dorset

A council has rejected a revised plan for a solar farm despite changes to the design and local support.The application for the 43-acre (17.6 hectares) site at Cruxton, south of Maiden Newton, followed a previous appeal dismissed by the Secretary of State in 2022.Developers Enviromena had reduced the scheme's capacity from 11.8 megawatts to 10 megawatts - still enough to power more than 5,000 homes - the equivalent to 3% of Dorset's households or a town the size…

Jack EmeryThe cows have been eating winter silage instead of grazing because of the dry summerA young dairy farmer says his industry is facing a double hit after a sudden drop in milk prices, on the back of an exceptionally dry summer.Jack Emery, from Eastleigh, Hampshire, said the cut of 6p a litre to farmers is equivalent to £9,000 a month for his family's business.He said the farm had been using winter silage to feed cows in the…

Ros TappendenSouth of EnglandCouncillor Craig MonksEngineers are replacing the pole before work can begin to restore servicesHundreds of homes and businesses that have been without broadband since a car fire look set to be back online by the weekend.About 1,000 customers in Beaminster, Dorset, lost their internet service on Sunday when a car crashed into a telegraph pole and burst into flames.Dorset councillor for Beaminster, Craig Monks, said individual suppliers had given residents varied estimates for reconnection "ranging…

A seafront theatre and cinema has managed to raise the £10,000 needed to put towards repairs to its roof riddled with leaks.The Mowlem Theatre on Shore Road in Swanage, Dorset, started a six week appeal to raise the money to add a waterproof layer onto the existing flat roof on 3 October.After many temporary fixes, the theatre found the roof was getting worse and needed urgent extensive repairs to avoid further damage over the winter and the possibility…

The government has warned a pharmacy chain it could lose its rights to dispense NHS prescriptions following a series of complaints.Services at Jhoots Pharmacy are "falling well below the mark", Health and Social Care Minister Stephen Kinnock told the House of Commons.More than 150 English pharmacies operate under the Jhoots brand, but there have been repeated cases of branches closing on some days and staff wages being delayed for months, MPs were told.The Walsall-based firm has been approached…

Sophie CridlandSouth of EnglandPortland Wind PhoneThe group are hoping the wind phone will stay long termA group of artists and volunteers are using a disconnected public phone to help people cope with bereavement and loss.Known as wind phones - an idea that started in Japan - they give the chance to have a one-sided conversation with people who have died with the words being carried to them "on the wind".An old-fashioned rotary phone is to be installed in…

Ros TappendenSouth of EnglandDWFRSThe car hit a telegraph pole and caught fire, leaving hundreds of homes without internetEngineers working to restore broadband to hundreds of customers cut off following a car fire say it is not yet clear when services can be restored.About 1,000 customers in Beaminster, Dorset, lost their internet service when a car crashed into a telegraph pole and burst into flames on Sunday.Some were told they could be reconnected on Thursday but Openreach was unable…

Ros Tappenden andFiona ClampinDorsetLucy CapesLucy and Joel Capes say the closure of the pre-school will have a huge impact on their livesParents of children with special educational needs and disabilities attending a specialist pre-school in Dorset have launched a petition to stop it from closing.The Dorchester Opportunity Group, which has been running for more than 30 years, has announced it will close in December.The charity's trustees said the service was no longer financially viable and, despite discussions with…

Tristan PascoeDorset political reporterBBCThe Lib Dems said it would give communities more "identity" and powerNew town councils for Bournemouth, Poole and Broadstone have been approved.The controversial plans were passed at a full council meeting of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council.Three MPs in the area criticised the plans as undemocratic while opposition councillors, including Conservative, Labour, Green, Reform UK and Independents, claimed the new councils were not needed.But the Lib Dems, which helps runs the council under the…

A dog has been rescued after going missing during a walk and spending the night stranded in a nature reserve.Chihuahua-Jack Russell cross Ozzie disappeared on Thursday night before he was found at Littlesea, a small body of water in the Studland and Godlingston Heath National Nature Reserve in Dorset, on Friday.The Poole Coastguard Rescue Team said a mud rescue was requested because of the soft ground under foot.Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service joined the mission and…