A LARGE area of countryside in west Dorset is being handed back to nature and opening up to the the public for the first time.

FIVE homes could be built on an uphill plot behind the Esso filling station off the Main Road at Winterbourne Abbas.

A coffee shop run by volunteers which has been closed for two years is likely to stay shut until spring next year.

AN EASTER egg hunt is taking over the course of the upcoming half-term, in addition to a raffle to raise funds for Symondsbury School.

SIX local artists are set to reunite to present an 'exciting' exhibition of their new work.

IT HAS been a tough two years at Dorset County Hospital (DCH) and staff remain under immense pressure as the Trust continues to deal with the impact of Covid-19.

THE Woodland Trust is re-opening its free tree packs scheme.

A BREWERY in Dorset has launched its annual award applications - which will see £50,000 dished out to community causes from across the county.

A TRUST has donated £22,000 to a local charity to help purchase a youth outreach bus that provides extensive support to young people in Dorset – as lack of youth services reach ‘crisis point’.

POLICE across Dorset are raising awareness of hate crime.

HERE are today's tide times for Portland, West Bay and Lyme Regis.

Two women have started a unique initiative in Bridport to offer mental health advice to help people feeling overwhelmed.

Thousands of households remain on legacy benefits in West Dorset ahead of the Government’s target to complete the Universal Credit rollout by 2024, new figures show.

A one-man stage show starring Clive Anderson is coming to Bridport.

THERE'S a treat in store for gardeners as Mapperton House hosts its Spring Charity Plant Fair.

FOUR Dorset hillforts are no longer deemed 'at risk' thanks to work undertaken to protect them.

I feel I should stop writing about seasonal variations in the weather and its implications on the health of our pets – every time I mention the weather, I manage to jinx things.

A conservation project to help save bees in Dorset is launching this month.

For most, the post-lockdown transition out of solitude has been a slow and tentative one.

Many of us are unaware of the potentially lifesaving safety feature.

The actor, 53, said he was “heartbroken” and would accept any consequences that emerged from his scheduled disciplinary hearing.

FIVE fire crews were called to a barn blaze which saw around hay and machinery set alight.

THE people of Bridport and the surrounding area have continued with their valiant efforts to help people in Ukraine impacted by the Russian invasion by donating vast quantities of aid.

A renowned artist living in Bridport is to give a talk in front on his epic war painting in a fundraiser for Ukraine.

AROUND 90 homes in Dorset have offered to open their doors for Ukraine refugees through the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

The best walks in Britain have been revealed with two Dorset locations making the list.

A 12-day real ale festival is now underway at Bridport’s Wetherspoon pub.

AN ARMY of volunteers will hit the beaches across Dorset to give them a spring clean.

A horticultural society's summer show will be celebrating the Queen's Platinum Jubilee as it returns this year.

Bounce back for Easter with some trampolining workshops at Bridport Leisure Centre.

As All Star Musicals returns to ITV, Danielle de Wolfe sits down with actress Jacqueline Jossa to learn more about her experience on this year's show.

SPRING is blossoming in Hampshire, and what better way to enjoy this beautiful season than with a lovely walk?

Tory MP David Warburton has whip withdrawn pending an investigation into allegations about his conduct.

Gardeners are looking for new ways to get rid of slugs from their garden after pellets used to kill them were banned.

The age range for being able to have Covid vaccines has now been lowered

Longer and summery nights promise quality time in the garden with family and friends - so why not give it some love?

The order of each step is really important in the car wash process.

YOUNG people are being asked whether they can live with the consequences of causing a serious injury after multiple reports of youths lighting aerosol cans in recent weeks.

TWO crews raced to a fire involving a derelict building.

THE number of people being treated in Dorset’s hospitals for Covid-19 has risen by almost 40 per cent, according to the latest data.

I recently received a leaflet about Dorset Police services.

ORGANISERS of Bridport Carnival are still looking for more people and groups to get involved.

CONCERNS about smoke billowing from a chimney in an unusual way led to a concerning discovery by Bridport firefighters today.

YOUNG musicians are set to hold a concert tonight to fundraise for the Ukrainian humanitarian emergency.

SOUTH Walks House is to be used as hospital clinics for the next 20 years after Dorset Council and the NHS shook hands on a deal worth an estimated £7 million for the lease of the building.

HOUSEHOLDS in Dorset are facing one of England's highest council tax rates as bills increase from today

The story of a TV show never to be repeated is coming to a Bridport stage.

LEVELS of support in dealing with Covid will be downgraded locally, as elsewhere, from today.

DOZENS of trees were planted by green-fingered Scout members to commemorate the Queen’s 70th-anniversary of her accession to the throne.

THE RSCPA has received almost 80 calls over the past year about Dorset animals injured or caught in litter.