Local news for the Dorset Coast powered by the Echo

Lightsabers, superheroes, and all things pop culture are set to take over Bournemouth Comic Con this weekend.

A motorcyclist was taken to hospital after a crash with a van in Poole.

A Winton bike shop has gone into liquidation after customers who spent thousands on bikes and servicing found it closed, with its social media, website and phone line suddenly removed.

As businesses across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole continue to face recruitment challenges, there has never been a better time to invest in the next generation of talent.

Argos has revealed its 2026 Top Toys, from a £15 wooden train set to £150 LEGO, with movie favourites and interactive toys also tipped to be big.

A rule linked to the rising State Pension age means some people turning 66 may have to wait months for a free bus pass.

Millions face a longer wait for their State Pension as the age rises to 67 by 2028. Seven groups could be most at risk.

Tesco is warning customers not to eat one of its products which has been recalled due to a potential health risk.

The Aedes aegypti mosquito, known to transmit viruses such as dengue and Zika virus, has been found breeding in the UK for the first time.

Tributes have been paid to an “inspirational” netball coach with a “larger-than-life personality”.

A council is calling for feedback from residents and organisations after the New Forest wildfire forced the closure of a major road.

Residents from Colten Care’s Woodpeckers care home dressed up as characters from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland for a carnival parade.

A total of 246,089 doses of the meningococcal B (MenB) vaccine have been given since the NHS programme began on July 20, as of August 31.

Two preserves handmade in the New Forest by a team including people with neuro disabilities have been named as finalists in the Great British Food Awards 2026.

A Bournemouth lap dancing club is facing objections to its bid for licence renewal.

A Poole MP has warned that proposed immigration reforms could lead to a "Windrush-style scandal on a massive scale".

Bournemouth University (BU) has been awarded €1.5 million to lead a unique five-year research project exploring 10,000 years of seabird history

Wimborne Community Theatre, in association with Wimborne Town of Culture, will present "Belonging - Our Search for Home" at Kingston Lacy this month.

Strictly Come Dancing's Anton Du Beke is bringing festive sparkle to the stage with a brand-new Christmas show in Bournemouth on December 21

Rowan Atkinson will appear at The Mowlem in Swanage for a day dedicated to French comedy legend Jacques Tati, as part of the Purbeck Film Festival

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”?