dorset

A sailor on a round-the-world voyage died after becoming entangled around a powered winch while at sea on the Solent, an accident report has said.Lyall Babington, 74, was skippering his yacht Mollie from his native New Zealand when the accident happened off the Needles on the way to Poole on 5 August.A preliminary report by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said he caught his hand in the rope and was "progressively pulled tighter onto the winch drum".It…

A specially created bench to encourage people to talk about their mental health has been installed at a Dorset coastal beauty spot.The so-called chatty bench, hand-painted by local artist Helena Chessher, was unveiled on the hillside at Bowleaze Cove near Weymouth.Passers by are encouraged to sit on the bench if they are open to having a conversation.Dorset Mind said the bench symbolised "hope, warmth, and togetherness".The Chatty Bench campaign, supported by the Dorset Tea company, forms part of…

Organisations tackling the cost-of-living crisis in Dorset have been awarded £80,000 worth of grants.Dorset Community Foundation and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council provided the money to 23 local groups.The council said it would pay for projects providing warm hubs, free meals, cookery workshops and money advice.Council cabinet member Sandra Moore said: "By funding these groups, we are helping to ease the cost-of-living pressures and ensure vital services reach those who need them most.""The incredible efforts of volunteers…

Volunteers rebuilding a section of railway ripped up in the 1960s are celebrating after witnessing a locomotive cross the station bridge for the first time in nearly 60 years.Shillingstone station in Dorset closed in 1966 but, in 2005, a group of locals took on the lease and began restoration work, initially opening a museum and cafe.In July, North Dorset Railway completed a four-year project to double the length of the track to half a mile (0.8km), with the…

An old farmhouse with an outbuilding that was formerly used as a ballroom has become a supported living scheme for vulnerable young people.West Farm, at an undisclosed rural location in west Dorset, has been opened for people aged 18 to 25 who are at risk of homelessness.The six-bed unit together with two nearby flats are designed to provide safety and teach independence skills, Dorset Council said.Councillor Gill Taylor, in charge of housing, said residents were being given a…

A road and a popular waterfront path remains closed until mid-December due to challenges in ongoing repair works.Poole Park lagoon, in Poole, Dorset, is a wildlife haven and recreation facility, fed by a sluice channel under nearby Baiter Park and a railway line.Essential repair works to reconstruct the structure of the sluice channel after the piling became heavily corroded started on 21 July and had been expected to be completed by the end of November.Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole…

Marcus WhiteSouth of EnglandChris ConroyAtlantic salmon are classified as "vulnerable" in English chalk streamsA river has recorded a "catastrophic" salmon count, hitting a record low for a second successive year, a charity has said.Since 2002, the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) has spent about four weeks in late summer catching and tagging juvenile Atlantic salmon in the River Frome in Dorset.Numbers fell to 3,226 this year, from last year's low of 4,593.The charity said the species was…

People are being encouraged to dress up as Christmas elves this weekend in an attempt to break a world record.The event has become a fixture for Weymouth ahead of their Christmas light switch on.Elf attire in the form of ears, hats and collars are encouraged to help the seaside town officially claim the title of elf capital of the UK.Locals and visitors are welcome to join the entourage of Santa's little helpers on Saturday to try and beat…

Residents are being asked to suggest names for a council's fleet of gritters ahead of the winter.Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council has more than 13 vehicles that look after 780 miles (1,250) of roads across the three Dorset towns.It said the fun initiative was a way to "celebrate the hard work of our highways teams".The top suggestions will be chosen early in December, with the winning names displayed on the gritters.Other councils have had similar competitions with…