Local news for the Dorset Coast powered by the Echo

A grandad hurt in a horrific motorbike crash in Vietnam says he feels suicidal after struggling to get NHS care back in the UK.

I joined the Bournemouth Town Pastors on one of their patrols- following them as they offered help and reassurance on the streets of Bournemouth.

A mother and her children were minutes away from drowning in a "traumatising" incident in the sea which saw them caught in a rip tide.

A case management hearing has been scheduled at Reading Crown Court for a former police officer accused of causing serious injuries during an incident outside a shopping centre.

A group of travellers have set up an unauthorised encampment in Poole.

An inquest has opened following the death of a man who was missing for more than two weeks.

A 66-year-old man was rescued from a beauty hotspot after suffering a suspected fractured ankle.

The council has hit out at claims made by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage that "local lads" were forced to clear up mess left by asylum seekers in Bournemouth.

Officers are renewing their appeal for information from the public as searches continue for a missing Bournemouth man.

Dorset pubs in Worth Matravers, Dorchester, Swanage and more were named among England's 500 best for 2026

Neil Duncan‑Jordan, the Labour MP for Poole, introduced the Hunting Act 2004 (Amendment) Bill to the House of Commons on Wednesday, July 15.

Courthill Road, Poole, will close for highway maintenance from 27 July–21 August 2026. Diversions and parking restrictions apply. BCP Council update.

The guns of the Great War had barely fallen silent when Frank Whittington came to the New Forest and started making the pine toys which would make his name.

New Forest Wildlife Park has welcomed a new pair of European grey wolves, marking the first time the animals have been at the park since October 2024.

Purbeck Cider launches People’s Choice cider in Dorset, donating £1 per litre sold to Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. Community-grown apples support charity.

Plans for a new 'build your own' waterfront home with panoramic views have been approved for a site in Dorset

Dorset is the location for Mike Leigh's Play For Today, Nuts in May, which is free to watch on BBC iPlayer

A YouTube video provides an insightful look at Brownsea Island in 1962.

Only Fools and Horses repeats are as popular as ever this Christmas - but did you know that the classic BBC comedy was not once, but twice filmed in Dorset?

Sandbanks Ferry staff were 'verbally abused' by passengers during a temporary suspension.

Hundreds of jobs are to be created at a holiday park as part of a major nationwide investment.

SHOULD there be a tourist tax in Purbeck – the “Purbeck Pound”?