Former Saints target Alain Perrin is set to be unveiled as Portsmouth's new manager today with David Pleat also set to join the club as a consultant. The Frenchman was interviewed for the Saints job after Gordon Strachan left last February. Ironically
I HAVE no idea whether there will be a change of Government on May 5, though readers may guess that I have a preference. If there is, I caught a fresh glimpse last week of the rough justice that can ensue. Let me explain. In 1979, there was a change of
THE Gazette has taken its St George's Day campaign to Westminster and presented a 750-strong petition to the man leading the fight for it to be declared a national holiday. Andrew Rosindell, the Conservative MP for Romford in Essex, put forward a motion
HAMPSHIRE freight company Meachers has sealed a deal with Nivea hand cream maker Beiersdorf UK to manage its daily distribution. Meachers, which employs 250 people at its headquarters in Nursling, Southampton, will transport up to three full loads a day
GRAHAM Standley reclaimed the Hampshire indoor singles championship after the most dramatic final in the competition's history. It's never over until the fat lady sings - and she was whistling The Great Escape as Standley swept back from 18-4 down to
Champions! That's Trojans, who finally clinched the Hampshire/Surrey Regional League title with a thumping 9-1 win over Old Cranleighans at Thames Ditton. They won 19 of their 22 league games, scoring a massive 123 goals in the process. Drag flick specialist
Poingdestres' Pete Newman came home a clear winner in the individual part of the teams of four competition fished on Witherington Farm, taking a huge 161lb 8oz of carp from Cottage Lake and 60lb more than second-plced Steve Nadin (98lb 12oz) in total.
WINCHESTER detectives are hunting for these two men after two pensioners were targeted in distraction burglaries. The men called at a sheltered home in Bereweeke Road and one kept a 62-year-old resident talking while the other stole a wallet and mobile
YOUNGSTERS on a Hampshire housing estate are making the most of having their own youth worker for the very first time. Ann McDonald, pictured second left, has been working in Netley View near Hythe for six months and has been kept busy organising a host
GREEN-fingered Basingstoke pupils spent an afternoon with Mother Nature thanks to an innovative nationwide scheme. Children at Marnel Infant School, in Shetland Road, Basingstoke, took advantage of the early spring sunshine to plant 28 hazel trees in
ENERGETIC children in Hook were skipping like mad to raise money for charity. A total of 104 pupils at Hook Infant School, in Church View, took part in the sponsored skip in aid of the British Heart Foundation. Teacher Louise Newman organised the mammoth
HOUSEHOLDS in Basingstoke that are environmentally unfriendly could be in line for a visit from ex-world champion Roger Black after he threw his weight behind a campaign to boost recycling. Basingstoke and Deane has been selected as one of six pilot areas
A CHANDLER'S Ford walker sent a text message to a friend, with a map grid reference of the spot where he was about to commit suicide, before jumping off a cliff, an inquest has heard. Vincent Bolger, of Hursley Road, sent his friend Andrew Westbrook the
The captain of Southampton's latest superliner not only commands the 83,000 ton Arcadia but he can also steer happy couples through their wedding service. The £200m Arcadia is the first vessel built exclusively for British passengers on which a bride
LOUISE Redknapp, pop star and wife of Saints footballer Jamie Redknapp, has given her backing to a campaign to raise awareness of a condition which can cause infertility. Louise is among more than two million women who suffer from endometriosis - a chronic
TWO more Hampshire dental practices are set to go private, the Daily Echo can reveal. Thurlow Dental Care in Horton Heath and Inspired Dentistry in West End are making the move because they cannot afford to keep on NHS patients. Although patients under
HOURS spent talking at farmers' markets has led to a unique collaboration between four Hampshire food producers. Mixing and matching their wares they have produced sausages, cheese, chutney and marmalade all with one main ingredient - beer. But they do
HYTHE Ferry Users Group meets regularly to discuss ways of improving the service, to encourage people to use it and to gauge any feedback for ferry bosses The eight-member group is angry that spiralling business rates could eventually cost White Horse
More than 30 volunteers from St Cross Symondians Cricket Club converged on their picturesque Winchester ground over the weekend to give the facilities a complete makeover. The nation-wide NatWest CricketForce 2005 event is the culmination of the enthusiasm
Chris gains top award for 30 years of toil POPULAR Hursley Park veteran Chris Westbrook has won a national award for his expert groundsmanship at the Quarters over the past 30 years, writes Ian Henderson. He's been named as cricket's Club Groundsman of
TITCHFIELD residents have a bright new focal point to their village, with a £4,000 spruce-up for the village green finally completed. Village trust members wanted to improve the shabby old patch of grass on the corner of South Street and West Street and
A GYMNASTICS coach has been hailed female sports coach of the year at a prestigious Hampshire awards ceremony. Sue Killeen, pictured left, scooped the top award at the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Sports Councils and Forum Sports Awards 2005, where
A CORNER of a Hedge End churchyard is set to be transformed into a wildlife haven and peace garden. Clearance of the overgrown forest of weeds in part of the St John's churchyard starts on Saturday. A task force from the local community hopes that by
The captain of Southampton's latest superliner not only commands the 83,000 ton Arcadia but he can also steer happy couples through their wedding service. The £200m Arcadia is the first vessel built exclusively for British passengers on which a bride
BRITAIN'S cruising market is continuing to grow rapidly - with Southampton-based op-eration Ocean Village today announcing the addition of a second ship. Ocean Village is a part of the stable of companies owned by the Miami-based Carnival Corporation
Steve Wigley reckons Saints will benefit from playing their FA Youth Cup semi-final second leg away from St Mary's. Saints, who claimed the advantage with a 1-0 win last night, were backed by a bumper 5,621 crowd but head of youth Wigley believes there
HYTHE Ferry Users Group meets regularly to discuss ways of improving the service, to encourage people to use it and to gauge any feedback for ferry bosses The eight-member group is angry that spiralling business rates could eventually cost White Horse
HOURS spent talking at farmers' markets has led to a unique collaboration between four Hampshire food producers. Mixing and matching their wares they have produced sausages, cheese, chutney and marmalade all with one main ingredient - beer. But they do
THE largest youth club in the Southampton area offered Bishop's Waltham and Netley their services to stage an alternative cup final. Hedge End Rangers chairman Richard Bauck was incensed at reading in the Daily Echo that the Tyro League had cancelled
Today's Principal Arrivals: St Elmo, ro/ro, 1200, 104; Maersk Teal, ro/ro, 1230, 40; Texas, ro/ro, 1400, 34/35; Autoprestige, ro/ro, 1430, 201 link; CMA CGM Ravel, container, 1700, 207; Pelorus, yacht, 1930, 46. Today's Principal Sailings: P&O Nedlloyd
PATRIOTIC borough mayor Councillor Gwen Richardson is doing her bit to honour St George by holding the annual mayor's ball close to the day of England's patron saint. This year's annual charity ball for the Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane will be held
BRITAIN'S cruising market is continuing to grow rapidly - with Southampton-based op-eration Ocean Village today announcing the addition of a second ship. Ocean Village is a part of the stable of companies owned by the Miami-based Carnival Corporation
SKIP Neil O'Donovan and Russell Gadd repeated their Hampshire pairs triumph of 2001 by beating Peter and Mark Hammond 27-17. Hammond brooded in a corner over a pint following his singles disappointment, wondering just how it had all gone wrong, but the
A blend of youth and experience proved a successful format as Tom Bishop, Peter Line and skip Dave Edmonds scooped the triples' championship after the closest of the Hampshire finals. In an all-Atherley confrontation they conceded a last-end three which
Win or you're relegated. That's the stark reality facing Trojans as they prepare for Saturday's do-or-die England Hockey Premier Division 1 visit to Doncaster. Nothing other than a victory in Yorkshire will do if Trojans are to stand any chance of making
Longbridge continues to fish well with Barry Townsend from Chandler's Ford fishing peg 22 for a 10lb 12oz ghost, mirrors of 10lb 15oz and 10lb and 11 other carp to 9lb, finishing off with 8 tench to 4lb. He fished halibut pellet to the island. Ted Pilkinton
CASH-strapped health chiefs could axe all 91 in-patient beds at community hospitals in Romsey and the New Forest. New Forest Primary Care Trust, which is almost £8m in the red, is reviewing the future of the five cottage hospitals in the area. One of
STUDENTS and staff are certainly on the ball at Brighton Hill Community College after being handed the prestigious FA Charter Standard for a second time. The award, first given to the Basingstoke sports college three years ago by Hampshire Football Association
A BIG winner at the A Place to be Proud of Awards last year is encouraging people to get nominating for this year's prize-giving. George Potten, 57, of Dryden Close, Popley, Basingstoke, won the Good Citizen award at last year's ceremony for his impressive
BASINGSTOKE could be one of the selected pilot areas where special recycling advisers will be checking the rubbish of thousands of homes before it goes into dustcarts. If householders are not complying with recycling recommendations, they may find they
FOOTBALLING legends Matt Le Tissier, Alan Ball and Nick Holmes are gearing up for a celebrity golf challenge hosted by former Saints boss Lawrie McMenemy. The event, on Monday, May 16, aims to raise thousands of pounds for the Hampshire Autistic Society
WILDERN Community School celebrated the launch of its new multi-million-pound sports centre on Saturday. People were queuing out of the door from 8.30am to take a peek at the new development in Hedge End.
CASH-strapped health chiefs could axe all 90 in-patient beds at community hospitals in Romsey and the New Forest. New Forest Primary Care Trust, which is almost £8m in the red, is reviewing the future of the five cottage hospitals in the area. One of
WINCHESTER busker Frank Williams has lost the fight to stay in his "dome" tent home by the River Itchen after a four-year legal battle. Winchester City Council won its fight to evict Mr Williams, 54, from St Catherine's Hill on Garnier Road, where he
SAFETY measures are to be stepped up at a notorious Southampton roundabout next week. Southampton City Council is working with the Highways Agency to improve road safety at the Redbridge Roundabout - one of the city's worst accident blackspots. Traffic
Fired up and ready to go! Off-spinner and acting captain, Shaun Udal, begins his weekly column reflecting on life at the heart of Hampshire Cricket SO, here we go again, pre-season number nineteen for yours truly and I can honestly say I'm looking forward
Sydenhams Wessex Lge - Div 2. Petersfield Tn 0, Bishop's Waltham Tn 1 WALTHAM did their chances of avoiding relegation a power of good on Tuesday night with an excellent victory courtesy of a Paul Clark second-half strike. On a bumpy, sloping surface
A GIANT car dealership has unveiled plans for a major makeover of its Chandler's Ford showroom and workshops. Hendy Ford wants to press ahead with investing millions of pounds on upgrading its Bournemouth Road site, where it has been trading for many
FOOTBALLING legends Matt Le Tissier, Alan Ball and Nick Holmes are gearing up for a celebrity golf challenge hosted by former Saints boss Lawrie McMenemy. The event, on Monday, May 16, aims to raise thousands of pounds for the Hampshire Autistic Society
Leon Best fired Saints to within 90 minutes of the club's first-ever FA Youth Cup final - then thanked strike partner and close friend David McGoldrick for the assist. Best rounded goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey after being put through by former Notts County
