News Archive

Officers searching for missing Blandford teenager Shannon Smith are pleased to confirm she has been located. The 19-year-old was reported missing after it was believed she left her home in the early hours of Friday 20 September 2019. Following enquiries by officers, she has been located in the London area. We would like to thank all those who ...

Over 2000 athletes are set to take to the streets and coast as well as the sea in Dorset! Ironman 70.3 is back in Weymouth this weekend! A number of roads are closing for the cycle route around Dorset and drivers and residents are being asked to be prepared! Here you will find full details on the closures ...

Officers investigating a serious injury collision near Puddletown are appealing for witnesses or anyone with relevant dashcam footage to come forward. Dorset Police was called at 12.30pm on Saturday 21 September 2019 to a report of a collision involving a tractor and a red Ducati motorcycle on Long Lane near Puddletown, by the junction with Druce ...

Landscapes for life; celebrating 60 years of Dorset’s Area of Outsandin Natural Beauty (AONB) The Landscapes for Life Festival, from 21 – 29 September, is celebrating Dorset’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’s very special anniversary with a packed programme of free walks, talks and have-a-go activities. Sixty years ago, a line was drawn around nearly half of ...

The Prince of Wales School in Dorchester ran an inspiring launch to the 2019 Rugby World Cup as staff worked with Dorchester Rugby Club to surprise their pupils on Friday 20th September 2019. Year Four Pupil, Phillipa explains, ‘We came to school like normal to find all our teachers out the front dressed as rugby ...

A partnership involving local banks and Dorset Police has helped to prevent nearly £1 million getting into the hands of fraudsters. The banking protocol scheme sees bank staff trained to spot when someone is about to fall victim to a scam and aims to prevent them from withdrawing cash or transferring money to a fraudster, with ...

From Martin Clunes to Memory Trees – how the Weldmar Hospicecare Summer Fete raised more than £20,000! A huge thank you to everyone who attended the Weldmar Hospicecare Summer Fete on Saturday. Beautiful weather and special guest Martin Clunes helped attract more than three thousand visitors to the meadow at Weldmar’s in-patient unit in Dorchester, which was ...

Agincare’s innovative ‘Home First’ approach to reducing delayed transfers of care (DTOC) has been chosen as a finalist in the prestigious LaingBuisson Awards, which recognise and celebrate industry excellence and innovative services in the public, private and third sectors. The Dorset-based independent care provider has worked with 10 NHS Foundation Trusts and Clinical Commissioning Groups and ...

Access to both Weymouth and Dorchester’s Household Recycling Centres (HRCs, or “the tip”) will be directly affected by road closures around the Ironman 70.3 Weymouth event this Sunday (22 September). Weymouth HRC on Preston Beach Road will be closed all day. Local residents are being urged to take their waste to Portland’s HRC, or wait until ...

The family of a man who sadly died following a collision in West Dorset has issued a tribute. Dorset Police received a report at 2.03pm on Sunday 1 September 2019 of a collision involving a silver Honda motorcycle travelling east and a black BMW 1 Series travelling in the opposite direction between Abbotsbury and Swyre, near ...

Residents of Dorset are being invited to attend their NHS Health Check this autumn. The NHS Health Check is a free check-up of your overall health. It can tell you whether you’re at higher risk of getting certain health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease and stroke. People may have already been sent letters inviting ...

A 38-year-old man arrested in connection with the death of a man in Weymouth has been released from custody while enquiries continue. Dorset Police was called at 10.17am on Saturday 7 September 2019 by the ambulance service following reports of the sudden death of a 75-year-old man at an address on The Esplanade in Weymouth. The death ...

Officers searching for missing Portland woman Alison Annetts are pleased to confirm she has been found safe. The 48-year-old was reported missing having last been seen at her home address at 11.30am on Sunday 15 September 2019. Following searches by officers, she has been located in the Poole area. We would like to thank everyone who shared our ...

Looking round the world today, there isn’t too much to laugh about, but Casterbridge Speakers is inviting you to do just that – to have a laugh for a couple of hours. Six members of Casterbridge Speakers will be competing for the Club’s annual humorous speech competition at the Wessex Royale Hotel, Dorchester on September ...

Officers are appealing for witnesses to come forward after a man was seen acting suspiciously in Dorchester town centre. At approximately 11.30pm on Tuesday 10 September 2019 a local woman aged in her 40s was walking home from Brewery Square along Weymouth Avenue, Edward Road and Queen’s Avenue. The woman reported that a small white Enterprise rental ...

Officers investigating a commercial burglary near Dorchester are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. At around 11.35pm on Sunday 1 September 2019 a burglary occurred at a commercial premises off Dorchester Road in Grimstone. It is believed that two offenders arrived at the premises in a small white van, possibly a Vauxhall Combo. ...

A man and a woman arrested in connection with the death of a man in Weymouth have been released from custody while enquiries continue. Dorset Police was called at 10.17am on Saturday 7 September 2019 by the ambulance service following reports of the sudden death of a 75-year-old man at an address on The Esplanade in ...

Want to know what’s happening in your community? Have a question for a local councillor, or simply like to meet those representing you? As from 5th October Councillors from Dorchester Town and Dorset Councils will be holding regular surgeries on the first Saturday of the month from 10am until midday. Molly Rennie, Councillor for Dorchester ...

Detectives have launched a murder investigation following the death of a man in Weymouth. Dorset Police was called at 10.17am on Saturday 7 September 2019 by the ambulance service following reports of the sudden death of a 75-year-old man at an address on The Esplanade in Weymouth. The death was initially treated as unexplained and enquiries into ...

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service is warning people that using pest control ‘smoke bombs’ can inadvertently trigger fire alarm systems. Firefighters who were called to a property earlier this week because the smoke alarms were sounding, found the flat unoccupied but multiple pest control devices had been activated. Group Manager Katie Cornhill said: “While it ...

Officers from Dorset Police teamed up with partner agencies to take part in a day of action to target and disrupt suspected rogue traders within the county. On Thursday 12 September 2019 officers joined forces with Trading Standards officers from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council and Dorset Council, as well as Dorset Waste Partnership enforcement officers ...

The Prince of Wales School in Maiden Castle Road, Dorchester is appealing for witnesses after one of their main gate posts appear to have been knocked over by a vehicle. The discovery was made by Headteacher, Mr. Gary Spracklen on the morning of Thursday 12th September 2019. Speaking about the incident, Mr. Spracklen said, “I am ...

Try your hand at pavement art, dance the hokey-cokey in the High Street, write a poem at Max Gate or come and see how photography has captured Dorchester in the past. This year, Heritage Open Days (HODs) is celebrating its 25th anniversary with hundreds of events across the country championing this year’s theme – People ...

The New Hardy Players are helping Dorchester Community Plays Association (DCPA) raise funds to make their 7th community play ‘Spinning the Moon’ a reality. Local poet and author Sue Worth has devised a relaxing programme of Sonnets, Wine, Song and Dance. Drink with cake starts the evening off followed by poetry and song then for those ...

Work to maintain Weymouth’s Historic Harbour is set to start on 30 September. The work, which is essential to preserve the harbour walls, has been carefully timed to avoid the main tourist season. Cllr Ray Bryan, Dorset Council Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, said: “These works are essential to preserve our historic harbour for ...

The owner of a Dorset-based online fancy dress costume business has been ordered to pay up over £65,000 following a prosecution for the misuse of trade marks. On 5 September 2019, at Bournemouth Crown Court, Ms Michelea Mariner (aged 49) was sentenced having pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to seven offences, under the Trade Marks ...

Children at a school in Dorchester came back from their Summer Holidays to find a new restaurant had opened inside their school! The ‘#InspiredToLearn Restaurant’ is the latest addition to The Prince of Wales School in Dorchester. Headteacher, Mr. Gary Spracklen explains, ‘We wanted our children to enjoy the very best possible dining experience while ...

Dorset County Show is celebrating another successful year with more than 60,000 visitors supporting the agricultural show and there was an increase of competitive class entries compared to previous years. The event took place on Saturday September 7 and Sunday September 8. People travelled from across the county and beyond to attend the annual event, organised ...

Dorset County Hospital has been ranked as one of the top performing Trusts. The Children and Young People’s Patient Experience Survey 2018 and the NHS Urgent and Emergency Care Survey 2018, run by Picker Institute, both highlighted DCH as one of the top performing acute Trusts. In the Children and Young People’s Patient Experience Survey, DCH was ...

Tom Browns pub in High East Street, Dorchester, is once again organising a giant Hokey Cokey as part of OPEN DOR-chester on 15th September. The Annual Shake It All About is now in its second year, the brain child of regular Matthew Parkes who thought it would be funny to dance in the street whilst ...

Litter left in our countryside, streets, parks and rivers isn’t just an eyesore, it can be extremely harmful to wildlife and nature, and cost tax-payers millions of pounds in clean-up costs every year. To help make a difference Litter Free Dorset, a community campaign to reduce litter across Dorset is working with CPRE to encourage individuals to get ...

Detectives investigating an alleged assault in Weymouth that left a man with serious injuries are appealing for any witnesses to come forward. Dorset Police was called at around 5am on Wednesday 4 September 2019 to a report of an assault outside the Rumshack nightclub in Maiden Street. It was reported that a man aged in his ...

The A35 between the A37 and the junction with the A3066 is set to be closed for several nights due to planned roadworks. Motorists should expect disruption every night between 20:00 and 06:00 from the 9th September 2019 to 14th September 2019. All lanes will be closed.

Dorset County Hospital will be holding an Endoscopy Open Day this month to showcase the roles and opportunities available in the department. The open day is aimed at nurses and operating department practitioners, both qualified and in training, who are looking for a new challenge and who want to find out how being part of the ...

Officers have prevented an elderly Dorset woman from losing £35,000 to scammers and are issuing advice to avoid others from being targeted. Staff from Dorset Police’s Fraud Triage Team received information that the victim, aged in her 70s, had fallen victim to a scam. The woman had been the victim of a separate scam in 2018 ...

Wherever you live in the UK, the chances are that you have spotted an air ambulance helicopter in the skies, or seen one attending an incident. Now, to mark National Air Ambulance Week (9th – 15th September), Haynes is offering a fascinating insight into the running of these helicopters and the vital role they play ...

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has published a report after an investigation found that Dorset County Council had failed to provide suitable provision for a child with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The complaint was made after the family involved felt the council had failed to ensure their child received the provision detailed ...

Organ Donation Week is a celebration of organ donation across the UK, and this year’s event is a great opportunity for donor families, transplant patients, the wider NHS and organisations to reinforce the importance of organ donation. In Dorset alone, 55 people are waiting for that call that may save their life. Over 6,000 people at any ...

Weldmar Hospicecare Day Services patients become ‘Easy Riders’ with Harley Davidson Chapter visit Patients at Weldmar Hospicecare’s Day Services in Dorchester were treated to a visit by Harley Davison riders today – and even had the chance to go for a spin! Six members of the Hogsback Chapter, based in Surrey and Sussex, rode all the way ...

A man who sustained serious injuries in a collision on the B3157 Coast Road in West Dorset has sadly died. Dorset Police received a report at 2.03pm on Sunday 1 September 2019 of a collision involving a silver Honda motorcycle travelling east and a black BMW 1 Series travelling in the opposite direction between Abbotsbury and ...

Dorset’s Digital Champions are ready to help you store and share those photos taken on your summer holidays. From downloading and keeping your digital images, to sharing your holiday memories with friends and family, our computer-savvy volunteers can show you how. Dorset’s councils have a network of 70 people who run free, one-to-one computer help sessions in ...

Dorset Council will recognise the significant contribution the Merchant Navy makes towards the safety and economy of the UK by raising the Red Ensign over County Hall. The people of Dorset are most welcome to attend the parade, hear the speeches, and see the flag raised from in front of the entrance to County Hall ...

Officers investigating a report of a public order incident in Weymouth are issuing an appeal for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. Dorset Police received a report at 8.47pm on Thursday 29 August 2019 of a disturbance in St Mary Street, near to the Black Dog pub, involving a group of teenagers allegedly assaulting ...

Officers are appealing for witnesses and anyone with relevant dashcam footage to come forward following a burglary in Weymouth. At around 4am on Tuesday 27 August 2019 a burglary occurred at Ferrybridge Marine Ltd on Ferrymans Way. Two Seadoo GTX 300 jet skis, a jet ski cover, two boat covers, a wakeboard and a red inflatable Quicksilver ...

Officers investigating a suspicious vehicle fire in Weymouth are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. At approximately 4.20am on Thursday 22 August 2019 Dorset Police was called by the fire service to a report of a vehicle on fire at the rear of a property on Littlemoor Road. Damage was caused to five ...

The RMT Union has instructed guard and driver members working at South Western Railway to take strike action on the following dates: Friday 30 August till Monday 2nd September (inclusive). In a statements from South Western Railway: “It’s extremely disappointing that despite having a date in the diary for what we hoped would be constructive talks held in ...

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service is reminding people not to leave cooking unattended after a flat fire on Monday 26 August 2019. An elderly man was taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation after leaving pans switched on and unattended; he only became aware that fire had broken out when the smoke alarm sounded. Station ...

Officers are renewing their appeal for residents to remain vigilant after scammers have targeted elderly residents in Shaftesbury. In the morning of Thursday 22 August 2019 an elderly woman received a phone call from a man purporting to be from NatWest. He told her that her bank cards were due for renewal and that someone would ...

A woman has come forward following an image appeal in relation to a reported assault in Dorchester. At approximately 3.30pm on Wednesday 14 August 2019 it was reported that a woman was shopping in Marks & Spencer on South Street when an altercation occurred involving another woman. The victim was allegedly pushed, causing her to fall backwards ...

Appeal following suspicious behaviour in Dorchester Detectives are appealing for witnesses to come forward after a man was seen acting suspiciously in the Fordington Fields area of Dorchester. At approximately 12.15am on Monday 26 August 2019 a woman was inside an address when she noticed a man with a torch standing in the corner of a car ...

Sunday 15 September sees the return of the popular traffic-free Dorchester High Street Heritage Day. As part of the national Heritage Open Days, High West Street and High East Street will be closed to traffic from 9.30am to allow people to enjoy Dorchester’s finest street without cars, noise and fumes. “You’ll be able to join a tour ...

Following on from last week’s exceptional A level results, the Thomas Hardye reached another milestone with record results in maths and English. Despite the introduction of new, more demanding examinations 76% of students achieved 5 passes including English and maths. The school continues to excel in the core subjects whilst offering a broad and balanced curriculum to ...

Hanna Baxter, 18, has received a national award in recognition of her work with young people in care. The Diana Awards are presented to young people aged between 9 and 25 years who are selflessly creating and achieving social change, in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales. Hannah, who has spent time in care, dedicates her time ...

At 17:59 today (Wednesday), Dorset and Wiltshire Fire control took a 999 call to reports of smoke coming from the store room in a sports hall on Cranford Avenue in Weymouth. Two fire crews from Weymouth, One from Portland and the Aerial Ladder Platform from Westbourne were mobilised alongside an officer. On arrival the crews requested the ...

A man is due to appear in court in connection with a reported robbery in Weymouth. At around 12.30am on Sunday 7 April 2019 officers were called to St Nicholas Street following reports that an altercation had broken out between a local woman aged in her 20s and a man. It is alleged the man forcibly removed ...

A man has been arrested in connection with a reported assault at a pub in Weymouth. It was reported that at around 8.25pm on Thursday 20 June 2019 an altercation took place at the Duke of Edinburgh pub in St Thomas Street after a man was asked to leave by a member of staff. One female staff ...

Officers investigating the theft of machinery from a quarry site on Portland are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. Between 5.30pm on Friday 16 August 2019 and 7am on Saturday 17 August 2019 two breakers for diggers were stolen from a quarry site off Easton Lane. Police Constable Tom Arnold, of Weymouth police, ...

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service is reminding people to take care when cooking, especially when late at night and tired. Firefighters were called out in the early hours this week for a kitchen fire caused by pizza and chips being put into the oven by the occupant, who then fell asleep. Group Manager Katie Cornhill ...

We are pleased to say missing Eileen Samways from Wareham has been found safe by officers. The 72-year-old was reported missing at 9.50am on Thursday 15 August 2019 after it was discovered that she was not at her home address in Sherford Drive. She was last spoken to at 9.55am on Wednesday 14 August 2019. Extensive searches ...

An investigation is underway following a fatal collision in Gillingham. At 9.11am on Thursday 15 August 2019 Dorset Police was called to reports of a single vehicle collision on the B3081 Shaftesbury Road involving a blue Peugeot 207 that had left the road, gone through a hedge and come to rest next to the wall of ...