dorset

North Dorset RailwayThe northern extension, crossing Lamb House Bridge, was completed in 2025Railway enthusiasts who have been rebuilding a section of line ripped up in the 1960s are in talks with a council about extending it further.Half a mile (800m) of track has already been reinstated by volunteers at North Dorset Railway in Shillingstone, which is home to a museum and cafe.It includes a quarter-of-a-mile (400m) extension north of the station, completed in 2025, doubling the length of…

Mapperton EstateChip and Willow were released before Christmas but went in opposite directionsOwners of a country estate are hopeful that love is in the air for two beavers released there as part of a wildlife project.Chip and Willow are the latest additions to Mapperton Wildlands in Dorset, replacing Twiggy and Woody who escaped following storms in 2024.The Eurasian beavers, introduced from different locations, were released into an upgraded enclosure on the estate near Beaminster on 20 December.Upon arrival,…

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Beds will be available for rough sleepers over the coming days with temperatures expected to remain below freezing at night.Many local authorities across the south of England have activated their Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP), which means free emergency accommodation is available to everyone.SWEP is activated when temperatures are set to fall below zero for at least three nights in a row and overnight lows could fall to -6C on Saturday morning."Those sleeping on the streets are at…

A Poole-based community choir that supports local families struggling financially because of cancer is looking for new members.The DCCF Choir was founded in 2024 to support the work of the Dorset Cancer Care Foundation (DCCF). The choir performs at local events and raises money to give cancer patients grants for costs including household bills and transport to and from hospital.All money raised by the choir, which has 24 members aged 25 to 80, goes towards the work of…

A 14-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of damaging cars in Sherborne.Dorset Police received a report late on New Year's Eve that a teenager was acting aggressively and breaking into parked cars in Littlefield.It was further reported damage had been caused to some of the vehicles.The boy, from Sherborne, is in police custody. Det Insp Rhys Griffiths, of Dorset Police, said: "We know this incident may have caused some concern with residents in the area and there…

A record number of one of the UK's rarest butterflies has been found at a nature site. More than double the number of silk shelters were found at Lydlinch Common this year compared to last year, according an annual survey by Wareham based national charity Butterfly Conservation.The Marsh Fritillary butterfly was once widespread across the UK but has plummeted over the last 100 years due to changes in farming practices wiping out its habitat. This follows a wider…

Marcus WhiteSouth of EnglandIsle of Wight Donkey SanctuaryDonkeys enjoy clean, chemical-free Christmas treesWith the turn of the year, it could be time to take down your Christmas tree.Traditionally, Twelfth Night on Monday 5 or Tuesday 6 January is the occasion to dismantle the skeletal remains of real trees, sweep up the sea of needles and restore furniture to its rightful place in the living room.People in Berkshire, Dorset, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Oxfordshire have a wide…

The highest number of e-bikes and e-scooters have been seized this year across Dorset by police in an effort to curb anti-social behaviour.Dorset Police said the 99 e-bikes - including scramblers and motorbikes - along with 128 illegal e-scooters had been taken under road safety laws in response to an increase in reported incidents over illegal e-vehicle misuse.The force said the record number came alongside officers using a new forensic spray from March to tag anti-social cyclists and…