News Archive

This item has been updated following the death of the victim: Update following reported serious assault in Weymouth A man has been charged following an investigation by detectives into a report of a serious assault in Weymouth, with officers continuing to appeal for any witnesses to come forward. Dorset Police received a report at 8.12pm on Tuesday 10 ...

As well as your collection date changing over the Christmas period, the crews might pick up your waste at a different time of day than usual. Therefore, Dorset Council asks that you put your containers out on the correct day by 6am to ensure collection. Also note, there are no garden waste collections between Wednesday 25 ...

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner David Sidwick, held a special Facebook Live event last week to discuss the issue of shoplifting, along with representatives from Dorset Police. During the online event, the PCC along with Assistant Chief Constable Mark Callaghan and Chief Inspector Alyssa Forrest, discussed what was happening in Dorset to tackle shoplifting, and answered ...

Dorset Police is supporting Action Fraud’s 12 Frauds of Christmas campaign for residents to have a #FraudFreeXmas. When celebrating this festive season people are being encouraged to have a #FraudFreeXmas and stay alert to fraudsters taking advantage of the time of year, as Action Fraud reveal the 12 frauds of Christmas. Action Fraud, the national fraud and ...

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire & Rescue have had crews in attendance this morning (11th December) to deal with some hot spots within the collapsed building in South Street. Fire crews will be carrying out regular re-inspections over the next few days to keep the area safe. The fire service is advising anyone that if they see smoke ...

DocBike has launched a brand-new ride out to bring festive cheer to children and young people at Dorset County Hospital this Christmas. DocBike’s Santa Toy Run will take place on Sunday 22nd December 2024 and calls upon big-hearted bikers to donate an unwrapped gift, which can be given to young patients staying in Kingfisher Ward at ...

On Tuesday evening, former Yeovil Town striker Brandon Goodship returned to Huish Park to haunt the Glovers, scoring both of the goals that put Weymouth into the fourth round of the FA Trophy on Saturday, January 4 fourth, when they will host Borehamwood at the Bob Lucas Stadium. Our Man at the Match named his Man ...

Kieran Williams reporting. As of 6pm on Monday evening (9th December), Firefighters are still tackling a blaze which has destroyed the mid-terrace commercial premises on South Street in Dorchester. After an initial attendance from 11 fire stations, when the fire broke out at approximately 03:30 this morning, the fire service have now scaled back their operation to ...

A pair of illegal pet breeders and sellers who made over £34,000 were sentenced in court last week, following an investigation by Dorset Council’s Animal Welfare team and Dorset Police. Ebony Membury (25) and her father Michael Membury (58) of Dorchester, were prosecuted for the unlicensed breeding and advertising the selling of dogs, and also the ...

Storm Darragh put paid to most local sports this weekend, but some did go ahead. In the Southern Premier League, Dorchester overcame the challenge of Hungerford Town at the Avenue Stadium, beating their visitors by 4 goals to 2. The Magpie’s goals came from Olaf Koszela, who scored a pair with a goal each courtesy of Luke ...

Residents in Dorchester have woken this morning to the devastating news of a fire in South Street. The fire broke out in the early hours this morning in the Gorge Café in the town. Fire crews from around Dorchester were alerted to the blaze at 3.34am today (9th December). The service sent crews from Dorchester, Weymouth, Portland, ...

Our reporter Idris Martin has been out and about visiting West Bay this morning, 7th December, to see the effect of Storm Darragh which has battered Wales and south west England overnight and Saturday morning. Idris took the photos below commenting “It was bracing, to say the least. At times, I had trouble standing up, the ...

A Flood Alert has been issued by the Environment Agency for: Lyme Regis, Charmouth, Seatown, West Bay, Bothenhampton, Burton Freshwater, Burton Bradstock, Cogden Beach, Chesil Beach, West Fleet, East Fleet and Chiswell. Storm Darragh will bring strong winds, large waves and spray overtopping on the coast on Saturday morning which may lead to flooding, though flooding ...

A van driver who failed to check his rear-view camera before carrying out a manoeuvre causing a fatal collision in Weymouth has been jailed. Edgaras Kondratas, aged 41 and of Southampton, appeared at Winchester Crown Court to be sentenced on Friday 6 December 2024 after being found guilty at an earlier trial of causing death by ...

Due to the recent bad weather, Weldmar Hospicecare’s Light up a Life tree at Lodmoor Country Park has sadly sustained significant damage. With very strong winds also forecast over the weekend due to Storm Darragh, it is not safe to continue with the outdoor service as planned. We acknowledge an important part of Light up ...

Weymouth is set to celebrate the Salvation Army’s vital contributions to the community by lighting up its iconic Jubilee Clock in the charity’s vibrant colours—yellow, red, and blue—from Saturday 7th December to Monday 9th December. Additionally, The Salvation Army band will perform at the Carols on the Coast concert on December 7, starting at 5pm at ...

Cllr. Nick Ireland, Leader of Dorset Council and Cabinet Member for Climate, Performance and Safeguarding, has written to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. He has requested the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) intervene following the government’s decision to grant planning permission for the proposed incinerator in Portland. The letter, addressed to Rt Hon ...

Plans to overhaul the rail network have been announced as the Transport Secretary reveals South Western Railway’s services will be the first to transfer into public ownership next year. The move comes just days after one of the Government’s first major pieces of legislation, the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Act 2024, received Royal Assent, paving ...

Dorchester Town Council has announced the reopening of two tennis courts in the Borough Gardens following a successful resurfacing project. This important upgrade, made possible by a generous grant from the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), ensures the courts are now in top condition for local tennis enthusiasts to enjoy for many years to come. The resurfacing ...

A local community has taken a significant step closer to having greater influence over planning decisions in their area. A final version of the Knightsford Neighbourhood Plan (the parishes of Tincleton, West Knighton, West Stafford and Woodsford) has been submitted to the council for examination. The plan has been drawn up by local people, and agreed by the group ...

Dorset Police received a report at 2.54am on Sunday 1 December 2024 of an altercation taking place outside The Closet in Maiden Street. It was reported that a 19-year-old man was assaulted and he was taken to hospital for treatment to a serious head injury. Following enquiries at the scene, three people – all aged 19 and ...

None of our 4 top local football teams could muster up a victory between them on Saturday. The very best they could provide was at the New Cuthbury, where Dorchester, despite ending the game with only 9 players out on the park, came from behind to salvage a Southern Premier League point against Wimborne. In the ...

Dorset Police received a report at 1.49pm on Sunday 1 December 2024 of a collision between Dorchester and Winterbourne Abbas, near to Tilly Whim Lane, involving a black Ford Fiesta, a white Seat Ibiza and a black Land Rover. Emergency services attended and a passenger from the Seat, a woman aged in her 50s, was taken ...

Our reporter Idris Martin was out for a Sunday morning stroll on Weymouth beach when he sadly came across a dead dolphin which had been washed up for reasons as yet unknown. Next to the carcass a sign has been erected by the local resort management team stating that the deceased dolphin would be reported to ...

A man who subjected a woman to repeated sexual and physical assaults in Weymouth has been jailed for 19 years. Reece Vella, 32 and of Weymouth, was sentenced on Monday 25 November 2024 at Bournemouth Crown Court. He pleaded guilty to intentional strangulation and assault and was also subsequently found guilty following a trial of a ...

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance came out winners in four categories at this year’s 2024 Air Ambulance Awards of Excellence. Organised by Air Ambulances UK and sponsored by Kwik Fit, the awards took place last night to celebrate and recognise the dedicated professionals who tirelessly contribute their specialised life-saving skills and unwavering commitment to the air ...

Weldmar Hospicecare has confirmed that they have received formal notification that NHS Dorset is reducing their funding, which will have a financial impact to the level of commissioned income they receive in an already financially challenging climate. Currently, Weldmar is commissioned by NHS Dorset to provide specialist hands on care in patients’ own homes, usually in ...

A disqualified driver who drove into a police officer who attempted to stop a stolen vehicle in Bridport has been jailed. Joshua Joseph Hayward, aged 31 and of Bridport, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Wednesday 27 November 2024 after admitting offences of dangerous driving, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, failing to stop following a ...

Weldmar Hospicecare is once again helping Dorset residents to tick something off their Christmas to do list early, by launching their Christmas Tree collections for January. For homes and businesses that have a real Christmas tree, Weldmar Hospicecare’s Christmas Treecycle can ease the pressure of disposing of the tree at the end of the festive ...

Neighbourhood policing officers have made three further arrests following multiple reports of thefts from vehicles in Dorchester. Officers are continuing to investigate a number of reported offences of theft from vehicles or attempted theft from vehicles in Dorchester and the surrounding area since the start of September. Following enquiries from Dorchester Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) officers a ...

Dorset County Hospital (DCH) is continuing to provide good urgent and emergency care, despite the ongoing pressures faced by Emergency Departments throughout the country. The latest Urgent and Emergency Care Survey, carried out by the Picker Institute on behalf of the Care Quality Commission, captured the views and experiences of 467 patients who attended DCH’s Emergency ...

The Society of Dorset Men, an esteemed organisation dedicated to preserving the heritage and camaraderie of Dorset, has made a significant change. At a recent Special General Meeting, the society agreed to extend membership to everyone with a connection to Dorset, regardless of gender. Founded in 1904, the Society originally aimed to provide a community for ...

Dorset Wildlife Trust is looking for volunteers to join their visitor centre teams at the Wild Chesil Centre at Portland and the Fine Foundation Wild Seas Centre in Kimmeridge. Open sessions will be held at both visitor centres in January, when staff and other volunteers will be available to talk about what is involved in ...

In the run up to Christmas, Weldmar Hospicecare is once again holding Light up a Life services across Dorset, where those who will be missed this Christmas can be remembered. Anyone can dedicate a light to a loved one – whether they were cared for by Weldmar or not – on special trees that will be ...

The 25th November marks the beginning of 16 days of action, a time when communities across the country come together to end domestic abuse in all its forms and supports those affected by domestic abuse. Dorset Council is using this opportunity to raise awareness of the services available to all people affected by domestic abuse, details ...

A procedure room at Dorset County Hospital (DCH) has been transformed into a full operating theatre for Special Care Dentistry and other surgeries. The £2million project was jointly funded between DCH and NHS Dorset, which commissions the Special Care Dentistry service provided by Somerset NHS Foundation Trust at the main hospital site. The space within main theatres ...

Weymouth Football Club’s senior men’s team returned from Essex with nothing to show for their exploits, losing the National League South game at Hornchurch by a solitary goal to nil, bringing the Terras eight game unbeaten run to an abrupt end. Our Man at the Match said: “The Terras were a goal down at the break. ...

Storm Bert has been battering Dorset for several hours creating some spectacular scenes along the coast, but also flooding along much of the Upper Frome. The Environment Agency issued a flood warning at approx 04:30 on Sunday 24th November. Flooding is forecast to affect locations near the Upper Dorset Frome, Hooke River, with low lying land and ...

A second arrest has been made following an image appeal after a minibus was reportedly stolen in Weymouth. Dorset Police received a report at 11.15am on Sunday 22 September 2024 that a man and woman stole a minibus from an address in the Melcombe Regis area. Officers attended and searched for the vehicle, which came to a ...

Andy Venton reporting. With a demonstration of the fickleness of the British weather, it won’t have escaped your notice that much of Dorset, and the south-west of England, was covered in a blanket of snow this morning following a forecast of rain and sleet, fairly unusual weather for the extreme south of the county! And yet, the ...

In a statement released today, 18th November, Dorset Council Leader Nick Ireland says he is disappointed in the reply he has received from MPs regarding the proposed Portland Incinerator development. The statement reads: Cllr. Nick Ireland, Leader of Dorset Council, has now received a reply from Rushanara Ali MP, responding to his letter to Rt Hon ...

Dorset Police and partners are encouraging communities to take a stand against anti-social behaviour (ASB) and highlight the actions that can be taken to tackle it during a week of targeted action. Running from Monday 18 November to Sunday 24 November 2024, ASB Awareness Week is a national campaign aimed at alerting members of the public ...

The Dorset General Practice Alliance have launched a survey asking people in the county how confident they feel about managing their own health, when to self-treat illnesses and the type of information people find useful. The Alliance, which represents all general practice surgeries in the county, will use this information to help surgeries better understand the ...

Weymouth Football Club’s senior men’s team did one better than they managed on Bonfire Night when they returned to the Bob Lucas Stadium following their notable draw away against National League South leaders Weston Super Mare. The Terras travelled back to Dorset from Weston again, this time following their 3 goals to 2 FA Trophy ...

Idris Martin reporting If anyone had any doubts about the strength of opposition towards Portland Port, siting a waste incinerator within the port, then a protest march along Weymouth Esplanade on the morning of Saturday 16th November 2024 would probably might well have their minds up for them. A crowd that was estimated to be somewhere between ...

Dorset Police received a report that at around 5am on Sunday 10 November 2024 a man was assaulted by a group of men outside an address in London Road. It was reported that the victim – a man aged in his 40s – was walking along the street with a woman when she attempted to climb ...

Work has started on a Weymouth building which has stood derelict for more than 20 years and is now going to be converted into apartments and a three bed cottage. In 2002 the Grade II listed Maiden Street Methodist Church was badly damaged by fire which was brought under control by Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service, ...

The 2025 Dorchester Beerex in Dorchester’s Corn Exchange will be held on Friday January 31st & Saturday February 1st 2025 contrary to a previous press release. The festival originally advertised as a week later was highlighted to the Beerex committee made up of members of West Dorset Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) & Dorchester Casterbridge Rotary ...

On Remembrance Sunday, 10th November 2024, the crowds turned out in force in Weymouth to pay their respects to those who have lost their lives in conflict. The service was conducted by the mayor’s chaplain, Neil Biles, with the Act of Remembrance being followed by a two minute silence marked by canon fire. After the parade, ...

Dorset Police report that at around 6pm on Monday 11 November 2024 a collision occurred on Bridport Road near to the junction with Williams Avenue involving a car – described as possibly a dark blue hatchback – and a pedestrian. The driver of the car failed to stop at the scene and made off in the ...

Dorset Council is forecasting an overspend of £13.2 million by the end of this financial year, equivalent to 3.5% of the £376.7 million budget set in February 2024. This has increased from the £10.1 million that was forecast at the end of July. Much of the overspend is due to increases in demands on services growing ...

Lest We Forget. Both Weymouth & Portland and Blandford rugby teams observe a minute silence as a mark of respect for the fallen before their match kicks off at Monmouth Avenue on Saturday. For the second week in succession, the Weymouth Football Club’s long-serving wing-back Calvin Brooks saved the blushes of his manager Mark Molesley, scoring ...

Detectives investigating reported assaults on two men in Weymouth have made a further arrest. It was reported that at around 4am on Sunday 27 October 2024 two men aged in their 20s were involved in an altercation with a group of up to eight people in Westham Road. One of the victims sustained a fractured jaw and ...

New electric vehicle charging points have now been installed in Cerne Abbas and West Moors, thanks to help from Dorset Council, with further points to come including in Dorchester and Weymouth. The new chargers, located in car parks at Kettle Bridge, Cerne Abbas, and Park Way, West Moors are set to go live in the coming ...

Residents of Weymouth can now enjoy free health cycle rides, led by trained volunteers, every fortnight as part of Dorset Council’s exciting ‘Get Back in the Saddle’ initiative. These free, fun, hour long rides take place every other Wednesday from The Palm House café, offering a fantastic opportunity to get active, boost your health and wellbeing, ...

Detectives are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward following an aggravated burglary at an address in Weymouth. At around 7.30pm on Tuesday 5 November 2024 two men with their faces covered gained entry to an address in Bayard Road. The men, who were reportedly in possession of baseball bats, assaulted a female occupant ...

The Shetland Performance Display (SPD) Team has made a generous donation of £1,000 to Dorset County Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU). The team raised the money by performing at the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show and the Dorset County Show in 2023. The team chose to support Dorset County Hospital’s SCBU this year because sisters Delanie ...

A further arrest has been made following a CCTV appeal in relation to a reported theft from a vehicle in Dorchester. Between 11pm on Thursday 24 October and 5.25am on Friday 25 October 2024, it is reported that a car was broken into in Celtic Crescent. Two watches were allegedly stolen from inside the car and are ...

Weymouth Football Club’s Senior Men’s team moved off the bottom of the National League South league table into 22nd place courtesy of their long-time servant, wing-back Calvin Brooks, who put the Terras into a 1-goal lead in the 44th minute, driving the ball into the back the Aveley net, then after the break despite both teams ...

This article has been updated due to a date change. Read the updated article here: Date change for Dorchester BEEREX The organisers of Dorchester Beerex, West Dorset Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) & Dorchester Casterbridge Rotary Club, are proud to announce the dates for next year’s Dorchester festival will be Friday & Saturday 7th & 8th of ...