Archive

  • The Ashes: England handed some good news for a change

    England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff's hopes of featuring in the remainder of the Ashes series are still alive after being given the all-clear following a scan today. The Lancashire vice-captain was sent for an MRI scan today, his second this week, to

  • One-way switch set in Chinese granite

    IT WAS a U-turn nobody wanted and now the residents of Warsash have discovered it is here to stay. At a cost of £80,000 workmen are currently reversing the one-way system around Shore Road after road bosses backed the move ignoring protests from locals

  • Misunderstanding over Castledown result

    DUE to an misunderstanding an incorrect result was received by the HSA Youth League last week in the under-12's section with Castledown being adjudged 7-2 victors at league leaders Salisbury when in fact the home side won the game to extend their unbeaten

  • Unlucky Church hit by smash and grab raid

    Whitchurch United 0, Portland United 1 UNLUCKY Whitchurch produced one of their best performances of the season only to be caught out by a real smash and grab raid by JWL high-flyers Portland at Longmeadow last Saturday. Brian Drury's side are still four

  • Club of the month award for Lions

    ANDOVER have had plenty to celebrate this week after winning the coveted JWL Club-of-the-Month award for October - a tremendous achievement considering the Lions came close to folding during the summer. "It puts into perspective what we've achieved as

  • Lois takes guard in Oz

    FORMER Cricklade College student Lois Chang jetted off to Australia this week to take part in the Commonwealthe Fencing Championships. Lois, who grew up in Grateley and also went to Wallop County Primary School and Test Valley School at Stockbridge, is

  • Chance of a lifetime

    CHILBOLTON-based rally driver Justin Dale (pictured) gets the chance of a lifetime this week as he drives a works Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution WRC in the Network Q Rally of Great Britain. The newly-crowned British Super 1600 champion and his co-driver

  • In Port

    Today's Principal Arrivals: Alianca Europa, container, 0500, 204; Autotransporter, ro/ro, 0730, 201 link; Assiduus, general, 1100, 47; Pongo, general, 1100, 102/3; Palmyra, general, 1400, 101; Autoprestige, ro/ro, 1730, 30; OOCL Los Angeles, container

  • Late Chalk leveller stuns Eastleigh

    An Ian Chalk equaliser two minutes from time deprived league leaders Eastleigh of two precious Jewson Wessex League points at rain-swept Ten Acres last night. Despite creating a shed-load of chances, Paul Doswell's ambitious title-chasers were held 1-

  • Boxing clever!

    As part of the Daily Echo's Keep the Pride campaign Tom Husband focuses on how sport is giving young people an outlet for frustrations and help them look to the future. DARREN Wyatt was always in trouble with the police before he started boxing. Now he

  • Bowls: Tarbutt's triumph sees Loddon home

    LODDON VALE gave the Hampshire performance of the third round to beat Picketts Lock 85-71 in the Denny Cup. At Basingstoke, Loddon were rock solid, with wins by Phil Richardson (27-16) and Dougie Morgan (24-13), but the top display came from the travelling

  • Tories fear leader's housing policy

    TROUBLED Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith has been landed with a new backlash from his party's New Forest stronghold. His support for a party policy to sell off housing association homes has sparked a sharp rebuke from a major landowner. Adding to the problem

  • Hunting ban battle is back on agenda

    A NEW battle over the future of foxhunting has been unleashed by a three-word statement in yesterday's Queen's Speech. Measures outlined by the monarch included a new bill that will enable Parliament to "reach a conclusion" on the issue of hunting with

  • Storms batter the south coast

    CALSHOT lifeboat went to the aid of a German schooner with 37 people on board as 70mph winds and heavy rain battered the south coast overnight. The vessel started dragging its anchor near the Brambles Bank in the Solent shortly after 5am. The lifeboat

  • Why airport will continue thriving

    SOUTHAMPTON Inter-national Airport plans to forge ahead in developing its route network in the face of potential competition from low-fare airline buzz setting up a hub for new south coast services at Bournemouth Airport. David Cumming, managing director

  • Firm to develop environment side

    SOUTH coast law firm Lester Aldridge is to develop its environmental law practice, under the direction of partner Phillip Young. Since joining the firm in 2000, he has been dealing with commercial property as well as environmental law but he will now

  • Review: No trouble cruising

    Upstream, Lymington Players, Malt Hall Theatre, Lymington Community Centre. A HOLIDAY for two couples in a four-berth cabin cruiser on the River Orb turns into an adventure involving a mysterious stranger and his girlfriend. Having quickly disposed of

  • City chosen to pilot revolution in schools

    SOUTHAMPTON teenagers are to be among the first in the country to experience the next generation of 14 to 19-year-old education. The city has been chosen as one of 16 authorities in the country, and the only one in the south east, to try out the government's

  • STUPID HOAXERS

    FIREFIGHTERS across Hampshire took to the picket lines last night as the country's first fire service strike for 25 years got under way. Three people died in fires across the country as over-stretched controls were plagued with scores of hoax calls and

  • The firefighter who could not risk joining the strike

    HAMPSHIRE firefighter Chris Pain was one of the county's only full-time serving members not to walk out on strike last night - but he wanted nothing more than to be a part of it. It's the second time he has been caught up in industrial action with the

  • Relief as the strike night passes off quietly

    Green Goddesses took to the streets of Hampshire last night for the first time in 25 years as the full impact of the firefighters strike began to hit home. Within the first few hours of the strike Royal Navy crews manning the ancient rescue vehicles were

  • Tot survives as TV falls on her chest

    A SPECIALIST Hampshire medical team has saved the life of a toddler whose heart was punctured by a falling television. Laura Grinham's heart was pierced when the family television toppled on top of her, knocking her unconscious and putting her life in

  • School forges Euro link after balloon find

    CHILDREN at a Southampton school have made a European union with a difference. Pupils at Beechwood Junior School in Bitterne have been flooded with letters from Bertolt-Brecht-Gesamtschule school in Bonn, Germany. The heart-warming gesture was made after

  • Best weapon against crime - British rain

    FORGET modern policing theories - ordinary rain has been hailed as the best weapon against crime. Academics in Southampton have officially declared Britain's weather system as the most influential factor on crime rates. Criminologist and former police

  • Halfway house plan scuppered

    AFTER more than six months of wranglings over a planned drug and alcohol rehabilitation house for Harrow Way, the developer has dramatically withdrawn the application for the 16-bedroom facility. The U-turn comes after months of preparation and planning

  • Pensioners fight back with stick and poker

    A FRAIL 85-year-old war veteran and his 90-year-old sister used a poker and a walking stick as weapons when they fought back against two intruders at their home in Tidworth. The man, who weighs just six-and-a-half stone, grabbed a poker and attacked one

  • Egg Box

    Paperboard stamped strong, Six cold globes held apart; Close the lid with a soft pop. Held in a single hand six gold fruit in seas which boil solid; A shiny eye-white. Edmund Hardy, Colchester Daily Echo poet-in-residence Polly Clark writes: "This poet

  • Work on Foyer Project gets underway

    AFTER six years in the pipeline the 'foyer' scheme - which aims to provide a home and advice for 16 to 25-year-olds in housing need - is taking shape in Andover. The Winchester Road part of the scheme is expected to be ready by next March. At around the

  • Boxing clever for charity

    CHARITABLE pupils at Rookwood School have donated 135 boxes for the Rotary Shoebox Appeal. Michael King from the Rotary Club of Andover visited the school to collect the boxes, which are being sent to children and young people in Albania and Ukraine.

  • Safety officer post praised

    BOROUGH councillor for Winton Marion Kerley has commended the appointment of a community safety officer to tackle anti-social behaviour in the borough. Speaking at Test Valley Borough Council's executive committee meeting, she said: "The role of this

  • Festive fayre on offer

    ANDOVER will host a Hampshire Farmers' Market on Sunday from 10am to 2pm in the High Street. Many of the 65 local producers will be taking orders for a variety of Christmas goodies which can be collected at the last farmers' market before Christmas. They'll

  • Twiglets toddle group take off

    ST Benedict's Pre-School in Penton Mewsey has launched Twiglets - a parent and toddler group for children under school age. Meeting on Wednesday afternoons between 1.30pm and 3pm, the group offers the chance to play as well as take part in organised arts

  • Extra classroom for pre-school

    ST Benedicts Pre-School in Penton Mewsey has expanded its facilities with a fourth classroom. Due to the popularity of the pre-school, the extra classroom will allow it to take up to 50 children per session but retain the small class sizes. Headteacher

  • Fun space takes off

    A NEW indoor play area for children has opened in Whitchurch and is already proving a success after just six weeks. Planet Playland, in Evingar Road, offers a two-storey play area and party room for kids, as well as a lounge area and restaurant for parents

  • The 'feelgood' factor

    FOLK-ROCKERS Little Johnny England have been tagged 'upbeat and feelgood' - and are happy with the description. The smiling fivesome mix their English influences with touches of Cajun and Celtic and eastern European rhythms to produce a unique sound.

  • Warning over purse thieves

    POLICE in Andover are warning shoppers to be on their guard against opportunist thieves who are targeting them as they pack their cars or assist their children. On Monday a woman had her purse stolen as she emptied her trolley at Tesco on River Way at

  • Leisure bid blow

    YOUNG people will miss out on much-needed leisure facilities across Test Valley after the Lottery Commission turned down a borough council bid for help to fund a £1.4m project for eight healthy living centres across the borough. The borough's executive

  • Tower is axed from £30m Market Quay

    MINOR amendments have been approved for Fareham's Market Quay scheme paving the way for building work to begin in February. Fareham Society has expressed concern at some of the changes, particularly the lack of landscaping around the proposed £30m retail

  • Firefighters' strike: 80% turnout in Eastleigh

    FIREFIGHTERS across Eastleigh took to the picket lines last night as the country's first fire service strike for 25 years got under way. Three people died in fires across the country as over-stretched controls were plagued with scores of hoax calls and

  • Police drive to stop conmen

    Hampshire police are joining forces with the Post Office to stamp out doorstep conmen who prey on the public, particularly pensioners. The move comes as an elderly woman was targeted in the 'Roman' estate area of Chandler's Ford by a rogue who tried to

  • News from a time when Saints ruled

    CONTENTS of a time capsule hidden in a wall when Saints were league champions more than 100 years ago have been revealed at a special opening ceremony in Hampshire. The metal box, buried in 1899, was bricked up inside of Leigh House Hospital in Cuckoo

  • Late Chalk leveller stuns Eastleigh

    An Ian Chalk equaliser two minutes from time deprived league leaders Eastleigh of two precious Jewson Wessex League points at rain-swept Ten Acres last night. Despite creating a shed-load of chances, Paul Doswell's ambitious title-chasers were held 1-

  • Cook opens new school facilities at West Hill Park

    Olympic gold medallist Dr Stephanie Cook MBE provided relief from the autumn storms when she opened West Hill Park School's new all-weather astroturf and riding arena. A large crowd at the Titchfield school braved the weather conditions to welcome the

  • Winning start by Butterfield

    ANDOVER New Street Res' new boss Glen Butterfield got off to a winning start with them clinching a place in the second round of the JWL Combination Cup with a superb 3-1 away win against BAT Sports Res on Monday night. Butterfield has taken charge of

  • Freshwater Fishing: Terrific Longbridge haul for ace Maton

    CORMORANTS Team Sillybaits' Graham Maton took the biggest match haul of his life when storming home in the latest round of the Cormorants Winter Series on Longbridge Lake with an incredible 103lb 15oz haul - more than double the weight of his nearest

  • Cook opens new school facilities at West Hill Park

    Olympic gold medallist Dr Stephanie Cook MBE provided relief from the autumn storms when she opened West Hill Park School's new all-weather astroturf and riding arena. A large crowd at the Titchfield school braved the weather conditions to welcome the

  • Deputy PM rejects housing proposal

    DEPUTY Prime Minister John Prescott has rejected a controversial proposal to build nearly 300 homes on a greenfield site in the New Forest. Mr Prescott, pictured, has delighted countryside campaigners by throwing out an application by Stanborough Developments

  • A mice idea to promote ballet

    BALLET classic The Nutcracker is already overrun with mice - including, most notoriously of all, its chief baddie, the Mouse King. But another, far friendlier mouse will be joining the English National Ballet at The Mayflower this week as a special treat

  • Convenient for art show

    TENS of thousands of tiny photos line the walls of Southampton's answer to the Loo-vre. Pete Benham's We Room opened in the toilet of a new gallery in St Mary's. The images intimately detail the life of the artist over a six-month period. Now the Southampton

  • Cash-strapped clinic calls for public help

    AN asthma and allergy clinic in Southampton facing closure because of lack of funds is urging city residents to help save it. The drop-in clinics are held at various venues throughout the city and are run by the Asthma, Allergy and Inflammation Research

  • High Street ban agreed

    TEST Valley Borough Council plans to pedestrianise Andover High Street have been approved by the Government. But the controversial proposals will have a serious impact on independent traders' viability, reduce personal security, hamper the operation of

  • Firefighters' on strike

    FIREFIGHTERS in And-over walked out as part of a national strike this week after their union rejected the 11 per cent pay offer over two years recommended by an independent review. Some 11 whole time firefighters went on strike, starting on Wednesday

  • Bond is already stirring up cash

    THE Daily Echo's regional premiere of the new Bond movie has already been a big hit with film fans - and it hasn't even happened yet! Tickets for next week's screening of Die Another Day, which stars Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry, have already sold out

  • No waiting plan set to ease traffic jams

    WHITCHURCH Town Council has been looking at proposals to introduce waiting restrictions at the junction of Micheldever Road and Winchester Road. Concerns had been raised by councillors about the obstruction caused in the immediate vicinity of the junction

  • Meltdown at Enham wax factory

    ENHAM's wax products factory Enham Candles is to discontinue production after more than two decades, but managers have assured disabled employees that there will be no job losses. The decision comes in response to increasingly difficult market conditions

  • Tough trek raises charity cash

    A HORSE rider from Hurstbourne Tarrant has completed a tough 55 mile trek though some of the most difficult riding country in the Rocky Mountains - and raised more than £2,500 for charity to boot. Maria Grace, a 36-year-old housekeeper, has been planning

  • Council tax hike threat

    ANDOVER residents could be forced to pay even higher council tax bills from April because of new methods of calculating the special Andover levy, say Liberal Democrats. At present taxpayers pay a special levy to cover services provided in the town by

  • Speak out on open country blueprint

    NEW rules governing public access to 'open country' will come into force in 2005 but interested parties have less than a month to make comments on the proposals. Under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2002 the public has been invited to make comments

  • Centre's retail units provide extra novelty

    ANDOVER'S Chantry Centre has installed four brand new mobile retail units designed to cater for temporary traders. Centre manager Joe Azzopardi says the new kind of 'mall merchandising' has replaced the previously ad hoc arrangement. He said: "Over the

  • TVCS plea for more volunteers

    STAFF at Test Valley Community Services Volunteer Bureau are appealing for volunteers to come forward for a series of new opportunities. Bob Garlike and Greg Alexander, who run the Andover bureau at Cricklade House in Charlton Road, are keen to meet new

  • Power and passion

    SOUTHAMPTON singer Neil Simpson has finally put together his dream band. They're called 21st Century Beatnik, and after a few low-key gigs Neil is ready to unleash them as the headline band in a three-band session at The Joiners, Southampton next Thursday

  • Former editor dies

    FORMER Andover Advertiser editor Cyril Berry died peacefully in Spain last week at the age of 84. Mr Berry was educated at Andover Grammar School and joined the Andover Advertiser on leaving school. When the Second World War broke out he twice volunteered

  • The firefighter who could not risk joining the strike

    HAMPSHIRE firefighter Chris Pain was one of the county's only full-time serving members not to walk out on strike last night - but he wanted nothing more than to be a part of it. It's the second time he has been caught up in industrial action with the

  • Facelift for the volunteers' kitchen

    VOLUNTEERS were cooking up a storm at Titchfield Community Centre after a grant to refurbish the kitchen. The community association was given £750 by Fareham council to upgrade the facilities to meet health and safety standards. Every day volunteers use

  • NO, MINISTER!

    THE Daily Echo today launches a campaign to re-open the emotional debate as to whether safe standing areas should be reintroduced into Premiership football grounds. Events at Southampton's St Mary's stadium in recent weeks have highlighted the ongoing

  • Draper rueing new injury woe that keeps him on the sidelines

    Saints midfielder Mark Draper has admitted his frustration after undergoing an ankle operation that will keep him out of action for another month. The 32-year-old midfielder, who was signed by Glenn Hoddle for £1.25m in July 2000, has managed just 16