News Archive

The owner of a dog that was involved in an alleged dog bite incident has been identified following an image appeal. At around 10.30am on Thursday 18 February 2021 a family group was walking along Queensland Road when they came across a small black Terrier type dog running loose on its own. It is reported that the ...

The organisers of the Steam Fair have released this statement today (Tues 23 Feb) Following a further review by the Great Dorset Steam Fair Board of Directors, it is with much regret and sadness that I confirm the 2021 Great Dorset Steam Fair (scheduled to take place from Thursday 26th to Bank Holiday Monday 30th August ...

Lulworth Estate lobbies government for better countryside manners on behalf of UK’s coast and countryside. James Weld of the Lulworth Estate has told KeeP 106 that they have engaged with government and lodged a petition with the Government Petitions Committee to request both immediate and longer-term action regarding the damage experienced in the UK’s countryside after ...

Four men have been jailed after a man was kidnapped from outside his home in Bridport then assaulted and blackmailed. Leslie Richardson, also known as Leslie Ades, aged 53 and of Westcliff-on-Sea, Lewis James Needham, aged 29 and of Dorchester, and Nigel Geoffrey Moors, aged 51 and of Puddletown, were all sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court ...

Ian Girling, Dorset Chamber chief executive, has said: “The Prime Minister’s roadmap finally provides some very welcome direction of travel. “Although there is light at the end of the tunnel, many businesses in the hardest hits sectors such as non-essential retail, leisure and hospitality may be disappointed with the timescales and feel he is being overly ...

Following the announcement from The Department for Health & Social Care, unpaid carers in the Dorset Council area can now request free Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for when they are carrying out their caring responsibilities. There is a focus on extra-resident carers (those who live outside of the household of the cared for person). Unpaid care ...

Stepping into Nature are excited to announce that Picnic in the Parks, a popular event in Dorset, has moved online and is full of fresh ideas to find inspiration, discover new experiences and enjoy fun health and nature-related activities. Spending time engaging with nature, indoors or out, boosts your mood, self-esteem and motivation to be active. ...

Figures published today (19 Feb 2021) show the COVID-19 vaccination programme which started on December 8 has now delivered 240,890 doses in Dorset and rising. Over 15 million people have now received at least one dose across the UK with those aged 65 and over now being invited to book a vaccination. Supported by hundreds of volunteers, ...

Hot off the back of their recent gold award in the Dorset Tourism Awards, Fish ‘n’ Fritz, Weymouth decided to look for a way to say thank you to the local community. Paul Hay, the owner of Fish ‘n’ Fritz carried out some research and soon discovered, the demand for emergency food from Weymouth Foodbank grew ...

Aspire Adoption, one of the country’s first Regional Adoption Agencies, has placed its 200th child with their forever family. The Adoption Agency for Dorset Council and Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole (BCP) Council have continued, without pause, through the Covid-19 pandemic, to find families for those children across the county who need an adoptive family to give them ...

Following the persistent rain that Dorset has experienced, and more yet to come, the Environment Agency have issued a number of warning across the county. Groundwater levels in West Dorset have been receding following the dry, cold weather we experienced last week. With recent rainfall and further rainfall forecast over the coming week, the Environment Agency ...

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority (DWFRA) is inviting local people to give their views on its draft Community Safety Plan, after a public consultation into the plan opened today (17 February), running until 13 May. All fire and rescue authorities have a statutory duty to produce a Community Risk Management Plan and DWFRA fulfil ...

Dorset Council will propose to stop funding their last three Tourist Information Centres (TICs) in Dorchester, Sherborne and Wareham that it currently runs, and to investigate alternative ways of providing these services in the future. Dorset Council cannot afford to continue to fund TICs. There are five other TICs in Blandford, Bridport, Shaftesbury, Swanage and Wimborne ...

Officers are appealing for anyone with information to come forward after a man sustained an injury during an incident involving a dog in Weymouth. At around 9.40pm on Monday 8 February 2021 a man and woman were walking their dog on the beach near to Greenhill Bowling Club when a Staffordshire Bull Terrier – that was ...

NHS Dorset say, to local residents, Thank you for your continued support for your local NHS. Your support means so much to everyone in the NHS. Thanks to the tireless work of everyone – from vaccinators to volunteers – the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out is on a clear upward trajectory, with more than 200,000 doses delivered locally ...

Every year, hundreds of children need foster carers in Dorset while they can’t live with their own families. Could you open your home be one of our highly valued foster carers? Maybe your looking to reduce hours in the office or know someone who is looking to start a new career? Cllr Andrew Parry, Dorset Council Portfolio ...

Wessex Water has distributed funding to 85 groups across the south west to help local communities as they recover from the effects of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. Following a series of online local panels, in partnership with regional community foundations, the water and sewerage company decided which charities and community groups would receive funding. One of the ...

The Dorchester Window Wanderland, runs from Friday, 19th February to Sunday 21st February. On these three evenings (from 6-9pm), local residents will be able to enjoy an outdoor trail of decorated windows. There are already over 100 window-makers signed up, with people, businesses, churches and schools taking part right across the town. Residents will be able ...

Confirmed cases and hospitalisations have continued to fall across Dorset, which shows that the national lockdown restrictions are having an impact. Whilst this is good news, it’s important to remember that these figures have been falling from a very high level so there is still a way to go. For comparison, we still have higher ...

Dorset Council’s Family Information Service offers a number of activities for children during half-term week. We may not be able to do much of what we want to this half-term, but there are still lots of ways for you and your family to have fun! They’ve put together a collection of activity ideas to inspire you to explore ...

New figures show the COVID-19 vaccination programme which started on December 8 has delivered more than 200,000 doses. In Dorset, the programme has gone from strength to strength with 201,211 doses (as of February 7 2021) being delivered and rising. The NHS, in a joint health and care system effort, is working tirelessly together on this monumental ...

The owner of a dog that reportedly bit a man in Weymouth has been identified. It was reported that a man aged in his 80s was bitten on his hand by a dog as he walked along St Thomas Street at around 5pm on Monday 25 January 2021. The victim further reported that he was approached ...

West Dorset MP Chris Loder is calling on residents to respond to Dorset Council’s Local Plan, which is now open for consultation and runs until 15th March. He says the Local Plan for Dorset, which not only sets out the quantity of future houses planned but identifies where those houses can be built, will impact the ...

Detectives investigating an alleged assault on Portland are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. Dorset Police was called by the ambulance service at around 5.50am on Sunday 7 February 2021 to an address in Castletown following a report a man had sustained head injuries. It is reported that the victim – a man ...

Dorset County Museum has been successful in its appeal to raise £150,000 pounds to save and display the Dewlish mosaic. The 1,600-year-old Roman floor panel showing a leopard attacking an antelope was unearthed by a team of archaeologists at Dewlish in 1974. The mosaic, measuring 2m by 2.4m, was discovered in the grounds of Dewlish House ...

Local people are being invited to choose the images which will be used as artwork on the sides of Dorset County Hospital’s new multi-storey car park. The metal facades will be added to three sides of the building and feature images of local landscapes and landmarks, a theme chosen by hospital staff to illustrate the hospital’s ...

The Women’s Action Network Dorset (WAND) are hosting Dorset Women’s Day virtually for the first time for our “Zoom Into Wellbeing” event. This will take place on Saturday 6th March, 10am-5.30pm so please save the date! The day will involve a series of 50-minute workshops over Zoom, all generally themed around self-care and wellbeing. Things have ...

There appears to be a significant power outage around the Wyke Regis area (06th Feb), which started at approximately 11:15 AM – which is affecting a significant number of properties in the DT4 area. Major mobile network providers EE and Three are also reporting some loss of service on their website, likely to be caused by ...

Nothe Fort’s team of volunteers and staff has just been given two reasons to celebrate. On Thursday 4 February, Nothe Fort won the ‘Small Visitor Attraction of the Year’ category in the Dorset Tourism Awards. This comes on top of Dorset Council awarding Nothe Fort its top tier revenue grant, the first time the heritage ...

There are currently more than 20 sites delivering COVID-19 vaccinations across Dorset including GP-led vaccination services, pharmacies, and the large vaccination centre at the Bournemouth International Centre. The COVID-19 vaccination programme in Dorset has made a strong start, with the most vulnerable being vaccinated first, according to national guidance. Sites have been chosen in order to deliver the vaccination ...

Police and Crime Panel members have approved plans to raise the amount households pay to fund Dorset Police by £15 a year*. Martyn Underhill, Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Dorset, asked the panel for their agreement to increase the precept – the part of a monthly council tax bill that funds policing – by the ...

Organisers of the first Dorchester and Poundbury Business Awards, launched at the end of 2020, are delighted to announce that response from local businesses has been fantastic. The website and launch video have received over 500 viewings and entries are rolling in. Nigel Reeve from MWSW Ltd told KeeP 106: ‘We see the awards as a great ...

Dorset Police has seen a 6.1 per cent drop in recorded crime, according to new figures released on Wednesday 3 February 2021. Data released by the Office for National Statistics, shows the Force has continued to see a drop in overall crime for the third consecutive quarter. In early 2020 Dorset Police received a ‘Good’ grading from ...

A Flood Alert has been issued by the Environment Agency. Flooding is possible for: Bridport, Chideock, Martinstown, Milborne St. Andrew, Nottington, Piddlehinton, Piddletrenthide, Upwey, Winterborne Abbas, Winterborne Kingston, Winterborne Steepleton, Winterborne Stickland, Winterborne Whitechurch and Winterborne Zelston. Groundwater levels in West Dorset are set to rise further over the next few days, bringing a risk of flooding ...

The team at Artsreach are incredibly pleased to announce that the Dorset based touring arts charity has been successful in its application to the Dorset Council Organisational Revenue Support Fund, securing the future of rural touring for Dorset’s communities for the next three years. Artsreach Co-Director Yvonne Gallimore said “The continued support Dorset Council is invaluable ...

Officers are appealing for information after a man was bitten by a dog in Weymouth. The incident occurred at around 5pm on Monday 25 January 2021 in St Thomas Street. The victim, a man aged in his 80s who is partially sighted, was walking to the Post Office when he saw a man with a dog ...

Flood protection improvement works to the River Brit in West Bay have made good progress despite challenges from recent adverse weather conditions and Covid restrictions. This partnership project, between the Dorset Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Team (FCERM), Parkdean Resorts UK and Dorset Highways as Principal Contractor will see the installation of a 380m ...

A man is due to appear in court in connection with a reported assault on Portland. It was reported that at around 1.30am on Sunday 9 August 2020 two men were assaulted on Fortuneswell. One of the victims was reportedly hit in the face with a large rock and had his head stamped on, knocking him ...

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has launched an updated version of its online Hazard House, a 360° virtual tour that highlights the importance of fire safety. This bespoke educational tool is designed so that both children and adults can really think about their safety in their own homes. Yasmine Ellis, Education Coordinator, told KeeP 106: ...

On Friday, 29 January 2021, officers executed a Section 8 Police and Criminal Evidence Act warrant at an address in Mount Skippet Way, Crossways. The local Neighbourhood Policing Teams and patrol officers seized a number of items including substances believed to be controlled drugs. A 53-year-old Dorchester man was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to ...

Local infection rates have fallen again this week but they are not falling quickly and are still at high levels. Hospital admissions have levelled off but local NHS services are still under significant pressure and we are also seeing outbreaks in care settings across Dorset. Sadly these factors mean COVID-related deaths continue to rise. It remains critically ...

She’s raised more than £2,000 this month! January is typically a month where we promise ourselves we’ll do a bit more exercise and look after ourselves a little better. Billie Rose Hampshire from Weymouth has taken it to the next level, and completed a walk that was the equivalent distance of eight marathons – 337.56km! Billie Rose was ...

Weymouth’s best eateries are in the spotlight and eating up the competition with the recent announcement of the Dorset Tourism Awards 2020 shortlist. Fish ‘n’ Fritz are finalists in the ‘Casual Dining’ category. Al Molo is a finalist in the ‘Restaurant Of The Year’ category. Shalims Indian Restaurant was narrowly pipped at the post for the finals but ...

Public Health Dorset, on behalf of Dorset Council, is setting up a Dorset Community Rapid Testing Service and is inviting local businesses to register. They are offering weekly asymptomatic testing to employees of businesses, charities and voluntary organisations (employing fewer than 250 people), and the self-employed across Dorset who cannot work from home due to the nature ...

The deadline to apply for help with the costs of utility bills like gas, electric and water this winter is 12 February. The funding is available for vulnerable families across the county, from the government’s Covid Winter Grant Scheme. This is part of the Reaching Out campaign to support people struggling financially because of the impact of ...

Local officers in Dorchester have secured a closure order for a property in the town. The order was secured for an address in St Georges Road following reports of anti-social behaviour and drug-related activity. At a hearing at Poole Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 28 January 2021 the three-month partial closure order was imposed under the Anti-Social Behaviour, ...

The last 12 months have been a year like no other. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought communities together like never before and prompted many people to take stock and think about making changes to their lives, including looking at a new career. If you are looking for a new and meaningful role in 2021, now could ...

Detectives investigating a reported robbery in Weymouth are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. The incident occurred at around 4.45pm on Monday 25 January 2021 on a gravel path that runs between Weymouth Rugby Club at the rear of Weymouth Bay Avenue and Lodmoor Country Park. It was reported that a woman aged ...

Could you be a lifesaver? RNLI Weymouth seeks a new recruit. The team at Weymouth RNLI lifeboat station is calling for a new volunteer to help them to save lives at sea. In particular, the charity is looking for a new volunteer to take up the role of Volunteer Water Safety Officer Weymouth RNLI lifeboat station ...

Chris Loder, Member of Parliament for West Dorset, has proposed changes to the Environment Bill which came before Parliament today (26th January), to cut the use of single-use plastics. The MP wants the government to set targets and commit to dates by which the volume of non-essential single-use plastic products sold will be reduced. The UK’s ...

Fire stations in Weymouth, Poole and Westbourne are calling on the community to donate any working laptops or tablets to ensure that children, who may not have suitable technology to learn from home, will not be left behind. All fire stations have set up COVID safe drop off points for anyone wishing to donate a laptop ...

Patient facing team members, such as Weldmar Community Nurses, and doctors and nurses based at our Inpatient Unit in Dorchester, have been having their shots over the last few weeks. Pictured above are some of the IPU team with their vaccination cards. Caroline Sweetland, Director of Nursing and Infection Prevention and Control, says, “The clinical staff at ...

Officers are appealing for information following a serious injury road traffic collision near Dorchester. Dorset Police received a report at 9.01am on Sunday 24 January 2021 of a single vehicle collision on the westbound carriageway of the A35 Puddletown Bypass, near to the Northbrook junction. It was reported that the vehicle, a white Toyota Hilux, had collided ...

An accident on the A35 Puddletown bypass has closed the road in both directions. Emergency services were called this morning following reports of a single vehicle road traffic collision. Services arrived to find the man laying in the road and considerable front end damage to his vehicle. He was already being attended to by members of the public. The ...

Officers from Weymouth Neighbourhood Policing Team attended the area of Wakeham on Portland on Saturday following reports of people rock climbing in large groups. Keep 106 understand officers spoke to several small groups. Two groups of two stated that they had travelled down from the Southampton and London area to carry out their daily exercise. All ...

Two EV fast charging points will be installed next week in the Buttermarket, to be available for use from early February. The Duchy of Cornwall is pleased to advise the provision of additional public Electric Vehicle (EV) charging points. There has been a facility at Poundbury Garden Centre for some time; however the need for further ...

A man has been charged and has appeared in court in connection with a reported burglary and alleged vehicle offences on Portland. It was reported that at around 5am on Friday 1 January 2021 someone entered a house in Easton Street and took a set of keys. A blue Ford Focus that was parked on the ...

Talbot Village Trust has made a £10,000 donation to the Dorset Blind Association to ensure that blind and partially sighted people across the county, still receive the required support throughout the ongoing pandemic. Using the money donated from the Trust, the charity was able to continue running its community support service, which cares for vulnerable members ...

Households across Dorset will soon be asked to take part in the 2021 Census. The census is a once-in-a-decade survey that gives the most accurate estimate of all the people and households in England and Wales. It has been carried out every 10 years since 1801, with the exception of 1941. It will be run predominantly online, ...

NHS Blood and Transplant is urging people in Dorset hitting the 28-day COVID recovery mark to register as plasma donors. People can only donate 28 days after they’ve recovered, so the number of potential donors is now at the highest ever level following the national record number of cases over the New Year. More than 3,000 people ...