Everything was in place for the local derby - Saints in red and white, Pompey in blue, fans baying for a home win, Gordon and Harry in the stands - but this was most definitely the calm before the storm. Perhaps last week's Carling Cup draw which paired
THE Royal British Legion is inviting Basingstoke residents to wear their poppies with pride on Remembrance Sunday. The symbolic poppies will be available throughout Basingstoke from "Poppy People" volunteers, situated outside Lloyds Bank, H&M and
A HAMPSHIRE politician is promising to press European Union bureaucrats over a ruling that could ban a company making a natural product for dealing with pond algae. As previously reported by the Daily Echo, Winchester-based company Green Ways could soon
JAPANESE water workers were swimming in information during the 14th annual tour of Southern Water's Otterbourne site, near Winchester. Members of the Japan Water Works Association made the trip as part of a week-long tour of water supply operations across
Embley Park first team turned the tables on local rivals Godolphin School from Salisbury. In the past, Embley have always been the weaker side as far as netball is concerned - but they are coming through strong and proved it with a win. In the first half
STAFF at Winchester's Royal Hampshire County Hospital are still being subjected to bullying from other employees, a recent survey has shown. Results from a survey conducted in the Family Services Division of the Romsey Road hospital, showed a slight increase
WINCHESTER children and many of their parents were taken back more than 1,000 years in time in a living history event at the city museum. Godfrid, the Anglo-Saxon, recounted tales from the dawning of English civilisation when Winchester was the capital
A DAD bravely stood up to a knifeman who climbed into his car as he drove to work in Southampton. The 35-year-old golf club greenkeeper had been driving through the Lordswood area at 4am when his car was suddenly surrounded by five men as he stopped at
LANDOWNERS have been branded disgraceful for refusing to kick travellers off a Southampton sports field - a move which could cost taxpayers up to £10,000. The field next to St Mark's School in Stafford Road, Shirley, has been home to the group and their
TO HUNDREDS of mortified Hampshire dog lovers there's no question of whether or not it's a crime. When the Daily Echo published a picture of a cocker spaniel being dragged from the River Test with a 10-kilogram weight strapped to its neck, readers demanded
FOR the last two years he's brought a smile to the faces of countless children and raised hundreds of pounds for local charities. But this year will be a blue Christmas for Santa Claus after he was told there was no room for his regular spot at the Marlands
YOUNGSTERS from the Thornhill area of Southampton joined in a spooky Hallowe'en workshop. As well as a range of activities including face-painting, Hallowe'en masks and costume-making, library staff were on hand to tell ghost stories. The Hallowe'en Art
Three players scored for the first time as Hamble twice pulled back from behind to beat Hampshire/Surrey Regional League rivals Old Cranleighians 5-3 at Satchel Lane. Rich Brammel struck when Hamble found themselves 2-0 adrift early on and then, early
CIVIC chiefs have agreed to increase their funding for a new indoor sports facility at Swanmore College of Technology to £700,000. The money will be spent on building a new sports centre at the site on the understanding that in the evenings, weekends
RECYCLING champions Eastleigh are set to spread the green message across the borough. A pilot scheme to collect organic waste from homes in Chandler's Ford has been such a success bosses are preparing to introduce it for all borough residents. Councillors
HUNDREDS of apprentices and young students are to benefit from a £200,000 cash injection. Eastleigh College has been awarded the Whitehall windfall because of its status as a Centre of Vocational Excellence. Pupils aged 16 to 40 travel to the centre from
SPECIAL arrangements are being put in place to take home sick passengers from the virus-hit ship Aurora when she docks in Southampton tomorrow. P&O Cruises have been working closely with the city's Port Health Authority who will be going on board
THIS season's first south coast derby finished with honours even as Saints reserves hit back to grab a 1-1 draw with Portsmouth. Over 3,000 fans turned up to watch the St Mary's showdown, which passed virtually without incident. Saints had specified that
SETTING a benchmark for fuel efficiency with the best fuel economy figures for any premium-sector vehicle at just 65.7mpg, the Audi A2 1.4 TDI (90PS) becomes available to order this month. Priced from just £15,090 on the road, first deliveries of the
ARE you proud of a coach within your club or do you know a coach who deserves recognition for their dedication to sport? Has your coach helped either yourself or your team achieve a level of success you didn't think possible? Has this coach taken steps
ANDREA SADLER is a versatile actress. In the new Proteus play Colonel Cody, which hits Central Studio later this month, she manages to play a total of 10 parts, including Cody's ex-wife, a porpoise and even a French plane. A porpoise and a plane? She
I OBTAINED a lovely glimpse of the progress of the 2003 BATS production when Hannah Williams and I snuck into the confines of Bishop Challoner School late one evening this week. The hall had that lovely buzz of people with a purpose, as those of all ages
HAT-TRICK hero Andy Forbes scored for his 13th game running as Winchester City taunted ten-man Thatcham 8-1 at the Denplan City Ground last night. The Sydenhams Wessex table-toppers were already leading by an early Kevin Brewster goal when Thatcham's
ANY watching Sheffield Wednesday scouts will have learned little about Sunday's FA Cup opponents Salisbury City on the Isle of Wight last night. City went down 3-2 to Steve Tate's Newport in the Dr Martens League Cup first round, but fielded only one
Fareham are out of the EHA Cup - but what a third round performance they produced before losing 4-1 to Premier League powermen Hampstead & Westminster. In cup football terms, it was Farnborough v Arsenal revisited with a potential double-figure mauling
Second-placed Wimborne remain seven points adrift of City after coming back from behind to beat Fareham 2-1 at Cams Alders. After a good first-half performance, Fareham - stripped of the services of Jamie Musslewhite, Bjay Green and Lloyd Mitchell - edged
THERE are no other four films in a series which vary so much in quality and tone as the Alien Quadrilogy, released this Christmas on DVD. The vehicles for one of the most appealing female action heroes of all time, Ridley Scott's 1979 first instalment
HAMBLE'S Tony Williams is set to hang up his lollipop stick after losing his battle to keep his two trusty dogs with him on crossing patrol. The two Newfoundland dogs have been regular fixtures at the pelican crossing near Hamble Primary School where
HOUSEHOLD rubbish collections in the Basingstoke area would take place only once a fortnight instead of every week if a proposal being considered by borough chiefs gets the go-ahead. The idea comes from the council's environment overview committee, which
NORTH East Hampshire MP James Arbuthnot is backing Michael Howard as the new leader of the Conservative Party - but only after checking with local party members over whether he should support him or not. After the Iain Duncan Smith confidence vote last
A SPECIAL exhibition of Gazette Newspapers' photographs has moved to a new venue in the heart of Basingstoke town centre. From now until Christmas Eve, the exhibition - which is being staged as part of the celebrations to mark the 125th anniversary of
A BASINGSTOKE man is angry the police put the phone down on him during a 999 call when he complained they were doing nothing about a suspicious suitcase at the Top of the Town. David Flower, a 53-year-old bus driver, told The Basingstoke Extra: "I can't
Today's Principal Arrivals: Lapponian Reefer, refrigerated, 0030, 104; Cetam Victoriae, 0530, 203; Autofreighter, roro, 0630, 201; Hyundai Confidence, carrier, 0730, 205; Trianon, vehicle, 0730, 34/35; Lynx, cargo, am, rlc4; Madame Butterfly, vehicle,
POWER solutions company Scorpion Power Systems has ensured that high street clothing retailer Pilot will still be able to control every aspect of its nationwide operation during power cuts, with the installation of a sophisticated standby power system
BRINGING forward the annual Geoff Walker Memorial cyclo-cross meeting by a day was not welcomed by many Wessex League competitors in the southern half of the region - but those who did make the journey were rewarded for their efforts. Defending champion
Two goals down at half-time, Southampton launched a terrific second-half comeback to beat West Witney 3-2 - only to see their lead at the top of the South Women's League disappear a day later! Wimbledon edged a point clear after a re-arranged 2-0 Sunday
THEY are jumping for joy! After five years of trying, skateboarders and bikers on the Waterside have a fabulous new skatepark at Gang Warily recreation ground, Fawley. The park - with its state-of-the-art ramps, boxes and roll-ins - cost £28,000, but
DOZENS of shoppers were forced to flee in terror from a Hampshire supermarket yesterday afternoon when a car smashed through the store's main entrance. One elderly woman was left badly injured and others were lucky to escape unhurt after the car drove
SPECIAL arrangements are being put in place to take home sick passengers from the virus-hit ship Aurora when she docks in Southampton tomorrow. P&O Cruises have been working closely with the city's Port Health Authority who will be going on board
A GANG of raiders wearing Saddam Hussein masks is believed to be behind two armed robberies in Hampshire. As reported in yesterday's Daily Echo, staff at the post office in Romsey were left terrified when a masked raider, armed with a black handgun, walked
AN Asda store in Southampton where hundreds of shopping trolleys have disappeared has had part of a replacement shipment taken within days of arrival. The new fleet of 240 trolleys, worth £30,000, was delivered to the Portland Terrace store to make up
A ROMSEY-based amateur theatre group will be celebrating its 250th production in style next week - with a visit from the Earl of Wessex. HRH Prince Edward will join the audience at the Plaza Theatre, Romsey, for resident theatre group Raods' latest show
HAT-TRICK hero Andy Forbes scored for his 13th game running as Winchester City taunted ten-man Thatcham 8-1 at the Denplan City Ground last night. The Sydenhams Wessex table-toppers were already leading by an early Kevin Brewster goal when Thatcham's
FOR the last ten months it has been a hub of activity providing a focal point for campaigners fighting plans for an asylum seekers' centre at Daedalus. But now the information point organised by the Daedalus Action Group (DAG) is on the move from the
Saints chairman Rupert Lowe has said that his players will not be offered new contracts at the moment as the uncertainty over the Premier League's commercial rights continues. Like all other Premiership clubs, Saints are still having to play a waiting
A DRAMATIC kitchen-family room has been created at a semi-detached period cottage in the village of Sherfield-on-Loddon. A special blue finish has been given to the wood-effect flooring in the room where a brick pillar divides the kitchen from the conservatory-style
