NO ANNOUNCEMENT has yet been made. The Prime Minister remains tight-lipped. Nevertheless, everybody expects a General Election in May. I have secret information - I divulge on the strict understanding that readers will keep it to themselves. The Leader
DETECTIVES in Basingstoke are urgently appealing for two men who may have witnessed an attack on a woman to come forward. The victim, who is in her 30s and from the area, was attacked and robbed as she reached a junction of three footpaths at the rear
NEW plans to deal with rogue traveller and gypsy camps on council-owned land have again been cast into the spotlight. A draft policy has been drawn up to deal with a rising number of unauthorised camps in the borough. It has already undergone extensive
WHEN local cookery book writer Rose Elliot saw fellow vegetarians feeling left out of the Atkins diet she decided to take matters into her own hands. Rose, pictured, realised vegetarians could not benefit from the quick weight-loss offered by the Atkins
HUNDREDS of firms in Hampshire face fines of up to £75,000 from today if they fail to consult staff under new employment laws. The warning follows a get-your-house-in-order letter sent by employment relations minister Gerry Sutcliffe, pictured, to all
A RETIREMENT row at Southampton's Ford Transit factory has been swiftly resolved. The company was unable to rubber-stamp the early retirement of three key production workers due to a "temporary hitch". Under a union-negotiated deal, the experienced employees
Andover 2 Alton Town 2 DESPITE a lengthening injury list Andover managed to extend their unbeaten run to seven games at the Portway on Saturday. Justin Bennett was the latest to sit in the treatment room and for the second time in a week players from
STOCKBRIDGE resumed their good form with a straightforward win over US on Saturday, but the game never really hit the heights. Stocks took the lead after 20 minutes when Charlie Spencer played the ball across the box, and Gavin Flye - who scored a hat-trick
OVERTON United FC were this week preparing for life without manager Paul Chambers, who has decided to call it a day at the end of this season. Basingstoke-based Chambers, who has been in charge at the Recreation Ground for five years, told the club of
NEW licensing laws could see the end of Stockbridge Carnival that has paraded through the Hampshire town for the Past 20 years. Organisers say new laws, that will come into effect in November could see their event hit with licence fees costing hundreds
ANDOVER man Brady James is one in 4,000 this summer as he embarks on a motor racing career thanks to the Exchange and Mart Driver's Challenge, where he fought off all comers to win the chance to race an FI car. What began as an interest in Karting and
IT'S a ferry link that has operated between Hythe and Southampton since AD400 - and now the Hythe Ferry is under threat. Operators White Horse Ferries Ltd are facing a planned 740% increase in its business rates, and the service could be axed if the crippling
CHILDREN in the New Forest delighted in getting their hands dirty and digging deep to discover all about how rubbish decomposes. Members of the Big Owls Club at Beaulieu's Out of Town Centre burrowed down into the soil to uncover the results of an experiment
POLICE were today hunting vandals who dumped a safe on rail tracks at West End, disrupting services and risking lives. The late-night drama happened 20 minutes after the 10.06pm passenger train had left Southampton Central for Brighton. It is understood
SOUTHAMPTON'S new £200m superliner Arcadia even dwarfed the might of the US Navy as the world's latest cruise ship arrived in her home port today. Arcadia is the fifth P&O Cruises vessel to be based in Southampton docks - now the country's premier
DREAMS of a world-class concert hall and an Olympic-sized ice rink for Southampton were hanging in the balance today. Civic chiefs' hopes of seeing the West Quay 3 multi-million-pound city centre plan become reality were plunged into doubt after they
MOST people wouldn't consider walking hundreds of miles in temperatures exceeding 30C, let alone running them. But two brothers from Southampton are preparing to go one better than that. Steve and Pete Fleming, are planning to kick a football for 250
FORMER Totally Tennis performance player and tennis assistant Dan Webb has been helping to break down racial barriers in war-torn Israel. The 18-year-old from Brookvale, in Basingstoke, has spent the last four months coaching tennis within a project that
A SOUTHAMPTON theatre claims to have the perfect cure for miserable men - a comedy about finding the perfect partner. As reported in the Daily Echo a recent survey said people in Southampton were the most miserable in the country. The poll quizzed 2,000
THE Stand Up 4 'Stoke appeal will soon benefit from three major fundraising events. There's a prestigious tournament at Dummer Golf Club on May 13, where the £80-a-head cost includes a donation to the appeal. The fee includes a host of extras, including
CHANDLER'S Ford may not be the first place you think of when looking for Hampshire's next big music star. But a former Thornden School pupil has high hopes for music success as he currently works towards recording his first single. Twenty-six-year-old
Times and placings of runners and teams. 1 LAMBERT Toby Alton Runners 30.47 2 PLUMMER Simon Southampton RC 31.32 3 BAKER James Chichester Runners & AC 32.16 4 CAMPBELL Mark Southampton RC 32.49 5 GREENLEAF Andrew Winchester & District AC 33.06
POLICE were today hunting vandals who dumped a safe on rail tracks at West End, disrupting services and risking lives. The late-night drama happened 20 minutes after the 10.06pm passenger train had left Southampton Central bound for Brighton. It is understood
THIS fleet of new wheelchairs is rolling through the shopping streets of Eastleigh. Thanks to Eastleigh Shopmobility, disabled people have greater access to the town centre shops. But many of the manual wheelchairs had clocked up so much mileage and needed
SOUTHAMPTON'S new £200m superliner Arcadia even dwarfed the might of the US Navy as the world's latest cruise ship arrived in her home port today. Arcadia is the fifth P&O Cruises vessel to be based in Southampton docks - now the country's premier
SUPERLINER Arcadia was due to arrive in her home port of Southampton today at the end of a week-long voyage from her builder's yard in Italy. Arcadia is set to join Oriana, Aurora, Oceana and, later this year, Artemis as part of the P&O Cruises' fleet
NEW Southampton port boss Doug Morrison has followed his predecessor Andrew Kent in being appointed to the board of docks owner Associated British Ports Holdings. Doug, 53, who started at Southampton on April 1, will begin his responsibilities at the
SOUTHAMPTON'S latest luxury superliner, the £200m Arcadia, is due to make a dramatic entrance into her home port on Wednesday. After a week-long voyage from the builders' yard in Italy, Arcadia will make her way up Southampton Water to give the city a
STEVE WIGLEY believes ALL of Saints' FA Youth Cup stars can go on to enjoy profession careers. Saints' former head coach and current youth chief will take charge of the under-18s' semi-final first leg against Wolves at St Mary's tonight (7pm). He will
IT'S difficult to dislike the Almera. Not only did it receive a welcome mid-life makeover a wee while ago, but the company that makes it is refreshingly honest about its claims for the car. Nissan is perfectly aware that the Almera (pictured above)isn't
ONE of the Hampshire's biggest markets could suffer a disastrous drop in trade if the Hythe Ferry is axed. Hythe's Tuesday market attracts a large number of bargain hunters from Southampton, who nip across on the ferry and then walk the short distance
DETECTIVES in Basingstoke are urgently appealing for two men who may have witnessed an attack on a woman to come forward. The victim, who is in her 30s and from the area, was attacked and robbed as she reached a junction of three footpaths at the rear
THE business tycoons of the future showed off the skills which could make them millions in the future. Pupils at John Hunt of Everest Community School, Popley Way, Popley, Basingstoke, designed a piece of clothing as part of the Young Enterprise scheme
Today's Principal Arrivals: Hual Trinity, roro, 0330,40; CFF Seine, roro, 0500, 30; Global Harvest, refrigerated, 0630, 104; Baltic Highway, vehicle, 1100, 43; Arcadia, passenger, 1130, 106; P&O Nedlloyd Marseille, container, 2200, 205; Autofreighter
Ryuichi Kiyonari heads for Thruxton and the second round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship this Sunday. intent on continuing his high speed early season dominance in the chase for country's premier crown. The exciting young Japanese rider
WHITCHURCH produced a spirited performance against the in-form league leaders last Saturday. They might easily have snatched a point in the closing stages as midfielder Chris Iddles struck the post and then had a goal disallowed for offside. Already-promoted
A WINCHESTER busker who has spent the last 12-years living in a dome-shaped tent next to the River Itchen will find out today if he has lost his home. Frank Williams, pictured, has been embroiled in a battle with Winchester City Council over his "dome
WINCHESTER Tories launched their election campaign by welcoming shadow chancellor Oliver Letwin to their offices for a grilling by pensioners. Mr Letwin was interrogated by a handful of the city's concerned elderly about the Conservatives' plans and promises
Andover 40 Effingham/L'head 13 CFL UK sponsored Andover faced a tough test last weekend, as they played host to an Effingham side currently placed second in the league; a victory on the day would secure them a vital league play off spot. A two-week lay
The final of the Advertiser Cup was contested by John Hanson A and Figheldean C, and all signs pointed to a tough battle between these two sides, but in the event the match turned out a little one-sided, with the village team winning 5-1. Steve Rollason
Basingstoke Blizzard 55 Andover Breakers 57 Andover's late charge for promotion from the Wessex League Division 3 gathered momentum with an enthralling two point away win against the league leaders last Tuesday. The club travelled without the presence
A LUXURY hotel is set to form part of a multi-million-pound redevelopment programme in a Waterfront parish. New Forest District Council has approved plans to build a 40-bed complex on part of the old Husband's Shipyard at Cracknore Hard, Marchwood. The
A WATERSIDE group took part in a national campaign to highlight a condition that affects one in three women. Pilates teacher Kathy Read, pictured, and some of her pupils supported a new initiative by Incontact and the Continence Foundation, two charities
SOUTHAMPTON'S new £200m superliner Arcadia even dwarfed the might of the US Navy as the world's latest cruise ship arrived in her home port today. Arcadia is the fifth P&O Cruises vessel to be based in Southampton docks - now the country's premier
LIBERAL Democrat leader Charles Kennedy was today the first of the three main party leaders to visit Hampshire as the general election campaign began in earnest. Mr Kennedy was joined by sitting Romsey MP Sandra Gidley at Hampshire Cricket's Rose Bowl
SHE is the only British female solo artist to appear in the charts for five straight decades - and she's coming to Southampton. Lulu will be making the fans want to shout after announcing that she will be joining Elton John on stage for the first ever
SUPERLINER Arcadia was due to arrive in her home port of Southampton today at the end of a week-long voyage from her builder's yard in Italy. Arcadia is set to join Oriana, Aurora, Oceana and, later this year, Artemis as part of the P&O Cruises' fleet
SOUTHAMPTON'S planned £10m arts complex at Northern Above Bar may have more poorly equipped spaces to display artworks than was previously envisaged, city leisure chiefs have admitted. The city's university was supposed to be raising £1.5m to pay for
LIBERAL Democrat leader Charles Kennedy was today due to be the first of the three main party leaders to visit Hampshire as the general election campaign began in earnest. Mr Kennedy was to be joined by sitting Romsey MP Sandra Gidley at Hampshire Cricket's
WINCHESTER Tories launched their election campaign by welcoming shadow chancellor Oliver Letwin to their offices for a grilling by pensioners. Mr Letwin was interrogated by a handful of the city's concerned elderly about the Conservatives' plans and promises
Basingstoke Town 3, Redbridge 0 ERNIE Howe admitted his Town side's first-half performance "was dire" but his strong words at half-time inspired his players to overcome bottom-of-the-table Redbridge. The Town boss had to take action because their opening
FAREHAM planners are bracing themselves for an application to build more than 1,000 homes on the former Coldeast Hospital site. The news comes after Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott announced the move to build 15,000 affordable houses on former NHS
A FAREHAM schoolboy is going for gold after being backed to the tune of £70,000 in a scheme for future Olympic prospects. Thomas Peasey, 14, has already won dozens of medals in contests including gold at the World Children's Championships in his chosen
A CAMPAIGN to stop the axe falling on fire control centres has hit Hampshire's shopping centres. Firefighters and fire control staff drove home the message by handing out leaflets, balloons, and car stickers to shoppers at Hedge End Retail Park yesterday
SOUTHAMPTON'S new £200m superliner Arcadia even dwarfed the might of the US Navy as the world's latest cruise ship arrived in her home port today. Arcadia is the fifth P&O Cruises vessel to be based in Southampton docks - now the country's premier
THE name of Arcadia is a familiar one to the port of Southampton and P&O Cruises' latest superliner is the fourth vessel to be called after the mythological land of paradise. It was in 1887 as Queen Victoria celebrated her Golden Jubilee that P&
