a range of free, festive events beginning on Saturday, November 24. Skating In The Square is back for another year as part of a packed schedule of events, operating until Saturday, January 5. Tickets can be purchased in advance ...

WDDC & DCC, at the request of The Dorchester Business Improvement District have agreed to provide FREE parking in all Council operated car parks and on-street parking in Dorchester for the last 3 Saturdays in Dec (8th, 15th, 22nd) as well as Christmas Eve Monday 24th of December. This initiative requested by DBID with the ...

Officers searching for a missing Weymouth man are appealing to the public for help to find him. John Chamberlain, aged 75, was last seen at his home address in Gallwey Road at around 1am today, Wednesday 14 November 2018. John is described as white, around five feet eight inches tall and of medium build with a bald ...

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, Martyn Underhill, has today joined the growing chorus of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) and Chief Constables calling on the Government to provide more central funding for policing. Dorset Police Chief Constable James Vaughan has also made a similar declaration. This is the first time that Dorset has spoken out ...

Dorset was hit with strong winds and driving rain overnight causing flooding and downed trees. Heavy rain hit Dorset overnight along with winds gusting over 30mph. The Metoffice issued a yellow warning for Friday night warning of heavy rain and winds. A number of issues occurred overnight causing disruption to roads, homes and businesses. Flooding occurred on ...

Local residents and businesses are being invited to help shape a Dorchester town centre master plan. Pop in to the Council offices at South Walks House, Dorchester DT1 1UZ at any time to view the work in progress on the following dates: * Thursday 15 November – ...

There were cheers and smiles all round as the Shire Hall Historic Courthouse Museum team won three prestigious awards in one night. Dorchester’s newest museum, on High West Street, scooped a gold award and two silvers at the Dorset Tourism Awards last night. They won gold in the new Tourism Innovation and New Business category ...

On this very special year of commemorating the end of World War One a hundred years ago, there were concerns that the weather would curtail the annual Thomas Hardye Remembrance event. However, almost on cue, the sun came out as the whole school and its guests assembled on Queens Avenue. As always, the ceremony began with ...

This year will mark 80 years since British communities began to take in 10,000 child refugees fleeing Nazi persecution in Europe. These civic efforts with the support of the Government would come to be known as the ‘KinderTransport’. 80 years later, children are still fleeing war and still do not have a safe passage to ...

A large-scale multi-agency training exercise took place on Portland to test the emergency services’ response to a major incident. This exercise was held during the afternoon and evening of Wednesday 7 November 2018 and was designed to enhance the skills of emergency responders when managing a major incident and was not in relation to any specific ...

A man has come forward following an appeal in relation to a reported purse theft in Dorchester. Between 12.45pm and 1.30pm on Thursday 18 October 2018 a woman aged in her 80s reported that her purse had been stolen while shopping in the town centre and her bank card was allegedly used for a transaction at ...

Broadmayne first school near Dorchester is one of the only first schools in the area lucky enough to have an outdoor, heated swimming pool. In fact, the school motto is ‘every child a swimmer’ as it is the ambition of teachers and parents that no child leaves Broadmayne having not learned to swim. ​ Pupils at ...

Officers are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward following a burglary in Weymouth. At approximately 1.50pm on Friday 2 November 2018 the victim, a woman aged in her late teens, was at her home address off Brunel Drive when a man rang the doorbell a number of times. When the victim did not ...

The Care Quality Commission had rated Dorset County hospital as ‘Good’! Patricia Miller, Chief Executive of Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are delighted that the efforts of our staff to provide the very best care and services for our patients have been recognised. “The overall rating applied to Dorset County Hospital and all of ...

Butterflies is pleased to announce that Crafty Gift Boutique Ltd, in Trinity Street, will be supporting both the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance and our charity with its Christmas raffle this year. Proceeds from the raffle will be split 50/50. Customers to the shop will be given the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets to win one ...

After spending two weeks on display at Dorchester Library & Learning Centre as ambassadors for the Royal Voluntary Service, and being much admired and appreciated by visitors to the library, our knitted volunteers big and small have now returned to the office in The Old School House, 49 High West Street, Dorchester. They are waiting patiently ...

Officers investigating a serious injury road traffic collision on the A37 north of Dorchester are appealing for witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to come forward. At 9.44am today, Monday 5 November 2018, Dorset Police received a report of a collision on the A37 near Grimstone. The collision involved a white Scania lorry and a grey ...

A ‘Question Time’ style debate will discuss what remembrance means. The free event is being held at Dorset History Centre on Friday 9 November. The panel will be chaired by Dr Fiona Cosson of Bournemouth University’s Public History course. Kate Adie will be joined by Stephen Boyce, head of the South-West Committee of the Heritage Lottery ...

A fire crew from Dorchester station and an off road vehicle from Bere Regis were mobilised to a report of a fire in the area of Lulworth Cove yesterday evening (2nd Nov) at 9pm. On arrival, crews located an area of grassland and cliffs well alight. Crews used the off road vehicle and its two hose reel ...

Charlotte Spracklen, centre manager at Brewery Square, has been appointed as a member of the Dorchester BID Board. Charlotte Spracklen, centre manager at Brewery Square, added: “I’m thrilled to be a part of the Board and to be able to play a part in the future of Dorchester. We’ve found the team incredibly supportive of everything ...

A boy is due to appear in court in connection with a reported suspicious fire near Dorchester. At 9.42pm on Thursday 25 January 2018 Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service was called to reports of a fire at the old RAF hangers at Crossways. The service notified police at 10.27pm and officers attended the incident. A ...

This year’s Poppy Appeal will mark the third time that Dorset Police will be showcasing a specially decorated police car with red poppies to demonstrate the Force’s support to the Royal British Legion’s annual appeal. The specially branded car will be attending a service in West Bay on 1 November and will be part of the ...

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service is warning people to not let Halloween become scary for all the wrong reasons. Every year on 31 October, children and adults are injured in accidents where candles or fireworks have set fire to costumes and hair. Plastic capes and bin liners, often used as costumes, are also fire ...

Dorset Waste Partnership teams up with charity Ideas2Action to save useful items from being thrown away There are organisations and individuals all over Dorset that might need those things you are about to throw in the recycling or rubbish bin. Charity Ideas2Action has teamed up with the Dorset Waste Partnership (DWP) to produce the first issue of ...

Shoppers and locals alike are pleased to see the clock above the Napper’s Mite working again. It has been off for 10 years but thanks to significant funding from Dorchester Town Council, with contributions from the Dorchester BID and additional public donations, it ticks once more! Pictures from Phil Gordon @dorchdude

To mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance is displaying the Poppy of Remembrance on their AW169 helicopter and Critical Care Car over the centenary period. This year marks the 100th year since the end of the First World War, in which millions of service personnel ...

Officers in Weymouth are appealing for witnesses following a robbery. The incident happened at the junction of Abbotsbury Road and Weymouth Way at around 10am on Saturday 20th October 2018. The victim – a local man aged in his 40s – was driving his blue Ford Fiesta when he stopped at the traffic lights. A man then approached ...

Public Health Dorset is encouraging schools to apply for money to help improve emotional and mental health and wellbeing through physical activity for their whole school community. All primary, secondary and special needs schools in Dorset have until 5 November to apply for the funding. The team are looking for ideas which goes beyond just adding to ...

As part of their anti-fly-tipping activities – which includes the highly successful Tip-Off campaign – the DWP are looking at new ways to fight the blight of the illegal carrying and dumping of waste in Dorset. The recently-published National Rural Crime Survey 2018 shows that fly-tipping remains a huge concern for Dorset residents, with 57% ...

Dorset has been celebrating Get Online Week (15-21 October) by announcing a partnership with digital inclusion experts Citizens Online. Around 150,000 of Dorset residents, including Poole and Bournemouth, lack at least one digital skill. Citizens Online is helping to build the county’s digital champions programme – and is inviting any organization interested in helping to ...

Dorset has seen an eight per cent increase in reported crime, according to the statistics released today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for the 12 month period until June 2018. The rise in reported crime in the county compares to a national rise of 10 per cent across England and Wales. This follows record ...

Officers investigating a fatal road traffic collision on the A35 Puddletown bypass are appealing for any witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage of the incident to come forward. At around 7.30pm on Tuesday 16 October 2018 a collision occurred on the eastbound carriageway between the Northbrook Interchange at the A354 Blandford turning and the Tolpuddle Ball ...

Officers are appealing for witnesses after a collision between a tank and a motorcycle near Wareham. Dorset Police was called at 11.29am today, Monday 15 October 2018, to the collision along the A352 at Holmebridge. The motorcyclist sustained a suspected fracture to his arm and leg and was taken to Poole Hospital. His injuries are not thought ...

The new Bere Regis primary school, which was completed in December 2016, has won The SPACES Civic Building of the Year award in the category of Innovation. The school was constructed as part of Dorset County Council’s Purbeck Reorganisation programme and followed the ‘baseline design’ approach developed by the council’s Dorset Property team. Baseline design is ...

A man is due to appear in court charged in connection with a reported robbery in Dorchester. At around 3.05pm on Friday 12 October 2018 a local woman aged in her 70s was walking along Alexandra Terrace having been to the bank in the town when it is reported she was grabbed by a man and ...

Detectives are appealing for witnesses to come forward following a reported robbery in Dorchester. At around 3.05pm yesterday, Friday 12 October 2018, a local woman aged in her 70s was walking along Alexandra Terrace having been to the bank in the town when it is reported she was grabbed by a man and robbed of her ...

A new video competition is being launched to highlight the sources of Dorset’s plastic pollution problem. Litter Free Dorset wants your videos to inspire change and reduce litter across the county. ‘Litter Travels’ can be about any aspect of litter and its journey – as plastic and other rubbish can travel from our roadsides and streets through ...

Officers investigating a reported burglary in Weymouth have arrested a man. It was reported that between 7pm on Thursday 9 August 2018 and 12.45am on Friday 10 August 2018 a break-in occurred at a home in Alexandra Road. Entry is believed to have been gained through a ground floor window and an untidy search was carried out. ...

Parents across Dorset are being reminded that there are only a few weeks left to apply for their child’s secondary or upper school place for September 2019. The deadline is 31 October 2018. To date, Dorset County Council has received 2,376 applications for secondary/upper schools, but many children have yet to have an application submitted for ...

Officers investigating a serious road traffic collision in Dorchester are appealing for witnesses and anyone with information to come forward. The incident occurred on Bridport Road near to the junction with Whitfield Road and was reported at 5.17pm on Saturday 6 October 2018. A 10-year-old boy was crossing the road together with another 10-year-old pedestrian when the ...

Statement from Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner Following the Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Panel meeting, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset, Martyn Underhill, said: “My view on the merge is already on record and was put before the Panel today. The Business Case is proved, and I am frustrated that a politician has ...

Detectives are now in a position to name a man who died at a farm near Blandford. At 8.25pm on Friday 28 September 2018 Dorset Police received a report that a 25-year-old local man had sustained serious injuries following an incident at Hanford Farm. Sadly he was later pronounced dead at the scene. He has today, Friday ...

Dorset County Council has held its annual Children in Care awards. The awards celebrate the achievements of foster families, the children they look after and the youngsters who are leaving care. Over 100 awards were presented at an emotional ceremony at Bryanston School on Saturday 29 September, attended by some 300 people. Awards included the recognition of ...

Detectives have launched an investigation into a fire at a car garage in Weymouth and are appealing for any witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. Dorset Police was called at 5am on Sunday 30 September 2018 by the fire service reporting a large fire at the premises on Holly Road. Residents in nearby properties were ...

Detectives investigating the death of a man at a farm near Blandford have released one arrested man on police bail and a second man has been released under investigation. At 8.25pm on Friday 28 September 2018 Dorset Police received a report that a 25-year-old local man had sustained serious injuries following an incident at Hanford Farm. He ...

Detectives are releasing CCTV images of a man they would like to speak to in relation to reported assaults in Weymouth. At around 4.15am on Saturday 8 September 2018 a man was reportedly assaulted on The Esplanade. The victim, aged in his 20s and from Bridgewater in Somerset, sustained a suspected broken jaw. A short time later ...

When grown-up children leave home – for jobs or university – it can be a difficult time for some parents. The house can be just too quiet, too empty. Dorset County Council suggests this could be the perfect time for people to consider opening their doors to a vulnerable child or young person. Someone who wasn’t ...

At least a hundred homes have been evacuated following a fire in Weymouth. Garages in the Westham area are affected which are believed to contain cylinders. The Dorset and Wiltshire fire and rescue service advise all those living near by to keep doors and windows closed and to keep clear of the area. There are currently no reports ...

Detectives have launched an investigation into the death of a man at a farm near Blandford, with two men arrested. At 8.25pm on Friday 28 September 2018 Dorset Police received a report that a local 25-year-old man had sustained serious injuries following an incident at Hanford Farm. Two Shaftesbury men, aged 25 and 27, were arrested on ...

Detectives investigating a series of reports of commercial burglaries in Dorchester are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. Shortly after 12am on Friday 28 September 2018 Dorset Police received a report of a break-in at Malvern Tyres at Poundbury West Industrial Estate. It was reported that a till had been taken. At 2.55am ...