News Archive

The Keep Military Museum in Dorchester has announced that it plans to re-open at 11am on Monday 17th May.  COVID safety measures will obviously have to be in force and visitors must book in advance – on our website, www.keepmilitarymuseum.org, or by telephone (01305 364066) – but the Museum will be back in business. Elliot Metcalfe, ...

Weymouth RNLI Inshore lifeboat was launched at 5.36pm on Monday 3rd May to assist the Police and Coastguard teams with a casualty waist deep in the water below the Nothe Fort. In attendance shortly after launching, the lifeboat crew put a crew member into the water alongside a Coastguard and assisted in getting him into a ...

UPDATE: As of Tuesday morning (4 May) the tree has been removed and the road is clear. Strong winds tonight (3 May) have brought down a tree across Great Western Road in Dorchester, completely blocking the road and affecting parked cars. It is not known at this time whether damage or injury has been caused. From the ...

Weymouth RNLI All-weather and Inshore lifeboats were on a regular training exercise in Weymouth Bay on Sunday 2nd May, when Solent Coastguard requested that a lifeboat attend the cruise ship Marella Explorer 2 which was at anchor in the bay. It was reported that a crew member from the cruise ship had been injured and needed ...

Crews from Dorchester and Weymouth fire stations attended a workshop fire in Charminster on Saturday 1st May. BA wearers extinguished the fire using hose reels and main lines. The fire also spread to overhead power cables causing additional hazards. The Fire Service had asked people to avoid the area whilst they worked to extinguish the fire and ...

Extinction Rebellion have told KeeP 106 that two roads, Kings Street in Weymouth and Trinity Street in Dorchester, were today (Sat 1 May) temporarily blocked at 11am by protesters sitting in the road wearing signs which read ‘I’m terrified my nieces will face violence and starvation because of the climate crisis’ and ‘I’m terrified for ...

Congratulations are in order as the new £16.1 million Dorset Museum is ready to open to the public on the 28th of May 2021. The wait is finally over for a building project that started in October 2018 and in that time has seen six major storms and a global pandemic. The last 12 months have ...

Case rates across the Dorset Council and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council areas remain stable again this week. The rates for both areas are similar to the South West average and around half of the England average. The number of people in Dorset hospitals with COVID-19 has remained in single figures over the past few ...

Want to make a difference to people living in your community? Apply to Dorset Council’s new project and event fund for arts, museums, heritage, community, play and physical activities. The new fund launches today (30 April) to help kick-start new activities and projects supporting disadvantaged, marginalised or under-served groups in Dorset, including those affected by the ...

Dr Karen Kirkham, GP and Assistant Clinical Chair, NHS Dorset CCG, and Sam Crowe, Director of Public Health for Dorset and BCP Councils have jointly issued the following letter: Every NHS COVID-19 vaccination in Dorset gives us hope. Vaccines are the best way to protect ourselves and our loved ones from COVID-19, everyone should get their vaccination ...

For the elections on 6 May, Dorset Council is putting in place many of the measures we’ve become used to over recent months. In the Dorset Council area, elections are taking place for the Police and Crime Commissioner. There will also be several town/parish council by-elections and neighbourhood plan referendums. Measures to ensure the voting experience is safe include: social distancing ...

A man has been arrested in connection with an alleged burglary at a restaurant in Dorchester. It was reported that a break-in occurred at the Kao San Thai Restaurant in High West Street between 9pm on Sunday 28 March and 9am on Monday 29 March 2021. A till drawer containing a small amount of loose change was ...

Weymouth RNLI Inshore lifeboat was launched at 3.58 am on Wednesday 28th April 2021 at the request of Solent Coastguard to take over a tow that had begun with Swanage all weather lifeboat. Swanage lifeboat had taken a Westerly 34’ motor cruiser with one person on board in tow after it had broken down. Due to ...

Officers are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward after an incident involving a dog near Wareham. The incident occurred at around 8.30am on Sunday 18 April 2021 while the victim – a man aged in his 70s – was running on a path near to Sherford Bridge toward Sugar Hill. The man saw ...

Cllr Tony Ferrari, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, is seeking suggestions for local infrastructure projects in Weymouth and Portland which could be included as part of a bid for the Government’s ‘Levelling Up’ fund. The bid will be submitted jointly by Dorset Council and Richard Drax MP in June, with support from Weymouth ...

Dorset council is seeking applications from relevant organisations to apply for government’s Community Renewal Fund. The Fund is specifically for projects that focus on supporting people and communities most in need across the UK. Applicants can put forward potential projects which align with one, or deliver across several, of the following investment priorities: investment in skills investment for ...

On the afternoon of Saturday 24th April strong offshore winds caught out two paddle boarders who ended up more than a mile from Chesil Cove, Portland after getting in to difficulty. The Coastguard received 999 calls from onlookers who raised the alarm when the pair were unable to get back to shore despite attempts to scramble ...

Officers investigating a serious injury multi-vehicle collision in West Dorset are appealing for witnesses and anyone with dashcam to come forward. At 4.10pm on Friday 23 April 2021 a five-vehicle collision occurred on the A35 at Winterborne Abbas involving a grey Triumph motorcycle, a black Aprilia motorcycle, a bronze Nissan pick-up, a silver Kia Sportage and ...

Local 7-day case rates have remained stable over the past few weeks, at around 10-20 cases per 100,000 of the population in both the Dorset and BCP Council areas. Public Health Dorset data shows that COVID-related hospitalisations and deaths have also remained low in recent weeks. In the last two weeks we’ve seen restrictions eased further, ...

An Amber wildfire alert has been issued for the Dorset area, which is likely to stay in place into next week. This alert means that, should a wildfire be experienced, it could spread quickly and easily due to the dry and windy conditions. As seen with the major incident at Wareham Forest last year, wildfires take ...

Officers investigating a claim that a car was stolen from an address in Dorchester are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. Dorset Police received a report on Wednesday 14 April 2021 that a black BMW 320D M Sport had been stolen in Damers Road some time before Friday 9 April 2021. A further ...

An A-Roads Taskforce to address urgent and long-term issues with Dorset’s main roads has been launched. The Taskforce, which had its first meeting on Friday 23rd April, was launched by West Dorset MP, Chris Loder, and includes representation from elected Dorset Council members, Dorset Highways, and Highways England. Mr Loder said: “It is vital that we ...

Officers are appealing for witnesses to come forward following a serious injury collision in Purbeck. Dorset Police was called at 3pm on Thursday 22 April 2021 to a report of a two vehicle collision on East Street near Corfe Castle involving a blue Ford Fiesta and a red Mazda. As a result of the collision the Ford ...

Weymouth-based Community Interest Company (CIC) Weyforward, founded by Jason West and Baron Miles, has teamed up with Weymouth College and the DWP to create five new jobs for Universal Credit claimants from Weymouth aged 24 and under. Connor Hansford, 23, is the Weymouth Library of Things Project Catalyst. “The idea for a Weymouth library of things ...

Detectives are appealing for anyone with information to come forward after the body of a woman was sadly recovered from the sea off Lyme Regis. Dorset Police received a report from the Coastguard at 10.48am on Monday 19 April 2021 that the body of a woman had been found in the water around one mile east ...

Officers investigating a burglary at a home in Dorchester are appealing for anyone with information to come forward and have issued images of the jewellery that was stolen. The address, in South Court Avenue, was broken into sometime between 12pm on Tuesday 13 April and 12pm on Sunday 18 April 2021 while the occupant was working ...

Chris Loder, MP for West Dorset, says Custom House Quay railings in Weymouth ‘must go ahead to prevent further unnecessary death’ following another three people having fallen into the harbour on Friday night with two of them having to be rescued by the Dorset Fire and Rescue. Mr Loder said: ‘I realise how some feel about ...

The northbound carriageway of Furzebrook Road at Stoborough in Purbeck has been closed following reports of a possible explosive device. A spokesperson for Dorset Police said “It is believed to be a shell dating from World War Two that has been found in the area. “Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) experts have been contacted and a cordon has ...

Dorset Council has told KeeP 106 that it has taken the recent decision to stop funding and providing its three Tourist Information Centres at Dorchester, Sherborne and Wareham (Discover Purbeck). All three TICs are now permanently closed for face to face service and are currently operating a telephone and email enquiry service which will end ...

The organisers of the Thomas Hardy Victorian Fair, which ran so successfully in 2019, have told KeeP 106 they are delighted to announce that the event will take place on 6th June this year but in a different format in view of Covid rules. A cautious approach will be taken this year.  Although the roadmap to ...

Weymouth RNLI Lifeboat station has taken delivery of an Atlantic 85 Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) which will replace the aging relief Atlantic 75. The new Atlantic 85 named ‘Jack and Phyl Claire’ is a larger, more modern and capable boat and features an additional 4th crew seat as well as an integrated communications system, radar and direction-finding ...

Wessex Water is helping customers save water and money in their bathrooms by offering free Leaky Loo strips. A leaking toilet can waste 200 to 400 litres of water a day. If you’re on a water meter, this could increase your yearly water bill by around £300. Leaky Loo strips are among the water saving devices available ...

Dorset Police today, Monday 19 April, sees the formation of two Local Police Areas (LPAs) in its drive to provide an outstanding service to the people of Dorset. These changes will allow the Force to better respond to the issues that matter most to communities. The newly structured LPAs share their borders with corresponding councils. The Bournemouth, ...

Officers investigating a road traffic collision near Bere Regis are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. Shortly after 7.25am on Friday 16 April 2021 a collision occurred on the A35 on Sugar Hill close to Bere Regis, involving a tipper lorry, a silver Mitsubishi L200 and a black Range Rover. The driver of ...

The start of construction work on Dorset County Hospital’s multi-storey car park has been officially marked with a turf cutting ceremony. Representatives from the hospital, health and care property developer Prime and contractors Willmott Dixon gathered on site to see how work was progressing. The car park, due to be completed in summer 2022, is the first ...

KeeP 106 has received the following statement from Dorset Council about the safety barrier installation at Weymouth Harbour: Cllr. Ray Bryan, Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment at Dorset Council, has issued the following statement in response to continued coverage of the safety barrier installation at Weymouth Harbour. “Following concerns raised by residents directly with the ...

Today (Friday 16 April), parents across the county are finding out which primary, first junior or middle school their child will be going to in September 2021. Of the 4482 applications – 99.09 per cent of parents are receiving the good news that their child has gained one of their three preferences, compared to last years’ ...

To help combat the negative impact on the high streets of on-line shopping over this last year of the pandemic, one Dorset town has come up with a innovative way to encourage the local community back to the town centre by making it possible to park for FREE, all they have to do is spend ...

There’s been another cliff fall just east of Seatown . About 300m of the cliff has been affected including the coast path. The path has been cordoned off as the area remains dangerous. The cliff is still very unstable and more is expected to be lost. Walkers have been asked to take notice of safety signs. Visit Dorset ...

Officers investigating an incident where a rock was thrown from a bridge onto the windscreen of a moving car in Weymouth are appealing for witnesses to come forward. The incident occurred on the A345 between the Jurassic Roundabout and Veasta Rounabout at around 3.40pm on Wednesday 7 April 2021. The victim was a taxi driver in a ...

Candidates standing in this year’s Police Crime Commissioner elections and some town and parish council by-elections in Dorset have been published. Five candidates have been announced for the Police Crime Commissioner (PCC) election. See the Statements of Persons Nominated From Thursday 15 April, details about the candidates in the PCC for Dorset election will be available at ...

Weymoth RNLI lifeboat shop is open today for the first time in a year. They are only open daily this week from 10.30am to 4.00pm and then will only open on Saturday and Sunday’s until later in the season. Social Distance to be respected. Teresa Drage, chair of the events committee, said “We are really excited to ...

From today 12 April, we are entering phase 2 of the easing of lockdown restrictions. Non-essential shops and personal care premises, including hairdressers and nail salons will reopen. Outdoor hospitality venues, including pubs and restaurants will be open for table service only. Public buildings, such as libraries, outdoor attractions, including zoos and theme parks, will also ...

Crews from the South Western Ambulance Service and the Air Ambulance responded to reports of an injured walker on Maiden Castle. The incident occurred this morning (Sunday 11 April 2021) at approximately 10AM. It’s understood that a lady fell and broke her ankle, whilst walking around the monument, and that considerable time had passed before she was ...

Dorset Police have released a further update in relation to North Dorset murder investigation – man charged Dorset Police received a report at 7.30pm on Wednesday 7 April 2021 raising concern for the welfare of the occupants of an address in Higher Langham near Gillingham. Officers attended the address and found a man aged in his 80s ...

Officers investigating reports of suspicious behaviour in Dorchester have identified and spoken to the man involved. It was first reported on Monday 15 March 2021 that a man had been approaching female staff members from Dorset County Hospital outside the hospital in the area of Bridport Road between the hours of around 12pm and 2.30pm and ...

On a bright and quite fresh day, some towns and cities across the UK honoured the passing of HRH Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh with a 41 gun salute, while Dorchester along with churches across the country paid their respects with the sounding of a respectfully muffled bell 99 times, one strike for each year of his long life. In ...

Detectives investigating an incident at an address near Gillingham where a man died and a woman was critically injured are issuing an update. Dorset Police received a report at 7.30pm on Wednesday 7 April 2021 raising concern for the welfare of the occupants of an address in Higher Langham. Officers attended the address and found a man ...

KeeP 106 has received statements from both Dorset Council and Dorset Police following the death of The Duke of Edinburgh: Statement from Dorset Council: It is with great sadness The Chairman of Dorset Council, Cllr Val Pothecary,  shares news from Buckingham Palace that our much-loved Duke of Edinburgh, died today, Friday 9 April 2021 at the age of 99. The following statement was issued by the press secretary at Buckingham Palace: “It ...

One of the UK’s richest men has been stabbed to death. Sir Richard Sutton, 83, suffered stab wounds at a property near Gillingham, Dorset, about 19:30 BST on Wednesday. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A woman, in her 60s, was also stabbed and remains in a critical condition. A 34-year-old man, from Gillingham, has been ...

Fish ‘n’ Fritz have been named one of the UK’s 50 Best Fish & Chip Takeaways 2021 – the only chippy in the Weymouth area to make the prestigious list. The accolade follows an extensive search by leading trade publication Fry Magazine to find those chippies serving up the finest fish suppers amidst a tough ...

Emily Gascoigne of Synergy Farm Health in Evershot, near Dorchester has been named Farm Educator of the Year in the Ceva Animal Welfare Awards. Emily, who is a RCVS Recognised Specialist in Sheep Health and Production, is known for going the extra mile to share her knowledge with local farmers as well as other vets. ...

Officers investigating a burglary at a building site in Dorchester are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. Between 6pm on Wednesday 7 April and 7.30am on Thursday 8 April 2021 a burglary occurred at an address that is being renovated off Alington Road. An internal door has been forced to gain entry to ...

Dorchester Sports Centre, on Coburg Road is planning to re-open the gym and swimming pool to customers, in line with government guidelines following almost 4 long months. Dorchester Sports Centre started its first phase of reopening last Monday (March 29) with a hugely successful reopening of its outdoor pitches. Attracting almost 80% of previous clubs and ...

Just after 01:00 this morning (Wednesday) a fire crew from Dorchester station was sent to a property fire in The Moor, Puddletown. When the crew arrived they discovered a well established fire that had originated in the kitchen and was spreading rapidly. The occupant of the house was safely outside. Crews from Bere Regis Fire Station were also ...

The South Dorset Ramblers are inviting people to join them now that they can resume organized walks. Following the relaxation of certain lockdown restrictions Ramblers can now walk again in organized groups of up to 30 people. All walks will be Covid compliant with the required social distancing, risk assessments and contact tracing. David Price, Publicity Officer ...

Heavy machinery continues to demolish empty buildings such as the Condor Ferry buildings shown in the video below by Geoff Moore. The dilapidated structure has been empty since Condor Ferries operated their cross channel service to The Channel Islands and France from the town. Those services were switched to Poole in 2015 since Weymouth port was ...

Over 60 firefighters have been tackling a 200m x 200m heath fire at White Sheet Plantation, near Wimborne. Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) was called at 4.48pm on 5 April for the fire, which was spreading quickly due to the dry and windy conditions. As at 8pm (Monday 5th April), there were fire crews ...

A special hotline set up to help people get online during the first lockdown is celebrating its first anniversary. Three lockdowns later and the Dorset Digital Hotline has now helped almost 1,000 people. Behind the hotline is a team of dedicated volunteer Digital Champions who were forced to give up their library clinics when lockdown saw ...

Ambitious plans to improve the lives of Dorset children with SEND (special educational needs and or a disability) and reduce future costs have been unveiled. A total of £37.5m has been secured for the next five years to help deliver the council’s aim, set out in its Children’s Plan, of providing the best education for Dorset ...