Beneath the brilliant August sunshine, it treated the crowds of people to a quirkier spectacle than the usual twirling batons and playing bands.

A postmaster staged two armed robberies and stole £93,000 to pay off his own debts, a court has heard.

Businesses from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole were nominated for the Muddy Stilettos Awads 2026

Neil Duncan-Jordan MP urges government action to stop Hamworthy Fire Station closure as Dorset & Wiltshire face cuts risking jobs, safety and response times.

A romance fraudster who duped a victim out of nearly £30,000 has been jailed for a decade.

Nominations have opened for the 2026 New Forest Awards, celebrating the people and organisations helping to protect and sustain the area’s rural communities.

The Smoked & Uncut festival is to return to the lawns of The Pig hotel in the New Forest from June 12 to 14 to mark its 15th anniversary.

Liberal Democrat MP Vikki Slade urges emergency 10p fuel duty cut as rising fuel and heating oil costs hit rural Dorset residents amid UK cost-of-living crisis.

Burger joints now come in many different guises leaving customers spoilt for choice, however, Usman and Tariq Khan think their brisket will set MakBurga apart from the rest.

Skinshape, aka William Dorey, brings his acclaimed analogue soul, funk and Afrobeat sound to Lighthouse Poole on 16 May 2026 with support from Yuuf.

Bournemouth School for Girls reach The Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Competition 2026 finals with carbon monoxide project; South West STEM success.

BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair returns to Beaulieu, New Forest, 1–3 May. Enjoy gardening talks, demos, food markets and BBC presenters.

Dorset Council seeks volunteers for its Age Friendly Dorset programme, supporting older residents and building inclusive communities.

Planned roadworks have been announced by BCP Council and are expected to cause delays of varying severity.

UPLIFT 2026 energised Wimborne’s Town of Culture year with youth-led arts, music, workshops, and performances, showcasing Dorset’s young creative talent.

Southern Co-op launches rapid grocery delivery in Dorset via Snappy Shopper, offering groceries to Bournemouth, Poole, Exmouth & Weymouth in under an hour.

Richmond Park Bowls Club in Winton/Charminster celebrates its 120th anniversary on 26 April with an open day, activities, and fundraising for new equipment.

An electrician is donning his “blue suede shoes” this weekend to take part in his twelfth London Marathon.

Poole Swimming Club stars achieve personal bests, finals spots and new records at Aquatics GB Championships 2026 in London’s Aquatics Centre.

A micro ale pub in Milford-on-Sea has recently opened under new ownership.

A new family run mobile cafe is bringing a taste of homemade hospitality to Poole by serving coffee and sweet treats from a wooden trailer.

Open water swimmers are being invited to take on an unforgettable new challenge along the breath taking Jurassic coastline.

Residents from across Dorset and the New Forest will take on the London Marathon this weekend— competing for a host of good causes.

Skip the crowds with these hidden National Trust gems – all are free to visit, with some offering free parking too.

Aldi, Tesco, M&S, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons shoppers are being urged to check cupboards after food recalls.

Alan Titchmarsh has revealed how to get rid of weeds in your garden now spring is starting to heat up.

Hate scrubbing your bathroom? This Lakeland whizzy cordless cleaning tool makes tiles, taps and grout a dream to clean.

A woman was hit with a £100 fine after an eight-minute stay in a Poole car park, saying she was unable to pay despite multiple attempts.

A LOLLIPOP lady fears ‘children will lose their lives’ after the council prepares to axe her position outside a school.

New renter protections in England begin 1 May under the Renters’ Rights Act, ending no-fault Section 21 evictions and boosting security for tenants.

Neil Duncan-Jordan MP introduces Hunting Act 2004 Amendment Bill to Parliament, aiming to close fox hunting loopholes and ban trail hunting.

A man was knocked unconscious and left with a broken jaw after an alleged attack outside a bar.

A man wanted in connection with a reported assault has been found six weeks after an appeal was issued.

The UK's third largest airline has made major announcements amid concern over increased flight prices, flight cancellations and holiday disruptions amid.

Horses once again caused traffic disruptions as a pair of animals were spotted on Wessex Way on Friday morning.

More than £100 worth of fuel was stolen from a petrol station in Dorset earlier this month.

A man from Poole has been charged with burglary after a business was broken into and a bike stolen earlier this year.

The owner of a dog that chased ponies and attempted to bite them in St Leonards has been made subject to a court order.

Free health and wellbeing event in Canford Heath, Poole on 25 April offers NHS health checks, lifestyle advice, and support with the NHS App—no booking needed.

Queues spilled out of the door this morning as Bournemouth Waterstones restocked the latest drop of Pokémon cards.

A new wind turbine, almost twice the size of an existing one, has been approved for a site just off the A35 at Rogers Hill Farm near Bere Regis.

Elections for town councils In Bournemouth, Poole and Broadstone will be taking place in May.

Councils must now show how they are spending funding to effectively maintaining roads in a move which has been called a “positive step towards tackling the UK’s pothole problem”.

Two footpaths in Bournemouth will be closed for 12 days for gas works

Plans have been submitted to turn a well-known restaurant in Christchurch into an 18-bed hotel to support the operation of a pub

The release of a Michael Jackson musical biopic, a psychological drama film and a children’s animated film are among films shown in BCP cinemas this weekend.

Drivers across the Waterside area of the New Forest are being warned about a set of 30, 40 and 50 miles per hour speed limit changes affecting the A326 and surrounding roads.

A major search was launched with a rescue helicopter at Bournemouth Pier after reports of a person in the water.

A suspected unexploded ordnance on Southbourne Beach prompted a call-out for rescuers.

Grenadian-Canadian folk artist Kaïa Kater makes her Poole debut at Lighthouse on 6 May, performing tracks from acclaimed new album Strange Medicine.