BBC Dorset

A woman who set up a charity to help support military children has been appointed an MBE.Louise Fetigan, from Wareham, has been recognised in the king's New Year Honours list for services to young people in Dorset.The 43-year-old founded the charity Little Troopers in 2011, which supports children with parents in the armed forces by providing resources to help ease the challenges of military life.Ms Fetigan said she "adored" the charity, adding it had taken "so much sacrifice,…

Rachel RussellSouth of EnglandGETTY Images/BBCFrankie Allen (L) and Peter Boyd-Smith (R) are both being recognised in the New Year honoursAn MP is among those from the south of England to be recognised in the New Year Honours list, alongside an array of campaigners and a Paralympian.Anneliese Dodds, who has represented Oxford East since 2017 and was Sir Keir Starmer's former development minister until she resigned in February, has been made a dame.Dodds, 47, said she was "delighted" to…

National TrustInitial surveys were carried out by Dr Ken Collins, accompanied by Brownsea ranger Sophie GilesThe waters around an island nature reserve are to be surveyed for the first time to map seagrass habitats.Initial surveys at Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour, Dorset, revealed an abundance of seagrass, which is a haven for wildlife including some species of seahorse.Oceanography experts from the University of Southampton are expected to carry out a detailed underwater survey in the first half of…

Barn owls have overcome a challenging summer to breed at a nest box installed at a nature reserve in Dorset.Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP) said the birds were first spotted at the box at Hengistbury Head in March.The council said, despite a challenging year due to dry weather conditions, the pair "beat the odds to successfully raise a single chick".Environment councillor Andy Hadley said it was "a real sign that our efforts to restore habitats and support…

AnneJanuary was the second coldest January for the UK since 2010South Today weather presenter Alexis Green looks back on the weather events of 2025, in which several records were broken.JanuaryJanuary was the second coldest January for the UK since 2010. The month was drier than average, colder than average, but also the fifth sunniest on record.FebruaryFebruary was a quiet month with relatively little in the way of impactful weather.Although temperatures for the UK in the first two weeks…

The first phase of a major housing project near a Dorset town could start in 2028 and be finished five years later, developers said.Plans for the first 500 of 3,500 homes proposed for the North Dorchester Garden Development were outlined in a report sent to Dorset Council.Grainger plc and Wyatt Homes want to build the development's first stage and have asked the council to outline what an environment impact assessment will need to cover before a full planning…