News Archive

A local church is again offering free money coaching to help people manage their finances. CAP money coach Dick Howard says, “These are difficult times for many households. Inflation jumped to its highest level in more than a year in April and one charity reckons that recent government spending cuts will push 250,000 people into poverty ...

The Dorset & Wilts County Senior Men’s Rugby team play their final Bill Beaumont County Championship pool game against Surrey at Bestwall Park, Wareham on Saturday, with the game kicking off at 2:30 PM. The Twin Counties’ record reads: Played 2, won 2, points for 94, points against 47. If they can overcome the challenge of ...

Weymouth Town Council has been awarded £10,000 by the Ministry of Defence to support its annual Armed Forces Weekend celebrations, taking place over Saturday 21st, Sunday 22nd, and Monday 23rd June. The grant will go towards putting on a spectacular weekend of celebrations featuring our valued armed forces community, veteran’s associations, marching bands, military vehicle displays ...

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service are educating the public about the dangers of e-bike and mobility scooters to reduce the risk of fire with a new safety video. E-bikes and scooters are becoming increasingly popular, and with that, comes the fire safety concern due to their charging and storage. Most are powered by lithium-ion batteries ...

The Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, David Sidwick, has written the foreword for a new book which examines the impact of cannabis on physical and mental health, and has stepped up his call for cannabis (see note at end) to be reclassified as a Class A drug. The reference book, the Epidemiology of Cannabis by Stuart ...

Pedestrian signals at the High East Street junction of Church Street, Dorchester that have reached the end of their maintainable life are to be replaced. With new modern equipment, the crossings will be safer and easier to use. The latest technology will improve traffic management, and the operating systems will reduce the need for extensive digging ...

Dorset Police are appealing for witnesses or anyone with relevant dashcam footage to come forward as they investigate a serious injury road traffic collision near Dorchester. The police received a report at 11.10am on Sunday 25 May 2025 of a collision on Old Sherborne Road near Alton Lane, involving a black Raleigh motorcycle and a green ...

Football – Sunday: Dorset Under 18 League Cup Final, at Milborne St Andrew football club. Weymouth 1 vs Portland United 1, Portland win on penalties. The Blues lifted the converted trophy, but they did it the hard way, going down to 10 men on the hour after one of their defenders was dismissed for a second yellow card offence. The ...

DCH Charity is delighted to announce that in a bumper weekend of fundraising, over £10,000 has been donated to the Emergency and Critical Care Appeal. The money has been raised by supporters including DCH staff, individuals and local businesses taking part in the epic Jurassic Coast Challenge, completing the gruelling 10km, 25km, 58km and 100km challenge ...

A former Dorset Police officer has been sentenced after he admitted an offence of intentional strangulation in relation to an incident in Weymouth. Tyler McWalter, aged 30, was sentenced at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on Friday 23 May 2025 in relation to the incident that occurred during the early hours of Saturday 14 September 2024 in the ...

Dorset History Centre have launched a new series of short lunchtime talks called From the Stacks. These talks are open to everyone and are designed to give people a chance to learn more about Dorset’s history in a relaxed and accessible way. The talks take place on the last Wednesday of each month at Dorset History Centre, ...

Officers are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward following an alleged assault in Weymouth. It is reported that at around 8.30am on Friday 16 May 2025, a woman aged in her 30s was assaulted in Glendinning Avenue by a man who is known to her. It is also reported that another man was ...

A hundred children from four Dorset schools danced the iconic VE Day dance the Palais Glide as part of a day of celebration launching their WWII drama series Children of World War Two. It’s thought to have been the first time in 80 years that the iconic dance was performed on this scale, using the original ...

Whitbread PLC, the UK’s largest hospitality business and owner of Premier Inn, has secured planning permission from Dorset Council to build a new Premier Inn hotel in Dorchester Town Centre, the company’s second hotel in the town. The approved development progresses the transformation of the vacant former Marks & Spencer store on South Street into a ...

Whilst a violent thug is sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 15 years, the family of the elderly man he murdered have issued heartfelt thanks to the emergency services who rushed to their Dad’s aid after the incident. Anthony Jacob, 75 and of Weymouth, died following a serious assault in Abbotsbury Road, which ...

Dorset Visual Arts (DVA), in partnership with Dorset Museum & Art Gallery (DMAG), is launching a major open art competition marking a landmark first collaboration between these two leading cultural institutions. The exhibition is being hosted by DMAG, produced by DVA with support from Dorchester Arts, Art in Hospitals and Evolver Magazine. Selected finalists will have ...

It was a very successful weekend for the Dorset & Wilts RFU County teams. On Saturday at Maidenhead Rugby Club, the senior men’s team overcame the challenge of Berkshire in a Bill Beaumont RFU County Championship game, beating their hosts by 41 points to 35. This is despite collecting 6 yellow cards on route to the ...

A man who was seriously injured in a road traffic collision in Dorchester has very sadly died. Dorset Police received a report at 7.35am on Friday 16 May 2025 of a collision in Bridport Road involving a white Fiat Panda and a bicycle. Emergency services attended and the cyclist – a man aged in his 50s – ...

Our sports reporter Idris Martin tells us that preparations for the Jurassic Coast Ultra Challenge are well underway on Lodmoor Country Park, which marks the midpoint of the 100 KM course. Technicians have erected welfare, feeding, and medical support stations in preparation for the competitors’ arrival. Some will complete the challenge, which terminates in Bridport on ...

Police officers are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward following a serious injury collision in Dorchester. Dorset Police received a report at 7.35am on Friday 16 May 2025 of a collision in Bridport Road involving a white Fiat Panda and a bicycle. Emergency services attended and the cyclist – a man aged in ...

Officers investigating the thefts of a vehicle and tools in Dorchester are appealing for anyone with information to come forward. It was reported that at around 4.20pm on Sunday 4 May 2025 a Citroen Cactus was stolen from an address in Baynard’s Road. In the days that followed, the vehicle was subsequently captured on CCTV in connection ...

A man is due to appear in court in connection with a reported fail-to-stop collision in Dorchester. At around 6pm on Monday 11 November 2024 a collision occurred on Bridport Road near to the junction with Williams Avenue involving a car – a blue Skoda Enyaq – and a pedestrian. It was reported that the driver of ...

Detectives are investigating the circumstances of the death of a man in Weymouth and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward. Dorset Police received a report at 7.32am on Tuesday 13 May 2025 that a man had been found unresponsive in a tent on land off Mercery Road, near to the Mount Pleasant Park ...

Officers are appealing for witnesses or anyone with relevant footage to come forward as they investigate a report of attempted sexual assault in Weymouth. It was reported that between 6.55pm and 7.30pm on Saturday 10 May 2025 a woman aged in her 20s was on the beach near to the toilets by the King’s Statue on ...

Devon Under 17 vs Dorset & Wilts Under 17 at Ivybridge RFU Sunday. The Twin Counties youngsters found themselves up against a Devon squad brimming with Exeter Rugby Club Academy players and understandably sufferer the consequences losing the game by 55 points to nil. However, they never gave up the cause and left the field with their ...

Over 200 cyclists took to the roads on Saturday 10th May for Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance’s annual Coast to Coast Cyle Challenge and this year’s event was more meaningful than ever, marking the charity’s 25th anniversary. #Cyclists of all ages and abilities took part, choosing either the 55-mile route from Watchet in Somerset to West ...

Detectives investigating a reported assault and road traffic collision in Dorchester have made a number of arrests. It was reported that at around 7.30pm on Friday 2 May 2025, two men were travelling in a white Citroen Berlingo van at the Top O’Town Roundabout when a man approached the nearside window on foot and allegedly assaulted ...

When one of the world’s greatest batsmen ever to grace a cricket square pitches up at your local club, it’s unsurprising that the word spreads rapidly. Where normally a man and his dog is the order of the day cricket fans from around the county flocked to watch the master in action and that is ...

Children in Dorset receive exceptional services: this is one of the headline findings from Dorset Council’s latest full Ofsted inspection, which has rated its Children’s Services as ‘outstanding’ in its overall effectiveness. Following an inspection of local authority children’s services (ILACS) in March, the report published by Ofsted today confirms that the authority is ‘outstanding’ in ...

In Dorchester celebrations on the 8th May marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day culminated in the lighting of the Beacon located in Salisbury Field with a large crowd looking on. Before that at 8:15 pm there was entertainment from the Dorset based vintage singing group The Decadettes, who performed a set of 1940s music, and ...

It began with a service by the Royal British Legion and ended with the VE Day 80 beacon being lit on the beach as the 80th anniversary marking the end of WWII was celebrated in Weymouth. The event took place on Thursday 8th May, coinciding with national beacon lighting events. Cllr Jon Orrell, Mayor of Weymouth, ...

Shortly after 2.30 am this morning (Friday 9th May) fire crews from Dorchester and Weymouth Fire Station responded to reports of a garage fire in Mountain Ash Road, Dorchester. Whilst fire crews were responding, it was understood that the fire was starting to spread to affect more properties. Once on scene crews were met with a well-developed ...

“These are tough times for many households. In March/April, for a typical household, the energy price cap went up by £111, water bills by 26% on a year ago, Dorset Council tax by nearly 5%, annual road tax for petrol and diesel cars by £5 and the annual cost of a colour TV licence by ...

Did you know you can report all collisions or near-misses online, even if there is no injury or little damage and no police involvement? Collisions involving injury, where someone is in danger, where an offence may have been committed or details have not been exchanged should always be reported to the Police (see below), but Dorset ...

A man has been arrested in connection with a reported commercial burglary near Dorchester. Dorset Police received a report that between 1am and 1.10am on Tuesday 29 April 2025 access was gained to Dorchester Commercial in Winterbourne Abbas and two black Coafen F80 electric motorcycle were stolen. Following enquiries by officers, a 38-year-old man from Bournemouth was ...

A man has been charged in connection with a report of an assault in Weymouth. It was reported that at around 12.50am on Sunday 29 September 2024 an altercation occurred near to the junction of Caroline Place and Westham Road. A man aged in his 30s sustained serious facial injuries as a result of the incident and ...

The Mural of the Weymouth Lifeboat that is sited on the gable end of the former Coastguard headquarters, now a cafe, which was unveiled over the weekend, is turning out to be a major tourist attraction with locals and visitors alike pausing to take pictures of the display. The Mural is to celebrate the 200th anniversary of ...

Detectives are appealing for witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to come forward following an assault and road traffic collision in Dorchester. At around 7.30pm on Friday 2 May 2025, two men were travelling in a white Citroen Berlingo van at the Top O’Town Roundabout when a man approached the nearside window on foot and assaulted ...

One football result in the Dorset Premier League: Dorchester Sports 1 vs Hamworthy Recreation Reserves 3. In the Dorset T20 Cricket League Western Division, Martinstown hosted both Bere Regis and Dorchester. Bere Regis won their match against Martinstown by 9 wickets, and Dorchester beat Martinstown by 6 wickets. In the Dorset County Division 1, Weymouth hosted Witchampton at Redlands ...

Detectives are appealing for any witnesses to come forward as they investigate a report of a serious assault at a beauty spot near Dorchester. Shortly before 2pm on Saturday 3 May 2025 Dorset Police received a report that a man aged in his 30s had been assaulted by another man who was known to him in ...

Last weekend, people flocked to the isle of Portland to celebrate the restoration and formal opening of the historic High Angle Battery site. Local residents, volunteers, and organisations involved in restoring the site gathered to celebrate its transformation and the launch of Portland and Weymouth Towns of Culture 2025. The High Angle Battery, locally known as the ...

A group of dedicated staff from Weldmar Hospicecare were delighted to discover they had been invited to Buckingham Palace, to meet King Charles III and Queen Camilla. The King, who has been Patron of Weldmar Hospicecare since 1994, held the reception to honour those who work in community care for people with cancer (although Weldmar’s care ...

Here’s a reminder that the Dorchester Branch of the Royal Naval Association (RNA) will be holding a Free “Fish and Chip” lunch at The Junction, Dorchester on Thursday 8th May 2025 to mark the 80th Anniversary of the end of WWII in Europe. The lunch is for all veterans and all civilians currently living in the ...

Dorset Museum & Art Gallery is proud to announce the Hayden Princess Traction Engine Tour. From May to September 2025, visitors across Dorset will have the rare opportunity to experience this iconic piece of living history in full steam. The Hayden Princess — a beautifully preserved traction engine — will be heading out on the road ...

Officers are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward following a commercial burglary near Dorchester. Between 1am and 1.10am on Tuesday 29 April 2025 access was gained to Dorchester Collection in Winterbourne Abbas and two black Coafen F80 electric motorcycles were stolen. It was reported that the motorcycles were loaded onto a Ford Transit ...

Dorchester Town Council has told KeeP 106 they are proud to announce a series of events to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, marking the end of the war in Europe. A number of events will take place across the town between the 8th May and 11th May as follows: Thursday 8th May – Flag raising and ...

Idris Martin reports: A casual dog walk around Weymouth this morning, and I came across three interesting themes. The We Are Weymouth BID media department has recruited three actors to dress up as pirates to promote the town. Further down the Esplanade towards the Pavilion, engineers are erecting Weymouth’s very own version of the London Eye. Then, walking down ...

Ninety minutes of the game had elapsed at Cherrywood Road, and Dorchester Football Club’s season was all but over. The Magpies trailed by one goal to nil at the break to Curtis Angell’s 36th-minute strike that had put Hungerford into the lead, and their playoff rivals, Havant and Waterlooville, were winning at home against Wimborne. In the ...

A new piece of equipment – the Transurethral Laser Ablation (TULA) device – worth £13,184.40 – has been purchased with funds raised by the Dorset County Hospital Charity, to benefit selected bladder cancer patients at Dorset County Hospital (DCH) in Dorchester. The Transurethral Laser Ablation (TULA) is an outpatient procedure carried out under local anaesthetic to ...

Dorset Council and Active Dorset are set to deliver a further £2 million redevelopment of Redlands Leisure and Community Park in Weymouth, as they continue to transform the site into a hub for sport, recreation, and community engagement. The ambitious project, supported by a £1.36 million Football Foundation grant, awaits final approval from Dorset Council’s Cabinet ...

Major safety improvements at a busy junction in Dorchester are on track to complete by mid-May. Work started in January at the 4-way Maumbury Cross junction. It includes installation of much-needed signal-controlled pedestrian crossing points, widening and levelling of footways, where possible, and upgrading existing equipment. Construction is in its final stages, with the tasks of road ...

Dorset Council is pleased to announce it has retained its leading position as the number one unitary and disposal authority in England for recycling rates, according to the recently published national data set for 2023/24 by DEFRA. The Council now recycles 60.5% of all the waste it collects at the kerbside, against a national average of 44%. In ...

Cyclists from across the South West are gearing up for a spectacular ride in support of a vital charity. Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance’s Coast to Coast Cycle Challenge returns on Saturday, 10 May 2025. This year, the event is extra special as it marks the charity’s 25th anniversary of saving lives. With places filling fast, ...

The countdown has started to the start of the Dorchester Walking Festival on 10th May. Nine days of guided walking is programmed to take place in and around Dorchester – appealing to all tastes and levels of ability. The recent spell of dry sunny weather has helped boost ticket sales, however there are still plenty of ...

Starting on Tuesday 22nd April a Weymouth man supported by his partner is embarking on an amazing journey from Land’s End to John O’ Groats to raise funds for the Motor Neurone Disease Association. But, for Paul Whitehead, it’s not just any old trek to the far north of the UK. Paul thought that just a ...

On Good Friday, Weymouth led their National League South visitors, Salisbury City, by 2 goals to nil at halftime, but following the break, the Terras conceded twice without adding to their total, making the final score Weymouth 2, Salisbury City 2. Tom Bearwish and Jake McCarthy scoring the Weymouth goals. Dorchester continued their Southern Premier League play-off push ...

Dorset Council’s Litter Free Dorset Support Officer, Emma Jackson, has told KeeP 106 that the 35th Great Dorset Beach Clean has concluded with remarkable success, showcasing the power of community spirit and dedication to protecting our beautiful coastline. Over the course of one week, 297 enthusiastic volunteers came together to clean 15 beaches, removing a ...

Families in Dorset are finding out which schools their young children will join in September, with the majority getting their choice. From Wednesday April 16th parents and carers will be able to check their application to see whether they have been successful. Almost 95 per cent of applicants have been offered their first choice of primary school ...

Weymouth 155-2 beat Martinstown 150 by four wickets. Weymouth clinched the West Dorset Indoor League Division One crown with a perfect record following a four-wicket win over Martinstown in the final at Redlands. Having finished top of the group after victories over Dorchester, Portland, Charlton Down, Bere Regis and Martinstown, Weymouth faced a showdown with second-placed Martinstown ...

Dorchester Town Council is to hold the Annual Town Meeting on 9th May from 11 am to 1pm in the Corn Exchange. The meeting is an opportunity for the public to see how local democracy is working by meeting local councillors and hearing about the work of the Town Council. Local residents can tell councillors what they ...