IF she were forced to use the buses to get to Southampton, Pamela Bird would be totally disorientated. As a registered blind person, she enjoys travelling on the Hythe Ferry because she knows exactly where she is and when to get on and off. Pamela, of
Romsey Town 0, Blackfield & Langley 0 THE POINT Romsey gained from this game was enough to guarantee them a fourth-place finish in their first season in Wessex Division 2. The game, billed as a shootout between the division's two leading marksmen,
While Dorchester have worked themselves into a strong position for the Conference South play-offs, it looks as if tomorrow's visitors Basingstoke Town may just miss the boat. Although the task is still mathematically possible for the north Hampshire club
Kevin Pietersen is targeting big runs in Hampshire's second innings after failing on debut for the second time in five days. Pietersen was out for just five to a full toss from rookie Essex off-spinner Tim Phillips when he made his one-day debut for Hampshire
IT'S nearly unbelievable that Nicole Kassell's The Woodsman, which arrived in Ster Century last Friday, is her debut feature as a director. A stark independent film that attempts to go where no celluloid has gone before, it has received acclaim for both
CELEBRITY doctor Hilary Jones and his son Sebastian have been banned for life from taking part in the Flora London Marathon. The ban for the GMTV doctor, who lives near Basingstoke, was handed down by race officials because Dr Jones let his son run in
THE 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee arrives in the UK this June and is all-new from the ground up. A sportier appearance and roomier interior mask significant improvements to its on-road handling and performance. For outstanding driving dynamics, the third-generation
Today's Principal Arrivals: Danica Hav, cargo, 1330, 102/3; Autoprestige, ro/ro, 1600, 201; Coronel, cargo, 2000, SCT; Aegean Breeze, ro/ro, 2230, 202 Today's Principal Sailings: City of Lutece, ro/ro, 1200, 202; CMA CGM Puccini, container, 1200, 207;
MORE details emerg-ed today about the future of the doomed Alstom railway works in Eastleigh - and they may spell employment hope for some redundant staff. About 550 employees and contractors will lose their jobs by the end of this year, when the debt-laden
USUALLY noisy youngsters raised £60 for charity when they managed to remain silent for 55 minutes. Twenty-four pupils aged 14 and 15 at Testwood School in Totton donated the cash to Macmillan Cancer Relief after taking part in the national Big Hush fundraising
Gosport & Fareham's league clash with doomed Kent side Tunbridge Wells tomorrow is as big as any match in their history - including their memorable Twickenham appearance in 2002. On that day, at rugby's headquarters, they fell to National Division
All the promotion and relegation issues have been resolved in London Division Three South-West but Tottonians want to end their best ever season on a positive note when they trek to Farnham. Already certain of their highest ever league placing of fifth
ROMSEY has played its part in the build-up to one of South Hampshire's biggest fund-raising nights of the year. The town's renowned drama group RAODS is currently staging The Gondoliers at the Plaza and members were happy to help out by providing costumes
ROMSEY'S general election Labour candidate has warned changes to the area's infrastructure are needed to meet south-east England's housing needs. Plans to build 10,000 homes at Lee were highlighted a few weeks ago and Matt Stevens said: "The Pompey to
ROMSEY'S mayor has agreed to call an extraordinary meeting of the town authority in a bid to defuse a controversial row over finances. Two members of the council - Roger Shaw and John Ray - wrote to Dorothy Baverstock calling for a public debate on the
CHRISTOPHER Jealous has swapped bookkeeping for book writing with the publication of his first novel. Mr Jealous, 59, from Alresford, has retired after many years looking after the accounts at garages. He has turned to writing novels and has just published
WINCHESTER Chess Club is competing against rivals in America - but without leaving the city. The club believes it may be the first in Hampshire to stage a match over the Internet with a foreign club. It is using free Internet facilities at the city's
FOR THE fifth consecutive year Lexus has topped the brand league in the influential JD Power and Associates/What Car? magazine 2005 Car Customer Satisfaction Index. But Honda's Jazz topped the model table for the second year running, helping the car-maker
CARS THAT automatically avoid other vehicles, pedestrians and obstacles could be a step closer thanks to a Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) Foresight Vehicle project called AutoTaxi. The aim is to develop safety-critical sensors and systems
THIS is the vision for £3m improvements to one of Hampshire's biggest leisure centres. The sleek new extension to Romsey Rapids will house a 100-station gym, a children's activity zone, aerobics rooms and a new glass foyer. Youngsters will even be splashing
HARRY Potter author JK Rowling may be the world's most famous children's author at the moment, but the late, yet legendary, Roald Dahl is still one of the most-loved. Well known for his fantastic imaginative tales of everyday children who find themselves
SAINTS have been occupying the minds of youngsters at one Southampton school. The first is St George the patron saint of England, the brave Roman soldier who protested against the torture of Christians. The second is Southampton Football Club battling
THRILL-SEEKERS using a Hampshire river for an action-packed new watersport are being urged to tone down their war games - because they could be mistaken for terrorists. Police are worried a huge influx of visitors to the Solent for this year's Festival
A MUM who teaches art to prison inmates has scooped first prize in a charity exhibition in Southampton. Sue Thornton was named overall winner of the Wayne Howard Trust exhibition, currently on display at the city's Harbour Lights cinema complex in Ocean
Fantastic sailing prize is up for grabs by city youngsters LUCKY youngsters from Southampton are in with a chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime adventure trip aboard a historic sailing vessel. The Daily Echo is backing a compeitition being run by Ordnance
AN heroic Andover duo braved a burning house to rescue a stranded pensioner trapped inside. George Chapman, from River Way, and his friend Mick Horne, from Pilgrims Way, put their lives on the line to free Maria O'Callaghan after they spotted her Bourne
ANNA Valley pig farmer Martin Martindale has won two major prizes at the Great Hampshire Sausage and Pie Competition - including traditional pork sausage champion for his King Alfred banger. The competition took place at Sparsholt College last week when
LEMAR has come a long way over the last few years. He first got people talking when he was one of the many reality show hopefuls on the first series of the BBC's musical talent competition Fame Academy. An inspirational performance with soul legend Lionel
NEW licensing laws could mean the end for many carnivals but not for Andover according to Lions Club president Fred Harper. The new legislation, which comes into effect in November, is part of the Government's shake-up of the rules for the leisure industry
BRITPOP throwbacks The Bluetones take to the stage at Southsea's Wedgewood Rooms tomorrow night (SAT). The group released their debut album during the height of Britpop mania back in 1996, and they rocketed to the top of the charts straight away. Despite
DUSTMEN manning refuse carts in the Kennet area of Wiltshire will keep working during bank holidays following a decision by the district council. As from the May Day bank holiday, on 2 May, residents' waste will be collected on the usual day without any
SCOUSERS are used to being ridiculed on TV comedy shows (remember Harry Enfield?) but Nick Kilroe is anything but that archetypal stereotype. Thoughtful and articulate with a warming, thick Scouse accent Nick has some pretty candid views about life and
NEWS that Tesco is planning to open a medium sized store in Tidworth has been welcomed by Tidworth Community Area Partnership and provided more evidence that quality of life in the area is improving, it was claimed. TCAP chairman, Col Carron Snagge said
THE brilliant Dead! Dead! Dead! open their UK tour at Southampton's Joiners on Wednesday. The Southampton band have been busy recording new material and the seven-date jaunt around the country will be the first chance fans have to hear it. Support on
ONE of Eastleigh's prime industrial sites has been sold in a multi-million-pound deal which will create a state-of-the-art car dealership and workshop for the motor giant Hendy Group. After months of speculation, Manor Bakeries Limited has revealed that
ANTTI NIEMI has hailed the strike partnership of Peter Crouch and Kevin Phillips as among the best in the Premiership. The Finn is backing Crouch as his successor to be named the club's player of the season and is hoping the duo continue a remarkable
THE evolution of the "large" small car has been steady but we've now reached the stage where such machines can be considered as competent alternatives to conventional family hatchbacks. Having survived a trouble-free 700-odd-mile run in Daihatsu's latest
LIAM Harrison is a man with a mission to eventually make it all the way to the thrills and spills which make up the world of rallying. The driver from Oakley looks right on course for that at the moment, having last season made his debut in the Junior
CAST your minds back a couple of years to the lack-lustre sequel Barbershop 2 - Back In Business. In that film, Ice Cube's family-run barbershop owner met his match in straight-talking Gina Norris (Queen Latifah), who owned the beauty salon next door.
1) The interpreter (12A) Nicole Kidman stars in this high-octane thriller as Silvia Broome, a brilliant interpreter who is taken into protective custody after overhearing a possible assassination attempt oo an African leader 2) Sahara (12A) A rollicking
RATHER than joining the crowds at Heathrow Airport, house hunters could take the flight path to a happy landing in Baughurst. Heathrow Copse is a development of detached houses in the Hampshire village that are set in large grounds and one - Deer Wood
John Billington writes...My greengrocer is a smashing chap. Encouraged by the likes of me, he now buys in a few unusual items and rises above the perennial worry of being left with them on his hands. Of course, it behoves me to encourage him and I always
THE UNDER-16 netball team from the Mountbatten School, Language & Sports College have just finished a very successful season. For the second year in succession, Mountbatten have been crowned champions of the Eastleigh, Winchester and District league
AN outstanding young ski prospect from Valley Park, North Baddesley, has just rounded off a great season and is already aiming high for the year ahead. Fifteen-year-old Mike Colyer has won numerous major awards since he set off for his first Alpine ski
Lyndhurst FC produced a brave second-half rally to snatch cup glory away from underdogs Locksley Sports in the Southampton FA Senior Cup Final last night. In a tight encounter at Southampton's St Mary's Stadium, Locks-ley held a surprise 1-0 lead at half-time
Head of youth Steve Wigley has challenged his Saints kids to join the FA Youth Cup's hall of fame tonight. Manchester United legend George Best won two league championship winner's medals and a European Cup within four years of scoring in United's 5-2
Ipswich Town are expecting a crowd of at least 15,000 for tonight's Sky-televised FA Youth Cup final second leg - and academy director Huw Jennings is expecting a big Saints contingent. A crowd of 9,920 watched the first leg at St Mary's on Monday night
MARK Dennis reckons Eastleigh are the club others must seek to emulate in local non-League football. Barring a disaster of monumental proportions, last Saturday's 3-0 win at Northwood has guaranteed them a place in next month's Ryman Premier play-offs
HAMBLE ASSC have received some unlikely support in their battle to beat the Wessex 1 drop - from the boss of relegated Downton. Although bitterly disappointed to see the Robins take the plunge in this, their centenary year, Jeff Softley has wished Danny
Nic Pothas scored his first half-century of the season as Hampshire established a first innings lead over Sussex. Only John Crawley scored more runs for Hampshire than Pothas last season, but Hampshire's wicketkeeper began the current campaign with scores
TREASURY minister Stephen Timms dropped into a Basingstoke school to support the general election campaign of Labour candidate Paul Harvey. Mr Harvey, who is seeking to overturn the Conservative majority of 880 in the Basingstoke constituency, accompanied
CELEBRITY doctor Hilary Jones and his son Sebastian have been banned for life from taking part in the Flora London Marathon. The ban for the GMTV doctor, who lives near Basingstoke, was handed down by race officials because Dr Jones let his son run in
NORTH Hampshire got a sight of luxury on rails as the Orient Express made a stop near Hartley Wintney. The world famous train, which arrived in Winchfield just before 11.30am on Friday, consisted of 10 coaches and was pulled by an English, Welsh and Scottish
The 2005 Ford Mondeo is adopting a new look. A number of interior and exterior changes have been made helping Mondeo to remain a strong favourite in the competitive British market. Coupled with the physical changes is a modification of the series line-up
A SOUTHAMPTON printer drummed up some fun for clients as they toured its facilities. Cedar, which produces matchday programmes for the Saints, Pompey and AFC Bournemouth, hosted a hands-on music workshop. It teamed up with Ensemblebash, a well-known percussion
PEOPLE living in a Romsey suburb are being asked to take a united stance in a bid to improve the area's infrastructure. Great Woodley Residents' Association says it is vital people to stand up and be counted in the fight for better facilities. Some improvements
A DISNEYLAND-style pirate ship is included in a £3million package to modernise and expand Romsey Rapids. Borough leisure chiefs say the huge cash investment will ensure the 15-year-old Southampton Road site remains one of the area's top family tourist
WITH its massive 240PS and 152mph performance, Vauxhall's rivals were hoping that the Astra VXR would cost well over £20,000, but here's the news which is sure to raise a few GTI-brows - it's actually priced at under £19,000! The latest addition to the
A THRIVING Hamp-shire market could double in size after proving a huge hit in its first year. The weekly street market on the eastern side of Station Road, New Milton, already attracts up to 50 stallholders and hundreds of shoppers every Wednesday. Now
ELLEN Kent is on a mission - to bring opera to the British masses. Sounds tough doesn't it, but she's one of the most steadfast and determined characters you're ever likely to find and What's On reckons she's on course to succeed. "I think it's important
ONE of Southampton's smallest theatre clubs is celebrating 60 years of entertaining local audiences. While many marriages nowadays last little longer than a few years, West End Little Theatre Club, based at West End Parish Centre puts its secret of longevity
Exactly one year to the day after life-saving brain surgery left her unable to walk or communicate, seven-year-old Lauren Porter has returned home for good. The brave, smiling youngster even had a farewell party to say goodbye to the team that helped
EASTLEIGH'S Conservative candidate, Conor Burns, has called for the election campaign to be "honest". His move came following recent Lib Dem leaflets claiming to have "saved" all the area's greenfields. Mr Burns said: "The builders are moving into Dowd's
ROMSEY: Lib Dem candidate will highlight party's policies to end discrimination LIBERAL Democrat candidate for Romsey and the party's spokeswoman on women's issues, Sandra Gidley, is due to launch the Liberal Democrat's campaign for women's votes in London
POLITICAL pundits might be forecasting that Eastleigh is a two-horse race between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives. But Labour's Westminster hopeful Chris Watt says the message he is getting from the doorsteps is that it is going to be extremely
NEARLY 100 pupils took part in a competition to redesign Southampton Airport's departure lounge during a schools' competition. The youngsters, aged from 13 to 15, had to produce a creative design but keep within a strict budget. Teams from Woolston School
INSPECTORS have praised Southampton City College for its clear direction, student support and new building programme. A team of Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education) inspectors spent three days at the college in St Mary Street that currently has
TROUBLE-MAKING yobs should be turned away from Andover's new youth facility The Depot, a borough councillor says. Lib/Dem councillor Donald MacDonald wants justice to be done to a gang of youngsters, who hurled a stone and shattered the Eardley Avenue
KENNET District Council has welcomed a new law that gives local authorities powers to deal with discarded chewing gum, among other things. This legislation will give a much-needed boost to councils' roles in cleaning up local neighbourhoods and includes
A NOVEL approach to community planning is being taken in Tidworth in September when those behind the community strategic action plan intend to hold a 'brokerage table' meeting. The prestigious surroundings of Tedworth House have already been booked for
LUDGERSHALL'S vicar says more needs to be done to improve safety for pedestrians in the middle of the village. At a meeting of the Tidworth Community Area Partnership, the Rev Malcolm Freeman, said: "I'm concerned there is going to be a major accidents
TIDWORTH College is to be sold on the open market - but there will be constraints on what the building will be used for in future. The college has been under a cloud in recent months following the announcement that Salisbury College is to relinquish its
ANDOVER'S water supply was threatened on Tuesday night when a fire damaged a portion of the River Way pump house building. Andover firefighters responded swiftly to a call at 9.20pm and stopped the blaze spreading by using a special equipment unit from
ULTIMATE Madness are, as you'd expect, a Madness tribute band and they play The Red Lion in Totton on Saturday. Expect all the band's classic hits like It Must Be Love and Baggy Trousers. Contact 023 8086 3273 for ticket details.
ALSO at the Wedgewood Rooms over the next seven days is yet another throwback from the mid-90s. Ex-Take That star Mark Owen has never really quite made it as a solo artist since the tragic demise of the teen friendly pop act. Despite winning Celebrity
KING'S Somborne's historic centre has been nominated for inclusion in a highly specialised book on Britain's 100 greatest bus stops. The bus stop in the centre of the village has been nominated as 'a lovely village stop' and certainly, there is much to
HIJERA play Southampton's Lennons tomorrow night, 8.30pm, in support of their new EP The Seedy. The indie-dance-funk kings fuse everything that was, and is, brilliant about The Happy Mondays, The Stone Roses and Kasabian into a giant, fireball of sound
THE Sways play a free gig at The Bent Brief in Southampton's Lodge Road tonight, 8pm. The band have been putting the finishing touches to their new album at a studio in London recently though a release date has yet to be confirmed.
AN ANIMAL sanctuary has made an urgent appeal for toys. RSPCA Stubbington Ark began the collection on April 1 and already a number of people have come forward with donations but scores more are needed. The Ark has on average 120 dogs and even more cats
THE Rotary Club has stepped in and helped a vital emergency service threatened with closure. Whiteley Community Respond-ers was on the brink of collapse, but the village Rotary Club has adopted it as one of its charities. The service, which provides emergency
A TEENAGER has won a contest to spruce up a dreary entrance to his Fareham school. Mitchell Knight, 15, will be awarded prize money of £1,000 to create a large community mural covering a stretch of concrete wall outside Henry Cort Community College in
JASON Dodd has told Harry Redknapp he's ready to join Saints' relegation scrap. The right-back resumed training at Marchwood this week following a month on-loan with Plymouth. Dodd appeared to have little part to play in the run-in, but Redknapp has recalled
If Saints concede first at Fratton Park on Sunday they will be battling a horrific history that stretches back 11 years. Since 1994, Saints have never won a Premier League away game after falling behind first and they have only recovered from conceding
JAZZ sensation Clare Teal will visit The Corn Exchange, in Newbury, on Friday, April 29, at 7.45pm. Teal is the most successful young female jazz singer in the UK. Recently signed to Sony Jazz in a deal that has broken records for a UK jazz performer,
STRAWBERRY, the UK's best-loved clown, brings his suitcase of tricks to Theatre Royal Winchester on Saturday, May 7, at noon. Strawberry (aka Fraser Hooper), loved by Winchester Hat Fair audiences, is a miming clown and uses facial expressions, gestures
