NEW RULES and restrictions for dogs have been put in place in the west Dorset area.

We don’t blame you if you ‘re not venturing out at the moment as the weather has been gloomy and cold enough to chill the bones.

THE bells rang out for Christmas - thanks to a mechanism in a Bridport church tower.

AN INCREASE in visitors to the Dorset seaside saw Coastguard callouts surge above figures recorded in the previous four years.

BIRTHDAY girl Beryl Birks celebrated reaching 100 this week with socially-distanced visits from her family.

VOLUNTEERS are needed to help speed up the coronavirus vaccination programme in Dorset.

RESIDENTS are being encouraged to read Dorset Council's latest strategy document on the climate crisis.

IT is fair to say it has been a difficult and challenging 2020.

A 12-WEEK-OLD puppy died after swallowing fishing hooks on the beach in a tragic accident.

The number of recorded coronavirus cases across Dorset increased by 447 in the last 24 hours, official figures show.

COUNCIL services across Lyme Regis have been largely unaffected by the shift into Tier 3 restrictions.

THE Dorset Council area has entered tougher Tier 3 coronavirus restrictions - in moves which business bosses have called 'unfair and upsetting' for the hospitality industry that had been preparing for New Year's Eve.

What a year it has been.

DORSET residents are urged to take care on local roads amid weather warnings for ice.

Dorset Council area is being moved into Tier 3 coronavirus restrictions.

A BRIDPORT resident with Down's Syndrome has raised money for NHS staff by designing, creating and distributing Christmas cards across the area.

Concern has been growing among teaching unions and scientists about the spread of the virus and the return of schools after the Christmas break.

Almost 1,500 secondary school pupils were absent in Dorset on just one day last week because of coronavirus, estimates suggest.

A ‘rapid increase’ of coronavirus cases in Dorset has been cited as a key reason why both council areas have been moved up Tiers by the Government.

A new era for the UK’s relationship with the EU begins in 2021.

THE pandemic did not stop a Christmas carol service from going ahead - although those attending had to stay in their cars.

More than three-quarters of the population of England will now be in Tier 4.

Fire crews have warned against using sky lanterns at New Year's Eve parties.

Christmas for me this year was quite different from normal, as I have been stuck in London due to Tier 4 restrictions.

Bridport Police have some advice if you received an e-scooter for Christmas.

A look back at some of the most memorable bits of 2020.

The Dorset Council area will enter Tier 3 from midnight tonight as Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole enters Tier 4.

A mystery object floating at sea which sparked a call to the bomb squad turned out to be a military device used to locate mines.

HEAVY rainfall over the past week has increased the risk of cliff falls occurring along the west Dorset coast.

A TOTAL of 315 new cases of coronavirus have been recorded across the county in the past 24 hours.

A WEST DORSET road has been closed following a landslip which has blocked the road.

FOUR drivers have been reported to court on a busy day for Dorset Police - including a man who was stopped for speeding as he was rushing to collect an accessory for his PlayStation.

BRIDPORT Leisure Centre made productive use of the lockdown period, making renovations thanks to the local community.

THREE more people have died with coronavirus in Dorset hospitals, latest figures have shown - including the first death at Dorset County Hospital in over two weeks.

An update has been given on what will happen over the return to school after Christmas for both primary and secondary school students.

A ROAD has been cleared after it was closed when a lorry got stuck in a tunnel.

A Covid-19 vaccine from Oxford University and AstraZeneca has been approved for use in the UK, paving the way for mass rollout.

A BRIDPORT school has been recognised for its work supporting children's rights.

A BRIDPORT pharmacy is encouraging residents to get a flu jab this winter.

DORSET farmers and rural businesses are being warned to be vigilant for criminal vehicle theft gangs.

A HOSPICE charity will be running its fourth annual tree recycling scheme next week.

DORSET-based animal rescue centre Margaret Green Animal Rescue is hoping to find homes for animals in its care.

A record number of people from countries outside the EU registered for national insurance numbers in Dorset last year.