BBC Dorset

Liverpool man denies racially abusing Antoine Semenyo

Liverpool man denies racially abusing Antoine Semenyo

A Liverpool man has denied racially abusing footballer Antoine Semenyo during a match at Anfield.The incident is alleged to have happened at the Liverpool vs Bournemouth Premier League fixture on 15 August, Merseyside Police previously said.Semenyo reported being racially abused by a spectator during the first Premier League game of the season in which he scored two goals. Match referee Anthony Taylor stopped play in the 29th minute and a man was ejected from the Anfield stadium.Mark Mogan…

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Bournemouth students feature in Strictly Come Dancing finale

Bournemouth students feature in Strictly Come Dancing finale

A university has hosted a film crew from Strictly Come Dancing, enabling students to get a first-hand look at TV production.Saturday's final featured contributions from Bournemouth University students Eve Kimberley and Liv Teague, as part of a sequence of interviews with Strictly fans.The pair, dressed in university cheerleader team outfits, voiced support for former Love Island star Amber Davies, who was a runner-up in the dancing show after being beaten to the title by former former England footballer…

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Lotus Esprit left in barn for 30 years up for auction

Lotus Esprit left in barn for 30 years up for auction

Dave GilyeatSouth of EnglandCharterhouseThe Lotus Esprit had been stored in a Dutch barn since 1995A moss-covered 1982 Lotus Esprit Turbo left in a barn for 30 years is to go under the hammer.The iconic sports car has been entered into an auction of classic and vintage cars at Haynes Motor Museum, organised by the Sherborne auctioneers Charterhouse.The vehicle, which is red with a magnolia leather interior, has been valued at £10,000.Director Richard Bromell said: "Some talk about patina…

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Lush co-founder takes pride in being a ‘woke nerd’

Lush co-founder takes pride in being a ‘woke nerd’

Pritti MistryBusiness reporterLushMost companies and bosses would squirm at the idea of being called "woke" and may even regard it as an insult. But not Mark Constantine. Lush's outspoken co-founder and chief executive wears it like a badge of honour and is not ashamed of turning it into a business philosophy.The firm is renowned for putting activism at the heart of its bright bath bombs business, tackling a range of issues from trans rights to police accountability.The 73-year-old…

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University Hospital Dorset buys remainder of Wessex Fields

University Hospital Dorset buys remainder of Wessex Fields

An NHS trust has bought the land next to a hospital from a council to temporarily use as additional parking. University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) has bought the land adjoining the Royal Bournemouth Hospital site, called Wessex Fields.Other plans for the land include a possible site for generating geothermal energy, homes for key workers, and an education and research centre.Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council deputy leader and cabinet member for finance Mike Cox said the sale was a…

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Does this ‘Toy Town’ find its soul at Christmas?

Does this ‘Toy Town’ find its soul at Christmas?

Curtis LancasterPoundbury, DorsetBBC"There are streets full of decorations," say the residentsAn experimental town in Dorset and a passion project of King Charles III has long been a lightning rod for criticism.Since construction began at Poundbury, on the outskirts of Dorchester, in 1993, architects and commentators have taken aim at its neo-Georgian façades and detailed design rules, dismissing it as "soulless" and a "toy town".Last month those debates resurfaced after it was widely reported that Grand Designs tv presenter…

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Hundreds of Santas in Weymouth charity beach pudding race

Hundreds of Santas in Weymouth charity beach pudding race

More than 200 runners dressed as Santa have taken part in a seaside town's festive Chase the Pudding charity race.The sprint along Weymouth beach, saw a pudding pursued by the Santas along a three-mile (5km) route from the Pavilion to Greenhill and back again.The annual event in Dorset raises funds for the Will Mackaness Trust, in memory of sportsman and Wey Valley School student Will Mackaness after he lost his battle with cancer in 2008.His mother Pamela Govier,…

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Underweight seal pup recovering after Seatown beach rescue

Underweight seal pup recovering after Seatown beach rescue

Ros TappendenSouth of EnglandAllan CummingsThe seal pup was found underweight and exhausted near SeatownAn underweight and struggling seal pup rescued from a litter-strewn beach after Storm Bram is recovering very well, rescuers have said.The juvenile seal was spotted covered in mud and surrounded by debris near Seatown, Dorset, on 9 December.A member of the public alerted British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) which rescued the animal and it is now being cared for by the RSPCA at West…

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Seaside councils adopt 100-year coastal risks action plan

Seaside councils adopt 100-year coastal risks action plan

Two seaside councils have adopted a new joint action plan to manage coastal flooding and erosion risks for the next 100 years.Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP) and New Forest District Council worked with the Environment Agency and infrastructure consulting firm Aecom to produce the Christchurch Bay and Harbour Strategy.It outlines how ageing coastal defences and the changing climate, including rising sea levels, put more than 3,500 properties at risk.The authorities said that if nothing was done, over…

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Dorset reptile charity runs free children’s Christmas club

Dorset reptile charity runs free children’s Christmas club

Katie WapleSouth of EnglandThe Reptile AcademyYoung people at The Reptile Academy learn how to handle larger animals like Monte the Burmese pythonA non-for-profit organisation dedicated to reptile and amphibian education is giving children the opportunity to attend free Christmas holiday clubs.The Reptile Academy, in Wimborne, Dorset, offers a holiday activity and food (HAF) programme which is supported by local councils and the Department for Education.The clubs are to support families and young people who face hardship during the…

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