From sporting celebrity to entertainer Southampton athlete Kriss Akabusi has run a varied career path as a soldier, world-class athlete and now an actor. KRISS AKABUSI MBE made his showbusiness debut posing in just a thong - but it was to be the start
Spare a thought when you are jostling your way through Southampton's busy high street on a Saturday morning - you could be walking in the footsteps of one of Britain's literary greats, Jane Austen... IF YOU'RE battling your way through the sales in Southampton
JAMES BEATTIE has asked new England boss Sven Goran Eriksson not to be blinded by the glare cast by the Premiership's top clubs and to cast his eyes towards the lesser lights. Beattie's award of the Carling Player of the Month for December might not be
LYMINGTON renewed their bid to retain the Division 1 title in the New Forest Indoor Cricket League with a convincing 46-run win over Godshill at the Lymington Sports Centre. With Peter Tapper (28 retired) and Dave Scott (25 retired) leading the way, Lymington
IT is one of the most sought-after sailing spots in the world and, not surprisingly, there's a waiting list to prove it. It stretches back more than 20 years. The queue for a mooring slot on the river Hamble has been filled by thousands of hopeful weekend
A GOSPORT father who broke the law by flying to Iraq to highlight the suffering of people there will return to Britain on Monday. Les Gibbons, 42, travelled to Iraq as part of a sanction-breaking group, risking up to five-years in jail for taking medical
BOOKWORMS at a Hampshire school have impressed teachers with their love of reading. Four-year-old Chandler's Ford pupils Catherine Drummond and Daniel Dey, from Woodhill School, in Brownhill Road, were presented with certificates after their outstanding
THE AMBER SPYGLASS (HIS DARK MATERIALS III) by Phillip Pullman (Shcolastic £14.99) PARENTS keen to keep their bookworm children occupied until the fifth Harry Potter hits the shelves would do well to introduce them to the Philip Pullman's Dark Materials
Today's Principal Arrivings: Jinsei Maru, vehicle carrier, 0730, 34/35; Gran Bretagna, vehicle carrier, 1000, 202; NYK Castor, container, 1030, 207; La Rochelle Express, container, AM, 205E; Nordsee, container, 1200, 204E. Today's Principal Sailings:
GRAHAM STANDLEY'S season of surprises continued with his recall to the England squad for the British International Indoor Series in Ireland. The Hampshire skip, who represented his country between 1983 and 1992, thought his England days were a distant
ATHERLEY squeezed past gallant Palmerston to reach the zone final of the Yetton Trophy. This was the first time Palmerston had reached the third round of this English Women's Indoor BA club championship but despite winning on two rinks, they bowed out
PALMERSTON'S prospects of a quick return to the top of the Hampshire Inter-Club League were ruined by East Dorset, the side who replaced them as leaders just before Christmas. A heavy home defeat for Barry Grinaway at Fareham by East Dorset's Liberty
THIEVES targeted two vehicles left in a parking area at Haileybury Gardens, Hedge End. They failed to force the door lock of one car but smashed a quarterlight to break into the second.
BY THE time tomorrow night comes the new 2001 Embassy World Champion will have been crowned but county officials are already looking forward to the next round of Inter-County matches. From the Highlands to Cornwall county organisations will be getting
WINCHESTER Prison has continued to receive detained foreign asylum seekers, with more expected over the next few days. The jail has taken three men from Romania, two from Pakistan, one from China, two from Sri Lanka, one from Nigeria, one from Kosovo
HAMPSHIRE civic chiefs are reconsidering the use of the Great Weir at Alresford as a lorry route. The county council said it was also looking at introducing a weight limit to reduce the impact of heavy vehicles on the medieval dam. Last week the B3046
Stirling Recruitment has reorganised its temporary division and taken on extra staff in Southampton. The recruitment agency, with a 26 year track-record, expects the move will lead to higher levels of service for both companies in need of personnel and
A CAR smashed through a Southampton shop window following a collision with another vehicle last night. A low wall outside Lloyds Pharmacy in Grove Road, Shirley, was destroyed and a plate glass window at the front of the shop was smashed. Police say two
LABOUR councillors in Southampton are set to have their knuckles rapped over claims of financial mismanagement at the Civic Offices. A censure motion will be put forward at this week's council meeting by the Liberal Democrat group - but they must secure
MOVES to create a multi-million-pound cultural centre in the heart of Southampton took a step closer to reality this week. Members of the corporate committee voted in favour of proposals to bulldoze the former Tyrrell &Green store and C&A to create
IT WAS only a short flight but here's a homing pigeon which couldn't find her way without a bit of help from Echo staff. The bird has been reunited with her owner Chris Jewell after flying the nest over a week ago. She was found wandering outside the
WANNABE pop stars from the South have their chance to bask in the spotlight tonight as ITV's hit new series Popstars shows the auditions held in Southampton, London and Manchester. The 13-part series follows the quest to find, build and launch a pop band
EASTLEIGH MP David Chidgey has welcomed news that Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust is to spearhead a project to modernise hearing aid services. Digital hearing instruments have recently been introduced to the NHS, and 20 Trusts have been
"Help! Can you change my garden from an unattractive grassland into a visual delight?" GAETANA PRASSEDE looks at one couple's horticultural makeover TAKE one neglected back garden, a design team and £2,000 to spend, now what have you got? The potential
A TEENAGER with learning disabilities hanged himself after his dream of living independently was dashed, an inquest heard. Michael Kirby, 17, was found hanging from a tree in Totton by a schoolgirl. Southampton coroner Keith Wiseman said it was one of
A TEENAGER with learning disabilities hanged himself after his dream of living independently was dashed, an inquest heard. Michael Kirby, 17, was found hanging from a tree in Totton by a schoolgirl. Southampton coroner Keith Wiseman said it was one of
Full-time results from the top clubs in the South Southampton 0 - Charlton 0 Wolverhampton 1 - Portsmouth 1 WrexhamAFC 2 - Bournemouth 2
This weeks best selling books with Waterstone's of Southampton PAPERBACK 1 (1) Wan2tlk?: Little Book of Text Messages 2 (3) Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? 3 (4) Chocolat - Joanne Harris 4 (2) Worst Case Scenario - J Piven 5 (5) Man and Boy - Tony Parsons
Sutton Park in Birmingham is the venue this weekend for the British Cyclo-cross Championships, and with no fewer than eight titles in dispute the meeting is spread over two days. This is the highlight of the cyclo-cross season in this country and the
THE funeral took place yesterday of one of winchester's most remarkable characters, Bill Allchin, who has died aged 79. Bill, who stood as the Labour candidate for Winchester in four general elections between 1974 to 1983, lived an amazing life. He was
IMAGINE Snow White smeared with mud and writhing around on stage with a stud. That's just what actress Colette Bibby was doing in her previous stage role, which she takes up again in two weeks after her appearance as Snow White at The Mayflower, Southampton
ABEWILDERED cat is recovering in an animal shelter after its owner attempted to recycle it. The two-year-old tabby escaped a gruesome fate by a whisker when council staff discovered him in a cat box dumped next to a recycling bin in Bunny Lane, on the
WANNABE pop stars from the South have their chance to bask in the spotlight tonight as ITV's hit new series Popstars shows the auditions held in Southampton, London and Manchester. The 13-part series follows the quest to find, build and launch a pop band
MOTORING organisation the AA is urging drivers to be patient during 31 weeks of roadworks to prepare Southampton for the new Saints' stadium. As revealed in the Daily Echo, major changes to the Northam Road area are being made from Monday. The £2.2 million
A VULNERABLE man suffered a fractured cheekbone while trying to protect his cousin, Fareham magistates heard. Colin Reed, 19, who has autism, lost sensation in part of his face, though he has since recovered, the court was told. Michael Estell, 18, of
Saints drew a blank at home for only the second time this season as they came up against a determined Charlton defence at The Dell this afternoon. The shutout followed that against Manchester City back in October as Glenn Hoddle's side bounced off a determined
