Eastleigh restored their four-point lead over Gosport Borough at the Jewson Wessex League summit by tearing Brockenhurst apart 7-1 at Ten Acres last night. Gosport boss Mick Marsh was among the spectators as Eastleigh flexed their championship muscles
HAMBLE Parish Council is to raise no objections to four planning applications from the Royal Yachting Association over its new home in the yachting mecca. The RYA is set to leave its land-locked Eastleigh base and head for purpose-built accommodation
Today's Principal Arrivals: Hyundai Fortune, container, 0005, 205; Marie Jeanne, general, 0115, 47S; Isolde, vehicle carrier, 0730, 34/35; Hual Trooper, ro/ro, 0930, 40; CMA CGM Bizet, container, 1100, 206; P&O Nedlloyd Drake, container, 1400, 207
PAUL Gascoigne could be lining up alongside Matt Le Tissier for Jewson Wessex League leaders Eastleigh before the end of the season. It may sound unbelievable, but Eastleigh boss Paul Doswell has confirmed the audacious Ten Acres club are in talks with
Eastleigh restored their four-point lead over Gosport Borough at the Jewson Wessex League summit by tearing Brockenhurst apart 7-1 at Ten Acres last night. Gosport boss Mick Marsh was among the spectators as Eastleigh flexed their championship muscles
QUAYS Swimming and Diving Complex is already celebrating the success of its recent refurbishment following the visit of The British National Synchronised Diving Squad. The squad, including top British divers Pete Waterfield, Leon Taylor, Tony Ally and
PALMERSTON has been chosen as an international venue - a decision that has brought immediate approval from Hants and England regular Matthew Marchant. The Fareham club will stage the 2004 British Isles Under-25 Indoor International Series next January
The Longbridge heat in The Reelcare Winter Series was frozen off and there were poor results from Greenridge Farm, but the Match Lake at Broadlands had superb sport with 33lb needed to get into the top six. Bournemouth Lodge's Nigel Fitzgerald took 24
Emma Wicks recently recorded the perfect start to her swimming year at the City of Derby designated meet in Sheffield last weekend. In what was the first event of the year, Emma put in a tremendous performance to take the 'top girl' award in the under
A NEW FOREST businessman is determined to battle on despite having £18,000-worth of car stereo equipment stolen four days after he opened his shop. Burglars smashed their way into the Ultimate In Car shop in the parade at Ashurst at about 4am on Friday
MARKETING in a tough economic climate on a shoestring is the subject of a breakfast seminar in Fareham on January 29. It is being held jointly by Havant-based marketing and PR agency Rowmark and the Portsmouth and South-East Hampshire Chamber of Commerce
Maskers Theatre Company, Nuffield Theatre, Southampton This inventive production transports Shakespeare's masterpiece from the Scottish moors to an urban Mad-Max style scrapheap. John Hamon's impressively detailed set works well with the bag-lady witches
POLICE investigating a woman's death have appealed for her relatives to come forward. Mystery still surrounds the demise of Janet Mary Edwards after a second post-mortem examination proved inconclusive. Her body was found last Sunday morning in the bedroom
TROOPS, armed police and even the intelligence services could operate in Southampton docks in a future national terrorist emergency. UK ports, including Southampton, form a vital part of the country's front line in the war against terrorism and a new
BOSSES behind a scheme to rejuvenate a Southampton housing estate today pleaded with residents: "We've got £40m - please help us spend it!'' Two years ago, Thornhill was given a £48m grant to help breathe life into the area. Today, the team charged with
IT'S official - laughter really is the best medicine as far as health chiefs are concerned. Bosses at Southampton General Hospital are sending in the clowns to the children's unit. Dr Geehee and Dr Doppit, alias Faith Tingle and Hilary Day, first visited
THE family of murdered Whitchurch vineyard owner Charles Cunningham have slammed the Foreign Office for failing to bring one of his killers to justice. The 47-year-old's body was found in a ravine on the island of Lombok on 28 March. He had been robbed
STAFF at Test Valley Com-munity Services are offering rural groups the chance to extend their knowledge of computers and the internet - by booking a learning bus session in their village. The learning bus, a project managed by Cricklade College, can visit
THERE was a significant drop in anti-social behaviour by youngsters in the Andover area in 2002 - thanks to action by police, parents and the introduction of Neigh-bourhood wardens. A year ago Test Valley Cllr Alan Dowden said a new weapon was needed
VILLAGERS in King's Somborne have been angered by a new Wilts & Dorset timetable which has altered bus services in the area. But the operator says the timetable update, which started on 6 January when Wilts & Dorset took over the running of some
THE annual schools' public speaking contest Youth Speaks is being held on Monday at Andover's Cricklade Theatre. Pupils from the area's secondary schools will be competing against each other in the popular public speaking competition. Each team of three
LOTTERY chiefs have refused to discuss Test Valley Borough Council's failed grant attempt with councillors and officers. The council applied for awards for all funding towards eight healthy living centres to promote exercise, leisure and healthy living
MORE than 200 walkers, runners and cyclists braved the chilly conditions to attempt the 16th Stockbridge Cross Country Fun Event. Participants tackled either the off-road eight-mile course or the easier road-based three-mile course to raise more than
KING Alfred's College in Winchester has received a £16,193 grant from the Department for Trans-port. The money is part of a £1 million allocation to support cycling projects in the country. King Alfred's will use the grant to support a package of measures
FOOTBALL-MAD Ben Cardy met representatives from Southampton Football Club at a special presentation to mark his transfer from The Mark Way School to Winton School. Ben received a signed ball and certificate in recognition of his hard work and efforts
HOPES that Station Road in Tidworth would have its expensively laid pavement restored have been put on hold. The pavement, paid for in 1999 from the Government sponsored single regeneration budget, was damaged for most of its length when electricity workers
POLICE are keen to trace two spoons which were amongst £30,000 worth of jewellery and antiques stolen from a bungalow in King's Somborne. Thieves forced the rear patio doors of the home of an elderly woman overnight on Monday 7 October 2002 and emptied
THE police and Army in Wiltshire are taking part in a joint venture to provide judo lessons for the community in and around Tidworth, Amesbury and Salisbury. Det Constable Nigel Porter - a black belt 1st dan - is helping to establish a judo club at Stirling
MAURITIAN born poet Jean Marie Noel-Cephise, has marked 30 years in Andover by being awarded the International Poet of Merit Award. The award was made by the International Society of Poets. Mr Noel-Cephise, who lives in Ashfield Road, has been writing
BRAVE Hearts appeals officer Ron Bennett says he had a 'fabulous' time sleeping rough on Christmas Eve. Ron camped out next to a spooky monument - to raise cash for charity. Ron camped out with just a sleeping bag for protection next to Deadman's Plack
FLOODWATER splashed into the hedgerow by passing cars has created a spectacular display of icicles in the sub-zero temperatures on a number of roads around Andover. Impressive icicles could be found by the road through Hatherden and between Upper Clatford
Cross-Solent operator Wightlink saw a healthy growth in trade last year as its increased capacity fuelled extra business on its ferry routes. The boost in numbers on both its Lymington to Yarmouth and Portsmouth to Fishbourne crossings brought last year's
THEY went in with an axe hanging over their very future. But campaigners fighting to save a vital community centre from extinction won overwhelming support to stay open. In what was expected to be a showdown at the civic offices, councillors instead ditched
A WINCHESTER councillor will face tough questions from colleagues after he admitted breaking planning rules. Frank Pearson thought it was better not to declare he was a councillor when he submitted an application to build a conservatory on to his Swanmore
FAREHAM fundraisers for Rowan's Hospice hope to raise even more cash for the worthy cause after they were officially made a charity group. Hospice bosses made the Rowans Go-Getters an official fundraising group at the end of last year. The move has meant
EASTLEIGH'S Crestwood Community School is set to throw open its doors in a bid to give local youngsters something to beat boredom. The school is working closely with Eastleigh council's youth service to develop a comprehensive programme of out-of-school-hours
TICKETS for St Mary's have become like gold dust as the Saints feelgood factor sweeps the city. The next two league home matches against Liverpool and Manchester United sold out in express time and demand is already spiralling for the FA Cup game against
Derby insist they have received no improved offer for defender Danny Higginbotham. The former Manchester United player was the subject of an unsuccessful bid, believed to be in the region of £500,000, from Southampton. The cash-strapped Rams are looking
TROOPS, armed police and even the intelligence services could operate in Southampton docks in a future national terrorist emergency. UK ports, including Southampton, form a vital part of the country's front line in the war against terrorism and a new
Cross-Solent operator Wightlink saw a healthy growth in trade last year as its increased capacity fuelled extra business on its ferry routes. The boost in numbers on both its Lymington to Yarmouth and Portsmouth to Fishbourne crossings brought last year's
IF YOU have ever been shopping in Southampton and wondered where the aromatic scent of oriental cuisine wafting around your nostrils was coming from, then wonder no more. The chances are they originated from the Ocean Dragon restaurant which, despite
TUCKED away down an idyllic country lane in Old Bursledon, The Fox & Hounds and Lone Barn is a hugely popular venue that has an enviable reputation for bursting at the seams on a Friday and Saturday night with hungry visitors. Those familiar with
THIS vibrant new bar has been a real hit since it opened in August and every Saturday night it is packed to capacity. The design downstairs is trendy and sophisticated with deep red and light purple dcor. It is quite spacious with plenty of room at the
ONE thing a visit to Funki Sushi definitely promised to be was interesting. Sushi was a new experience for me and I have to admit I did actually phone ahead to make sure you could order the cooked version. Call me a chicken, but the idea of eating raw
The arduous task of satisfying my after-work appetite the hour before a football match fell to The Cricketers Arms. Set away just on the outskirts of Eastleigh, the Cricketers offers a warm welcome more commonly associated with country pubs than those
THERE are three things that you can be sure of in life - death, taxes and a decent meal at ASK in Winchester. I have not had a bad experience there yet and they always try to fit you in, no matter how busy. It's the sort of place you can take your friends
Mama Mia! What a feast. If only the Italians drove like they served food, the world would be a much safer place! Situated on Southampton's waterfront at Town Quay, La Margherita is Italian in every way. A lively restaurant with waiting staff only too
LAURO'S Brasserie only opened six weeks ago, but because the restaurant's owner is one of Hampshire's best loved chefs, it already has a solid customer base and is fully booked at weekends. Filipino-born Lauro (Larry) Aman has lived in Britain for 28
ONE of Southampton's longest-established restaurants providing a realistic taste of Greek cuisine and well known in the city's Greek Cypriot community is still family-owned, run by Demetria Andreou with help from her daughter Androulla. You can be assured
THERE'S no shortage of Indian restaurants in Winchester, but the Palash should not be overlooked. Tucked away off the main drag in Parchment Street, it offers a warm welcome and superb food. Like many other Indian eateries space is at a premium but sensibly
IT'S usually a good sign when you see a queue forming in the door of a restaurant. It must be the place to eat with would-be diners clamouring to get that last table. We had had the foresight to book beforehand as on previous visits to Olivo's we had
YOU can now add the taste of Portuguese cuisine to the wide range of meals available in the popular Bedford Place area. Recently opened, Linda Madeira is a smallish but welcoming restaurant with a varied menu offering a wide range of pasta, pizza and
FREEDOM Caf is a straight-friendly gay bar that promotes the up-and-coming gay scene in Southampton as well as equal rights across the spectrum. Fridays are being introduced as "swing your handbag" nights with Freedom's new resident DJ Mike playing chart
THE Chamberlayne Arms is a pub with many faces. By day there is certainly a family feel to it, with an impressive beer garden which has been ideal for sun worshippers on those few glorious sunny afternoons this summer. Inside, a relatively new refit gives
A MEAL at the Suan Thai promised to be an interesting experience. Firstly because the last time I ate there was several years ago when it was called the Lana Thai and was under a different management. And secondly because my dining companion had not long
SO sir, how would you like your ostrich - rare, medium or well done? Not exactly your everyday patter from a smiling waitress, but then it's not that often you discover ostrich on the menu. "We've been trying out a few new dishes here," explained the
Friday night and Oxford Street in Southampton is buzzing. More specifically, THE place with the buzz these days is the ultra-trendy Oxfords Bar Restaurant. It's the place to be seen-whether to relax with friends at the end of a hectic week or for a special
YOU can almost never have it all. Good food, very reasonable prices, lovely seating, nice view. Shame about the service. Well to be exact, shame about the time it took to serve us. It never ceases to amaze me how any popular establishment can fail to
THE BIG surprise about the Hotel du Vin is that it isn't massively posh. And, what's more, it's not wallet-bashingly expensive either. The restaurant is relaxed and intimate, a place where nobody rushes you along or is snobby about the wine list. The
NOTHING beats a traditional thatched-roof country pub boasting the kind of grub that rounds off a hard day enjoying the sun. And Shanklin's Crab Inn is certainly picture postcard perfect. Indeed, the pleasant "olde worlde" appearance of the pub, which
IT'S a fallacy that healthy food needs to cost the earth, says community dietician Jenny Davies. For as little as £50 a week a family of four can eat healthy food - and food that's good for you doesn't have to mean boring. She said: "It's all a question
HERO sailor Seb Clover touched down on home soil this morning and declared he couldn't wait to get home to see his dog Bonnie and friends. The Isle of Wight schoolboy made maritime history after becoming the youngest person to sail solo across the Atlantic
Eastleigh restored their four-point lead over Gosport Borough at the Jewson Wessex League summit by tearing Brockenhurst apart 7-1 at Ten Acres last night. Gosport boss Mick Marsh was among the spectators as Eastleigh flexed their championship muscles
Computers are an everyday way of life for most adults and children in the western world but for people in developing countries they are only just being plugged in. Echo reporter Tom Husband investigates... THE pace of technology can render a computer
MIKI Sinanan became the first player of the season to beat Mark Butler in the Southampton table tennis league. His win helped Generation II to a 5-all draw against Waterside, which also preserved their unbeaten status at the top of the table. Sinanan
MORE than 50 children were stopped and questioned during a crackdown on high truancy levels in the New Forest. The two-day campaign was carried out in four towns across the district, which has one of the worst truancy rates in Hampshire. Police patrolled
A GROUP of schoolchildren were left terrified after being ambushed by rival pupils and attacked. Around nine youngsters aged from 11 to 15 were set upon after leaving Hounsdown Secondary School, Totton. They were walking through the Ashurst Bridge estate
HAMPSHIRE-based Safeguard International has branched out by taking over a fellow supplier of consumable hygiene products. The Alton company has bought out Davidson Hygiene - based in Waterlooville - a leading supplier of paper-based hygiene cleaning solutions
IT'S the winning combination Saints fans would have loved to have seen - Matthew Le Tissier playing alongside Paul Gascoigne in midfield - but now that dream team might happen. Non-league team Eastleigh, who play in the Jewson Wessex League, have made
HAMPSHIRE embryologist Paul Fielding who tricked women into thinking they were having fertilised eggs inserted into their wombs as part of a deception to pay off his debts has been jailed 18 months. The 44-year-old of Station Road, Whitchurch, allowed
TANTRUM teenagers like Harry Enfield's Kevin and Perry are driving Hampshire parents to seek help in such numbers that a support charity has launched an urgent appeal for new members. Mums and dads are left so down in the dumps after Christmas that phones
THIS year's CityBus Roving Amateur Players' pantomime production aims to be a smash hit for local asthma sufferers. The group, which is made up mainly of Southampton bus drivers, is saying "We're behind you" to the Daily Echo Fight for Breath campaign
IT'S a fallacy that healthy food needs to cost the earth, says community dietician Jenny Davies. For as little as £50 a week a family of four can eat healthy food - and food that's good for you doesn't have to mean boring. She said: "It's all a question
MARWELL Zoo is offering lovey-dovey couples the chance to adopt a pair of lovebirds. With St Valentine's Day approaching on February 14, the zoo hopes the birds will lure romantics. The lovebirds are so-called because of the affection the male displays
THE hunt's on for the rightful owner of more than £13,000 which was discovered buried in the garden of a house in Wildhern, near Andover. The money, packed into jam jars, was unearthed by gardener James McCullum as he worked at the property while the
WINTON School's class of 1982 is organising a reunion. The get-together has been arranged for 5 April and is being held in the John Morgan suite at the London Road school in Andover. Tickets cost £10 and are available from Joan Allan (nee Kness) on 01256
OLD Christmas cards and Christmas trees are being put to good use in a recycling scheme run by Testway Housing. The trees are being turned into mulch for Testway's flowerbeds in Andover and Romsey, and the Christmas cards are being collected for a charity
A BODY created to help the Kennet victims of domestic violence is keen to contact people who have been victims to assess the difficulties they meet when trying to obtain help. The Domestic Violence Intervention Service believes anyone trying to access
HE MAY have been a big hit with teenage girls, but Gareth Gates wouldn't have made it into the Cooper Big Band - he's too young for a start. Rather than a pop idol, the Winchester-based swing outfit is looking for a matinee idol - a 20 to 65-year-old
THE Upton and Vernham Dean area was badly hit by floods last week as the ground water level rose to the surface. Earlier this week the road between the two villages was still a gushing torrent for most of its length but passable with care. Cllr John Garbutt
IT HAS survived arson and vandal attacks but now the future of a popular recreation ground is in doubt after council bosses refused to renew a long-term lease. The Hunts Pond Road ground is used every weekend by football teams in the Fareham and Gosport
EASTLEIGH MP David Chidgey says he has tracked down a "route to justice" for local residents denied compensation for flood damage. He said householders across his constituency had come to him with horror stories of homes being contaminated and belongings
SOUTHAMPTON'S legendary liner Queen Elizabeth 2 failed an inspection by US health regulators, who found cockroaches in the galley, mould residue on ice makers and blocked air conditioning drains in the nursery. Cunard Line officials said there were no
No new Saints fans will be allowed into St Mary's to watch the FA Cup fourth round tie against Millwall next Saturday. Saints are selling tickets only to members, season ticket holders and those who have bought tickets in the past in a bid to ensure the
When the weather is as chilly as it has been of late, the thought of tucking into a limp- looking sandwich at lunchtime may leave you similarly cold. So what better way to keep out the biting winds and incessant drizzling rain than to find somewhere warm
REMEMBER your first Chinese meal? I do. It was about 25 years ago when my parents brought home this strange-smelling food in cartons and tried to teach me the basics of chopsticks. Unfortunately the sticky orange sweet and sour sauce went flying that
The first thing that struck me when I stepped inside the Indian Palace was, unfortunately, not the bright, refreshingly modern dcor but the smoke. Several diners were puffing away on cigarettes, so I asked hopefully if there was a non-smoking area. The
LOCATED within applauding distance of the Mayflower Theatre, it's no surprise that Buon Gusto has the feel of a theatre restaurant. The Italian restaurant is decked out in a combination of artefacts from foreign holidays and theatre posters creating the
IF THE main requirements of a good meal out are excellent food, good service, pleasant surroundings and value for money, then the Landford Poacher meets the lot. Recently refurbished and sporting a fresh fish selection in addition to a varied la carte
Sometimes you just know when you walk into a restaurant that everything will be fine. And so it was with the Lord Bute at Highcliffe, recently taken over my mine hosts Simon and Gary who moved there from Milford-on-Sea. For a change, Elena and I were
I HAVE, in the past, had occasion to be critical about restaurant service; establishments where the quality of food has been excellent, but the standard of service has been poor. After my meal at the Titchfield Mill I can honestly say that they have got
NESTLING in one of Hampshire's loveliest towns stands one of the county's least-heralded top-class restaurants. Broad Street Brasserie, formerly Caf Cresson, offers fine food with good service in a building full of character. What more could you ask for
I REALLY do hope that diners are not put off from visiting Bedford Place because of its reputation in some quarters as a noisy student hang-out. Hidden amongst its sprawl of take-aways and pubs are some of the best restaurants in Southampton. The Wine
THERE'S a new kid on the block in Fareham town centre and this one oozes Mediterranean flair, with the cuisine to match. Gone is the quaint Chaucer's tea rooms serving traditional English fare. Strapping Italians now serve up the goodies and at L'Ancora
WHEN you dine at the Forest Inn you can't help but feel you're tucked away in the middle of the countryside. We'd been driving around the area looking for a cosy pub where we could enjoy an evening meal that didn't involve a flash restaurant where you
It is always reassuring when booking a table at a restaurant to hear the staff talking in French. Les Copains D'Abord, which translates as chums first of all, is on the A30 between Stockbridge and Sutton Scotney and was formerly the public house, The
NESTLING in a quiet Winchester backwater, the King Alfred pub is a bit of a city gem. Visitors to this tranquil Hyde hostelry are confronted by a dazzling display of hanging baskets, literally dripping from the walls. Combined with the sea of green of
I THINK it was the deep fried plaice with prawn cous cous which proved the clincher. Women's editor Kate Thompson went as quiet as a mouse (normally unheard of unless she's gagged) and, if there hadn't been a backdrop of lively chatter in the pub, I suspect
IF your working day involves sitting in an office surrounded by constantly ringing telephones, then the Black Dog is the perfect place to escape to for a bit of peace and quiet. The tranquil setting on the edge of the Meon Valley does help but more importantly
I had never visited the Sir Walter Tyrrell pub before, but it reminded me of Sunday lunches in the 1970s. As a family we seldom went out for lunch in those days, keeping to the tradition of gathering round the dinner table with a large roast and a hefty
YOU'VE seen the show, now eat the meal. Having greatly enjoyed The King and I at The Mayflower, it seemed appropriate to visit its restaurant namesake. The show was colourful, exotic and unusual - how would a meal at The King and I compare? I decided
SITUATED among a plethora of Indian restaurants on the popular London Road, Chutneys Curry House certainly stands out as one of the best. It is by no means the largest but the welcome is always warm and the food simply mouth-watering. The menu offers
