News Archive

Dorchester’s new volunteer run Community Radio Station KeeP 106 welcomed Mayors and Chair-persons from across Dorset during a visit to the station’s studios based in the county town’s historic Little Keep. The Mayor of Dorchester, Cllr. David Taylor, welcomed the 30+ party during his Civic Day tour of Dorchester and groups were shown the KeeP 106 ...

Officers investigating an incident of criminal damage at a house near Blandford are appealing for witnesses. They were called at 7.55am on Thursday 27 September 2018 to reports that house bricks had been thrown at the windows of a property on A350 High Street at Spetisbury. Two windows were damaged in the incident. Police Constable Glen Caddy, ...

More than 20 awards were presented to officers and staff at an awards evening held at the Dorford Centre, Dorchester. On Wednesday 26 September Dorset Police held an awards evening at Dorford Centre in Dorchester, where awards were presented to officers and staff in front of family and friends. Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal awards ...

Young people across Dorset are being asked: Could you make a difference? Applications are now open for 11 – 18-year-olds to become Members of Youth Parliament. The Expression of Interest is open for young people in the county to apply for one of four posts in which they will represent Dorset in the UK Youth Parliament. Each year ...

This Saturday from 6pm, Dorset Police will be offering its social media followers a front row seat to a demanding shift in Weymouth, as we share updates on the work of a busy frontline response unit. The Force is expecting it to be a busy payday weekend, with the updates to social media (on Saturday 29 ...

England’s independent regulator of health care services the Care Quality Commission (CQC), has rated South Western Ambulance Service (NHS) Foundation Trust (SWASFT) as ‘Good’ in their latest inspection and ‘Outstanding’ for being ‘Caring’. The Trust was pleased to welcome a team of CQC inspectors into the Trust sites across the region during their inspection of the ...

Dorset County Hospital is gearing up for its annual Open Day next month, allowing visitors the opportunity to catch a glimpse of what goes on inside its walls. Proving popular in previous years, this year’s Open Day will include tours of different departments including theatres and diagnostic imaging. There will also be a number of displays in ...

A man has appeared in court and pleaded guilty to drug supply offences in Dorchester. Officers proactively visited an address in Wollaston Road on Friday 21 September 2018 following reports of suspected drug misuse. Five men were arrested and a quantity of suspected class A drugs were seized. Mohammed Abdullah, 32 and of County Grove in Camberwell, ...

A group of properties along Dorset’s Jurassic Coast are to get some of the fastest internet connections in the UK. With advice from the Superfast Dorset project, people living and working in Coast Road – a stunning but isolated location between Burton Bradstock and Abbotsbury – have tapped into Government money to future proof their broadband. On ...

Public exhibitions have been held regarding the North Dorchester development that could see over 3000 new homes come to the county town. The North Dorchester Consortium Public Exhibition took place between 20th-22nd September 2018. The North Dorchester Consortium (NDC) would like to thank all those who attended and they are now in the process of formulating a ...

25 Dorset young carers have been taken to see War Horse at Southampton’s Mayflower as a reward for their hard work and for some down time from their often demanding responsibilities. There are currently 117 young carers in the county being supported by the Dorset Young Carers Service. Over the past year, the service has provided a ...

A man has been jailed after admitting causing a fatal collision near Dorchester. Mathew Vater, aged 24 and of Rectory Close, Broadmayne, Dorchester, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday 21 September 2018 after admitting a charge of causing death by careless driving. He was sentenced to 10 months in prison and disqualified from driving for ...

Officers are appealing for witnesses after a three-vehicle collision on the A35 near Lytchett Minster. Dorset Police was called at 10am today, Friday 21 September 2018, to reports of a collision near to the turning for Organford Cross. The three vehicles involved were a grey Peugeot 308, a blue Honda Jazz and a black Jaguar XF. The road ...

Additional money is being invested in to Dorset’s roads by Dorset County Council to get them ready for winter. The Shadow Dorset Council Executive Committee has approved the county council Cabinet decision to push an extra £1.4m into road maintenance this financial year, aimed at repairing more of the damage left by Storm Emma and ‘The ...

A new fundraising initiative at Dorset County Hospital will allow for clearer and quicker procedures for patients with pleural diseases. The initiative is being driven by the Friends of DCH, who have pledged to raise £17,000 for a new ultrasound machine for the Respiratory Department. A main benefit of the machine will be allowing the respiratory team ...

A programme of walks, branded ‘self-care stomps’ are the leading the way to emotional wellbeing at Thorncombe Woods this autumn. Local therapist Emma Pritchard is using the Dorset County Council owned Thorncombe Woods as the perfect location to hold monthly walks to encourage wellbeing and mindfulness. Self-Care Stomps are open to people of all abilities and ...

A West Dorset smallholder has been ordered to pay £530 and is banned from keeping poultry and pigs for ten years after causing unnecessary suffering to chickens following a court hearing in Weymouth. On 17 September 2018, at Weymouth Magistrates’ Court, Richard Thomas Hansford, aged 67, of Weymouth pleaded guilty to four offences under the ...

The Dorset History Centre has been announced as a National Archives finalist in a digital preservation award. It’s one of four shortlisted for Safeguarding the Digital Legacy. Much of Dorset’s history is recorded on paper and photographs which are at risk of deterioration, but information held in old technologies – such as floppy disk and CDs – ...

Volunteers are needed to help Dorset County Council’s trading standards run test purchasing exercises. Some products are age restricted to buy, such as cigarettes and alcohol. Trading standards are responsible for making sure retailers know all about these laws and do not sell these products to people under the legal age. One of the ways to ...

Officers investigating a fatal road traffic collision in Dorchester are appealing for witnesses and anyone with information to come forward. At 4.10pm on Friday 14 September 2018 Dorset Police was informed by the ambulance service about the incident in Hessary Street. The collision involved a yellow Hyosung motorcycle and a white Iveco van. The air ambulance service ...

Officers investigating a serious road traffic collision in Dorchester are appealing for witnesses and anyone with information to come forward. At 4.10pm today, Friday 14 September 2018, Dorset Police was informed by the ambulance service about the incident in Hessary Street. The collision involved a yellow Hyosung motorcycle and a white Iveco van. The air ambulance ...

In the latest edition of Local World Jenny Devitt meets Ruth who tells how her canine partner, Delia, an extraordinarily intelligent poodle-cross, has revolutionised her life. Not to be missed! Canine-Partners-Ruth Lots more in Local World which you can hear here

Dorchester Neighbourhood Police have received numerous reports regarding a group of youths knocking on doors in the Poundbury area. The group have been knocking loudly on doors and then running away. This is causing a great deal of alarm and distress to many people including some elderly residents. Patrols are being conducted however we are appealing ...

Dorset County Council has been shortlisted for two national awards for schemes that aim to improve the lives of children and young people. The Children and Young People Now Awards highlight the dedication of organisations, teams and individuals working with children, young people and families. The council is a finalist in two categories – early ...

In an exciting step for the new unitary authority in Dorset, the first recommended appointment has been announced. The Shadow Senior Appointments Committee has recommended that Matt Prosser should be appointed as the Chief Executive of Dorset Council, which goes live in April 2019. This recommendation will be put forward to the full Shadow Council ...

No good can come of carrying a knife, so bin it. This is the message from Dorset Police as it launches a knife amnesty in the county. Between Tuesday 18 September and Friday 21 September 2018 members of the public can dispose of unwanted knives and bladed items at designated police stations without fear of ...

Woman who failed to stop at the scene of a fatal collision sentenced A woman who admitted failing to stop at the scene of a collision in which a pedestrian died has been sentenced. Melissa Lewis, 47 and of Pound Close in Charminster, Dorchester, appeared at Weymouth Magistrates’ Court yesterday, Wednesday 12 September 2018, after pleading ...

Dorset Police are warning Dorset residents of the increasing use of scams where iTunes vouchers are requested as payment to the fraudsters. Telephone and email scammers tell the victims that the payment can be for any number of purported reasons, including alleged PPI refunds, debts repayments, utility costs etc. Legitimate companies will never use iTunes or other ...

A new kind of vending machine is being trialled in Dorchester in partnership with Litter Free Dorset. Residents can come and try out the ‘reverse vending machine’ – a new scheme that pays people to pick litter – on Thursday 13 September outside Lloyds bank, South Street. What is a reverse vending machine? . ...

High West and High East Streets in Dorchester will be closed to traffic between 10am and 4pm on Sunday 16th September 2018. This initiative, by the Dorchester Heritage Committee together with the Dorchester Civic Society, local Blue badge tourist guides, the Dorchester BID and local volunteers will be the first time both these streets have ...

A woman who has been given a ‘second chance at life’ is backing calls for people to sign up to become an organ donor this Organ Donation Week. Katrina Vernon’s kidneys first failed in 2012, before failing again in 2014. She received dialysis treatment at Dorset County Hospital three times a week and her life was ...

On 3rd September Dorset County Council re-opened its Community Innovation fund to back inventive community projects that can help improve local people’s lives. There is a total of £75,000 available to Dorset-based community organisations that can show how their project would help achieve the outcomes for local people set out in the county council’s corporate plan You can ...

Dorset County Show welcomed more than 55,000 visitors on Saturday September 1 and Sunday September 2, at Dorchester Showground. Organised and run by Dorchester Agricultural Society, the annual two day event which is now in its 178th year, was a roaring success which entertained thousands of people including local families and Dorset’s agricultural community. For the first ...

Dorset Police is organising a 10km walk to raise money for a new memorial to remember fallen officers and staff. Every year, the Dorset Police Chief Constable selects a charity to support, with James Vaughan choosing to support the UK Police Memorial Trust which is fundraising for a new memorial to be built at the ...

A prestigious award that recognises the best green spaces in the UK has been given to nine Dorset parks – and now the scheme wants to know which one is your favourite. The list of Green Flag Award winners, which recognises and rewards excellence in recreational spaces as well as encouraging high environmental standards, includes: . Avon ...

Air Ambulance charities across the country are once again coming together to celebrate National Air Ambulance Week (NAAW) which takes place between 10th – 16th September 2018. Operational every single day, air ambulances are funded by the generosity of the public and treat over 25,000 patients throughout the year. On average, an air ambulance is deployed ...

A hoard of knitted ducks invaded Dorset County Hospital this summer – and they had an important message. The Little Yellow Duck Project was taken on by the Renal Dialysis department at the hospital in efforts to raise awareness of organ donation, as well as keeping their patients upbeat and positive. Linda Woodsford, Deputy Sister at the ...

During the last week, a series of search warrants have been executed in Swanage, Wareham and Bovington in relation to the supply of controlled drugs. Officers from Neighbourhood Policing Teams in Poole and Purbeck as well as other specialist departments undertook a total of six warrants across the Purbeck area. Drugs were located at five of the ...

Two men are due to appear in court in connection with a reported burglary near Dorchester. It was reported at around 7.50am on Sunday 15 October 2017 that a break-in had occurred overnight at The Wardon Hill Trading Post on the Clay Pigeon Industrial Site at Wardon Hill, with several items of high value jewellery, ...

Two giant tortoises reported stolen from Kingston Maurward College have been located. An appeal was issued after a total of four Sulcata tortoises were stolen from the college overnight between Wednesday 22 August and Thursday 23 August 2018. Officers can now confirm that two of the tortoises – Blastoise and Jeffery – have been located ...

Dorset Police are expecting a busy bank holiday weekend across the county. They are encouraging us all to consider the way we contact the police and they have provided an online service for non-emergency enquiries… Ask NED! The non-emergency online directory will help you to get your enquiry answered by the most appropriate means. It can also ...

Detectives investigating an altercation in Wareham are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. At around 9.20pm yesterday, Wednesday 22 August 2018, Dorset Police received reports of a disturbance in the area of Mill Lane. Officers attended and found a 15-year-old local boy receiving medical treatment for a small puncture wound to his leg ...

  Appeal after giant tortoises stolen from Kingston Maurward College in Dorchester Officers in Dorchester are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information after four giant tortoises were stolen from Kingston Maurward College. The incident happened overnight between Wednesday 22 August and Thursday 23 August 2018. The offenders gained entry to a shed on the site and took four ...

The deadline is approaching to claim up to 30 hours free childcare from September and many Dorset families are at risk of missing out. Eligible parents of 3 and 4 year olds need to apply and get their eligibility code by 31 August in order to claim from September. Most working parents, whether they work part ...

With GCSE results coming up this week, young people in Dorset will be looking to the future. Dorset County Council has created a handy guide to help them and their families choose the next step in their education. Young people are now expected to stay in education or training until they’re 18, but it doesn’t have to ...

To enjoy Dorset’s iconic wildlife tomorrow, we need to safeguard it today. Dorset Wildlife Trust works hard to manage, maintain and develop conservation and look after some of the most beautiful places in this unique county. Despite this there is so much more we could do to transform our nature reserves and wild places if ...

There are just weeks left to go until this year’s Dorset County Show, one of the county’s largest agricultural shows, that takes place at Dorchester Showground. Organised by Dorchester Agricultural Society, the two-day annual show began in 1840 and will take place on Saturday September 1 and Sunday September 2. Over the weekend there are a ...

Dorchester NPT would like you to be aware of the following suspicious vehicle – B*08 *WY White Ford Transit with rear black flat bed. This vehicle was seen in suspicious circumstances in the area of Charminster , Dorchester at approximately 11.20 on Monday 20th August. The 4 male occupants of the vehicle were seen knocking ...

Over £1,000 has been donated to the Stratton defibrillator & CPR awareness project. A defibrillator (AED) is the key treatment for someone in cardiac arrest. When this strikes, minuets matter and having an AED close by will give that individual the best possible chance of survival! A revised ‘Just Giving’ total to aim for is £1,250 and ...

On Wednesday (22 August) local action groups and residents with concerns about elements of the Clinical Services Review will discuss the proposals with county and district councillors. Dorset’s Health and Scrutiny Committee has created a special task and finish group to look at, and consider, concerns from residents about the NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group’s review. The ...

The closure of Dorchester bypass is causing delays across Dorchester this afternoon. The welfare of a women on a bridge is the upmost concern of the emergency services at present and they wish to thank drivers for their patience at this time. The closure effects the section between football stadium and Monkeys Jump roundabout. Traffic delays in Dorchester ...

Dorset County Council is teaming up with another local authority as part of a Government initiative to improve children’’s social care across the country. Partners in Practice gives councils the opportunity to work together and share best practice to strengthen the way they support the most vulnerable children. Dorset will be working with Essex County Council – ...

Following on from last years popular event, WDDC are organising another public event on Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 August. The event will take place at the West Dorset District Council offices, South Walks House, Dorchester. The format of the event will be a presentation, followed by a Question and Answer session. The timings are ...

A man is due to appear at court in connection with a fatal road traffic collision near Dorchester. At around 6.25am on Monday 16 October 2017 a road traffic collision occurred on the A352 at Whitcombe. The collision involved a red Honda Civic and a silver Peugeot 206. The passenger of the Honda – named by her family ...

*During the busy summer for policing in Dorset discussions have been continuing about the creation of a new force incorporating Dorset Police and Devon & Cornwall Police.* Chief Constable James Vaughan said: “The summer months are always some of the most challenging Dorset Police face and this year has been no exception. Tourists flock to this ...

First 100 health and social care professionals sign up to the Dorset Care Record. More than 100 health and social care professionals have signed up to the Dorset Care Record (DCR), marking a milestone for the project which aims to create a comprehensive and up to date record for every resident having treatment in the county. Representatives ...

Officers searching for a man who had gone missing from Dorset County Hospital can confirm he has been located safe and well. Piotr Tutak, 38, had been receiving medical treatment at the hospital when he left unexpectedly on Friday 10 August 2018. He was located in the Basingstoke area. Officers would like to thank everyone for sharing ...

The new Bere Regis primary school, which was completed in December 2016, has been shortlisted for the Civic Building of the Year Awards, promoted through the Society for Public Architecture, Construction, Engineering and Surveying (SPACES). The school was constructed as part of Dorset County Council’s Purbeck Reorganisation programme and followed the ‘baseline design’ approach developed by ...

A second man has been arrested in connection with a fatal collision near Bere Regis. At 4.40pm on Saturday 14 July 2018 Dorset Police was called to reports of a three-vehicle collision on the westbound lane of the A35 Dorchester bypass near Bere Regis, just before the single carriageway becomes a dual carriageway. The collision involved a ...

Charity organisation ORIGIN will be hosting a pop-up shop in Brewery Square, Dorchester, from Thursday 16 until Sunday August 19, selling sustainable fashion. Its signature sweatshirts feature pockets which are hand-woven and hand-dyed in Mopti (Mali), Brikama (Gambia) and the Simien Mountains (Ethiopia). As a not-for-profit organisation, 100 per cent of profits are reinvested back into ...