News Archive

With the Easter Bank Holiday on the horizon, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution is encouraging customers in Dorset to ‘think before they dig’, if they’re working in the garden or on outdoor DIY projects. As springtime and the first Bank holiday weekend of the year is traditionally a busier time for people working on ...

Newly installed solar panels at two of Dorset Council’s waste depots are already producing over 200,000 kWh of renewable energy each year and providing most of each building’s power needs. As part of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) which saw the Council awarded £19m of central government funding by Salix to make publicly owned buildings ...

The Sunday Times Best Places to Live list, South-West, published on 8th April, shows Bridport as being number two just behind the winner, Chalke Valley in Wiltshire, with Sherborne placed  seventh. The Sunday Times’s expert judges behind the guide assess a wide range of factors, from schools, transport and broadband to culture, green spaces and the ...

The Coroner for Dorset is seeking the assistance of the public to find the next of kin of a man who lived in Dorchester. Graham Ferguson, who was 83 years old, died at his home address in Maen Gardens on Monday 4 April 2022. His death is not being treated as suspicious. Coroner’s Officer Ken McEwan said: “We ...

As part of the council’s proposals for redevelopment of the former Weymouth Bowl site in St Nicholas St, an archaeological dig is due to take place later this month. Dorset Council acquired the leasehold interest in the former Weymouth Bowl site in January this year and has commissioned archaeology specialists Context One Heritage & Archaeology, to ...

‘Help: Your Health, Your Community’ is the title of an event coming to Dorchester’s Corn Exchange on 4th May 2022. The event is a day of workshops and talks to stimulate discussion on social prescribing in Dorchester for both professionals and self-help groups and is completely free to attend, being sponsored by the Fine Foundation. One ...

Officers investigating an alleged assault in Dorchester have made an arrest. Dorset Police received a report at 8.22pm on Thursday 17 March 2022 relating to a group of around 10 young people involved in anti-social behaviour in the area of Pummery Square in Poundbury. It was reported that they were smashing bottles and throwing stones at ...

Officers continuing to investigate a road traffic collision near Dorchester are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. Dorset Police received a report shortly after 6am on Sunday 20 March 2022 that a black Renault Clio that was believed to have been involved in a single vehicle collision had been found unoccupied partially ...

Officers searching for a man who had gone missing in Weymouth have very sadly found a body. Sean Bower, 26, had been reported missing on Friday 1 April 2022. During the morning of Saturday 2 April 2022, the body of a man was discovered in Springfield Crescent Cemetery. While formal identification is yet to take place, Sean’s next ...

Campaigners against a new oil well near Puddletown in Dorset have told KeeP 106 that they are celebrating after the applicant withdrew their application. The site just north of Athelhampton had been proposed by South Western Energy Ltd for 20 years of oil production which, according to objectors, would have released millions of tonnes of carbon ...

Public Health Dorset report that confirmed cases of COVID-19 remain very high across Dorset. We’ve also seen the number of people with COVID-19 in hospitals continue to rise up to 254 from 182. The public are asked to continue to take steps to reduce the spread of the virus, including self-isolating if you develop covid symptoms ...

The Governors of Bryanston have confirmed the appointment of Richard Jones as the new Head of the School following a rigorous selection process and with immediate effect. He becomes the ninth Head of the Dorset school which is renowned for its success in creative thinking and providing an inspirational environment for developing the confidence, strength ...

Dorset Council and Dorset County Hospital have agreed a 20-year lease for use of South Walks House building in Dorchester, owned by the council. Dorset County Hospital will use South Walks House for a combination of clinical and office purposes, providing a central and easily accessible location and enabling the hospital to maximise the use of ...

Campaigners opposed to plans to build 4,000 houses on green fields north of Dorchester are organising a protest march through the town centre on Saturday, April 2nd. And to highlight the threat to the town’s cultural legacy, they are recreating one of Thomas Hardy’s most memorable scenes – the Skimmity Ride from The Mayor of Casterbridge. ...

Officers investigating an assault in Dorchester are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. Dorset Police received a report at 8.22pm on Thursday 17 March 2022 relating to a group of around 10 young people involved in anti-social behaviour in the area of Pummery Square in Poundbury. It was reported that they were ...

Officers searching for a man who went missing in Dorchester are pleased to confirm he has been found safe and well. Peter Bush was last seen at around 1pm on Monday 28 March 2022 in the town. Following enquiries and searches by officers, Peter was located. We would like to thank everyone who shared our appeal and ...

Earth Day is a positive event celebrating what is already being done to help the environment and looking at what we can do next! Join us on the 23rd of April, 12noon – 4pm at The Great Field, Poundbury. The event will be during the school Easter holidays and is a perfect for families looking ...

Fire crews from across our area have been dealing with a fire in a holiday park this morning (28th March 2022). Two crews from Dorchester and two from Weymouth were in attendance and used 3 main jets, 2 hose reel jets and a light portable pump to extinguish the fire, which was at the Warmwell Holiday ...

Dorset Council is working closely with local voluntary and community organisations to ensure refugees arriving from Ukraine will be warmly welcomed and receive the support they need. The Dorset Together network, which includes the council, NHS, Public Health Dorset, the emergency services, faith groups, Volunteer Centre Dorset, Dorset Race Equality Council, Help And Kindness, and other ...

Do you want to close a road for a street party? Dorset Council is currently welcoming applications to close roads for street parties to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The council is trying to make it as easy as possible to support communities getting together safely but, if you wish to close a road or ...

The latest update from Public Health Dorset confirms that case rates have continued to rise over the past week – Dorset and the wider South West region are significantly above the England average. Please continue to take steps to reduce the spread of the virus, including self-isolating if you develop Covid symptoms or test positive, washing ...

From Monday 28 March, Dorset Council will be rolling out new car park charges in council-owned car parks across the county. The parking transformation project started in 2020 to develop a more consistent approach to car parking charges across the Dorset Council area. This included a review of on-street car parking charges, council car park prices ...

A new Education Board is being set up in Dorset, and the council is delighted to announce that Stephen Twigg will be taking the helm. Continuing and intensifying the strength of the great partnership working established throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the board will focus on delivering opportunities and tackling the challenges of the education system in ...

Kelly Relph, the owner of Hobs Hair & Nail Bar, has raised £500 for Weldmar Hospice Care and at the same time made a very special donation that will make some Little Princes or Princesses up and down the land feel special again. After 20 years of growing her hair to well down below her waist ...

Safety improvements continue to be rolled out across the A35 following pressure from West Dorset MP Chris Loder, whose A35 Taskforce led the way for a comprehensive overhaul of road safety on West Dorset’s primary trunk road given the high rate of accidents on the road. Monkey’s Jump Roundabout is due for the final programme of ...

Pupils at Bryanston School have raised a staggering £55,100 for two charities and for a special humanitarian mission for Ukraine that has also benefitted from the direct involvement of the wider Blandford community. The annual Charities Weekend was organised by the school’s Head Girl, Esme Thomas, and Head Boy, Spencer Davies, in support of their chosen ...

Dorset Council’s Waste Enforcement and Legal teams scored another victory in court this week, as a rogue trader from Weymouth was prosecuted for transporting and disposing of commercial waste at a Household Recycling Centre (HRC, or “the tip”), as well as failing to provide correct paperwork. On Tuesday 22 March at Weymouth Magistrates Court, Mr Nigel ...

Officers are continuing to investigate a serious injury road traffic collision in Lytchett Matravers – with one man arrested. Dorset Police received a report at 4.08pm on Monday 21 March 2022 of a collision in Wareham Road involving a bus and a pedestrian. Officers attended, along with the ambulance service, and the pedestrian – a 15-year-old local ...

The Litter Free Dorset Challenge is back and bigger than ever! Litter Free Dorset have teamed up with the Preventing Plastic Pollution project to provide 250 budding Dorset litter heroes with litter picking equipment. In return for taking part in a litter picking challenge this May, participants will be able to keep hold of the ...

Dorset Council want people to suggest locally important buildings, sites, monuments, and features for the Local Heritage List. The aim is to make it easy for everyone to nominate and access fascinating information about where they live. This is a joint project between Dorset Council and BCP Council using a grant of £70,000, from the Department for ...

A total of 18 people have been arrested in Dorset as part of a regional operation aimed at disrupting the activities of suspected drugs networks operating in the county. Dorset Police joined forces with colleagues in the South West – Avon and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire – to take part in the crackdown ...

Public Health Dorset report that COVID-19 cases across Dorset are now rising quickly again. The data only includes cases confirmed by PCR and reported positive lateral flow tests, and with fewer people now testing, it’s likely that the true figures are higher. Prevalence in the community is very high and there is an increased risk ...

Officers investigating a fail-to-stop collision near Bridport are appealing for witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to come forward. Dorset Police received a report at 5.05pm on Thursday 17 March 2022 of a collision involving a car and a Lexmoto Hawk motorbike on Mutton Street in Marshwood. The car – described as possibly a blue Mini – ...

West Dorset MP Chris Loder has urged West Dorset residents, especially around the Cerne and Piddle valleys to attend and engage in the Boundary Commission’s upcoming hearing at the Corn Exchange in Dorchester on Thursday 31st March and Friday 1st April. The Boundary Commission for England is proposing that the villages of Sydling St Nicholas, Godmanstone, ...

Officers investigating an assault in Weymouth are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. It was reported that at around 3.50pm on Sunday 6 March 2022 the victim, a man aged in his 40s, was leaving Boots in St Thomas Street when he saw a man who was known to him sitting on ...

The Dorset County Show returns on the 3rd & 4th of September, after a two-year break due to the coronavirus pandemic. The show will be held at its usual location at the Dorchester Showground in Cokers Frome. For more than 180 years, the Dorchester Agricultural Society has arranged the county show and is preparing to welcome ...

Detectives investigating a reported assault at a Weymouth barber shop are urging any witnesses to the incident to come forward. At around 10am on Friday 11 March 2022 it is reported an altercation took place between a group of men inside Weymouth Barbers in St Mary Street opposite Marks and Spencer. During the incident it is ...

Public Health Dorset report that after a sustained fall in case rates across Dorset over the past few weeks, infection rates have started to increase. Cases have been rising across all age groups. However with fewer people testing these numbers are unlikely to provide the complete picture. The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 ...

Fish ‘n’ Fritz, Weymouth have been awarded two more awards to add to their collection. They have been named one of the UK’s 10 Best Fish & Chip Restaurants and were also announced as one of the UK’s 50 Best Fish & Chip Takeaways 2021/2022 at the same time. Fish ‘n’ Fritz are the only chippy ...

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service is looking for new on-call firefighters in Maiden Newton. The fire station has opportunities for anyone who could provide availability during the week and/or at weekends, with flexible contracts on offer for those who work shift systems or have childcare responsibilities. On-call firefighters live and/or work within the local community ...

KeeP 106 will be in attendance at a ceremony on Monday 14 March when Dorset Council’s Chairman, Councillor Val Pothecary will read out the Commonwealth Affirmation and the Commonwealth Flag will be raised and flown from the roof of County Hall, Dorchester. Commonwealth Day is an annual celebration observed by people all over the Commonwealth in ...

The Jurassic Tennis Ladder, now in it’s fourth year, will commence on 1st April 2022. The ladder has gone from strength to strength and, despite Covid restrictions last year, still managed to see over 140 matches played. Last year’s winner was Matt Barrett (Pictured left), from Dorchester, will return from University later in the summer to defend ...

Following the success of a fun-filled day in February for Dorset’s fostering community, Dorset Council’s Youth Voice team, alongside the Virtual School and Fostering team, will be planning more of these whole-family events throughout the year to make sure there is something for everyone to take part in. The recent event took place during half term ...

Three beaches around Weymouth are amongst those earmarked for The Great Dorset Beach Clean which is back for 2022 taking place over the week of 2nd – 10th April. Coinciding with the first weekend of the Easter school holiday, Litter Free Dorset are excited to announce this 32nd annual Great Dorset Beach Clean event. This year ...

On Sunday 6th March over 100 people from churches across Dorchester gathered at the War Memorial at 3pm and joined in prayer for Ukraine. The gathering was organised by Churches Together. Whilst, in Weymouth, the Town Council asked the community to come together for a period of reflection. Around 100 folk attended the gathering at the ...

Officers investigating an incident where a teenage boy was reportedly bitten by a dog in Weymouth have identified the owner of the animal involved. It was reported that at around 8.30am on Monday 31 January 2022 the victim – a teenage boy – was walking through a tunnel at the end of Carisbrooke and when he ...

Officers investigating two incidents of indecent exposure in Dorchester are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. The first incident occurred between 10.55pm and 11pm on Tuesday 1 March 2022 in Poundbury Crescent. It is reported that a man was seen performing an indecent act in the area. The second incident occurred between around ...

A crew from Dorset and Wiltshire Fire & Rescue were called to a domestic property in Poundbury, on Saturday. The crew were sent to Peverell Avenue East, at 10.49AM, to reports of falling masonry. The crew made safe the loose masonry that was falling onto the adjacent footpath and were able to clear from the scene shortly ...

A park bench in Poundbury had been targeted by vandals, leaving it covered in silver paint. Memorial plaques, which are also attached to the bench, have been defaced too. The bench, situated on the Great Field, was discovered covered in the paint on Friday the 4th of March. One Poundbury resident, who discovered the vandalism, said on ...

Thanks to generous donations from residents in Dorset, over £75K have been raised to help older people struggling to stay warm this winter. Dorset Council, working closely with The Dorset Community Foundation and Citizens Advice launched an appeal earlier this year asking people to donate any winter fuel payments they did not need to help others ...

A man has been jailed after admitting causing a collision in Bovington that left his two passengers with serious injuries. Thomas George McConnell, aged 28 and of Water Lane, Winfrith Newburgh, was sentenced at Winchester Crown Court to 20 months in prison on Friday 18 February 2022 after admitting two charges of causing serious injury by ...

West Dorset MP Chris Loder met with Ukrainian Ambassador Vadym Prystaiko on Wednesday 2nd March in Parliament to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and efforts taken by the people of West Dorset to provide help and support to both those currently in Ukraine, and Ukrainian refugees fleeing the conflict. Among these efforts was that of ...

Officers are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward after a criminal damage incident near Dorchester. At 9.40pm on Friday 25 February 2022 the victim returned to find that damage had been caused to the front door of a property in the area of the A352 near to St Martin’s Church in Broadmayne. It ...

Plans for a once-in-a generation redevelopment of Dorset County Hospital’s (DCH) site, including a new Emergency Department and Critical Care Unit building, can now be viewed online. DCH has been earmarked £77.3m of Government funding to build a new Emergency Department and Critical Care Unit, which would link to the existing hospital, plus create an Integrated ...

Officers have taken part in dedicated days of action to tackle catalytic converter thefts in Dorset. As part of a national week of action, neighbourhood policing teams in the county were involved in a range of activity to raise awareness and crackdown on offenders between Thursday 10 February and Wednesday 16 February 2022. The initiative saw officers ...

Following the recent storms, and reports of power outages both locally and across the country, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has a vital reminder for the owners and managers of care homes and other residential buildings. During a loss of power, automatic fire detection and alarm systems can stop working and, even if there ...

A South Western Ambulance service (SWASFT) vehicle was defaced in Bridport over the weekend. A crew arriving on shift found abusive graffiti along the side and rear of the vehicle. The Service has said: “This anti-social behaviour is #unacceptable, and rectifying the damage puts an unnecessary burden on NHS resourcing at a time when it is ...

Pupils from the Dorset Studio School near Dorchester got their hands dirty recently helping staff from Dorchester Town Council to plant some of the 71 large standard trees in the second years planting scheme at Kings Road open space, part of an initiative to create a community woodland. The year 9 students were thanked for their ...

The Dorchester Trust for Counselling and Psychotherapy (DTCP) was set up in 2005 by Dr Mary Lister Ashby to provide local people with low-cost counselling. Since then, the charity has supported hundreds of people living in Dorchester and the surrounding areas who may not have otherwise been able to access support. DTCP’s free counselling for key ...

Building on the success of the last event in 2019, the Family Science Fair will be taking place at the Dorset Museum on the 13 March from 11am-1pm & 2pm-4pm. This free (but ticketed) activity is sure to bring out the Marie Curie or the Isaac Newton in you! Entrance this year is strictly by ticket ...