After some three weeks of speculation, Fareham Town have finally announced that Duncan Pratt is no longer their manager. The news comes as no great surprise. Pratt has been mysteriously absent from the Jewson Wessex League club since Easter, leaving team
John Robson joyously led Alton Town to the Hampshire Premier Division title last night - and professed himself even happier than when they clinched the old Division 1 crown three years ago. A gritty 1-0 win at Liss put Robson's men safely out of reach
Millbrook - The Hidden Past by Rosaleen Wikinson. A CHILD smuggled down from London to Millbrook by its mother triggered the outbreak of the Great Plague in Southampton in 1665. The chilling claim is just one of the many intriguing tales in Rosaleen Wilkinson's
LUDGERSHALL Sports grabbed a last-minute equaliser to snatach a vital point in a 1-1 draw in a ding-dong battled with Fred Druce to move within two points of leaders Vernham Labels at the top of the ADSL. Labels have just the one game left to play and
WIRED-UP widgeon and the health of the local worm population occupied the day's business at the Dibden Bay public inquiry. The year-long analysis of Associated British Ports' plan to turn the Bay into a container terminal has reached Day 43 and is well
Lymington & NM 1, Andover 3 UNSTOPPABLE Andover beat Lymington & New Milton for the fifth time this season with last Thursday's victory in the JWL at the Fawcett's Field . In an evenly contested first half both sides had scoring chances and the
Today's Principal Arrivings: Cattleya Ace, vehicle carrier, 0230, 201; Maersk Wave, ro/ro, 0545, 34/35; Queen Elizabeth 2, passenger liner, 0630, 38/9; Aurora, cruise ship, 0645, 105; Pearl Ace, ro/ro, 0730, 40; Hoo Larch, general, AM, 107; Jade Arrow
NEWLY-crowned London Division 1 champions Havant have made an initial approach to United Services Portsmouth with a view to a club merger ahead of the 2002-2003 season. Commodore Jeff Blackett, an honorary life member of United Services and former chairman
A SOUTHAMPTON rowing club has launched five new boats costing more than £30,000, aimed at encouraging more people into the sport. The Itchen Imperial Rowing Club, which dates back to 1916 and is one of the oldest clubs in the south, launched the boats
A HIGH tech jobs bonanza came a step nearer this week with a detailed scheme being submitted for a business park and hotel on part of the old Andover airfield. "We are pleased to see the application go in and hope it has a successful outcome," said Don
MONDAY was a bad day for Richard Wise - someone stole his pride and joy, a classic GPZ Kawasaki 900R motorcycle. Richard, aged 37, said: "I just cannot believe it. I suffered a really lousy day at work and instead of going home and having an argument
ANDOVER police will be asking for more cash to continue a highly successful town centre crackdown on anti-social behaviour. Operation Dennison which puts extra late patrols on the streets at weekends, has been labelled a success by Inspector Andy Jennings
CLAIMS that Ludgershall has been left behind while Tidworth and other parts of Wiltshire forge ahead with financial hand-outs were angrily refuted by the county councillor who represents both communities. The claim was made by Ludgershall councillor Chris
CRICKLADE College hosted a science quiz with eight schools from the area as part of national science week. The event had a Harry Potter theme and was designed to show young students that science is both educational and fun. The quiz, sponsored by Chilworth
LIBERAL Democrats in Hampshire are furious that the county council is to impose £165,000 cuts in bus services. The cuts include two early morning buses on the King Arthur's Way Service A from Monday to Friday. And on Service B (The Drove) the council
CAMPAIGNERS attempting to reinstate the free school bus to and from Clatford Primary School are celebrating this week after county councillors agreed the route used to walk and cycle to school is unsafe. At a special hearing at the county headquarters
THE B3084 at Grateley was closed on Wednesday afternoon after an articulated lorry carrying scrap cars overturned. Police were called at just after noon to deal with the accident and closed Cholderton Road until all the vehicles were recovered. A spokesperson
ANDOVER market has begun to smarten up. The move comes after a traders' co-operative took notice of recent hard-hitting criticism of the twice-weekly event. Paul Beirne, secretary of the newly-formed Andover co-operative which is affiliated to the National
THE 50 glorious years of the Queen's reign are providing the theme for Andover carnival in July. Organisers, Andover Round Table are keen to see the streets of the town lined with spectators taking the opportunity to celebrate the jubilee for the second
WHAT'S hoped will be the first of many tea afternoons for the elderly in Andover is taking place this Sunday at the Longmeadows Centre on Cricketer's Way. The informal gatherings have been organised by Test Valley Community Services who are working together
A parents' action group has vowed to oppose moves to build a new block for 40 extra sex offenders at Albany Prison near Newport. Albany is already one of the country's main jails for vulnerable inmates, who are mainly sex offenders, and now planning consent
The vital car ferry route between Portsmouth and Fishbourne is today seen as one of the all-important pistons which drives the Isle of Wight's economy. While in modern times hundreds of thousands of vehicles and millions of passengers make the crossing
A project to preserve red squirrels in Parkhurst Forest, Isle of Wight has been awarded a grant of £13,408 by the Local Heritage Initiative. It is one of two grants to be awarded to Island projects under the initiative, with the other, for £15,630, going
Graham Tappenden was a clear winner of the second round of the Nigel Turner/Thompsons Financial Planning Series on Lord Romsey's prolific Longbridge Lakes. The Homestores Select angler took 106lb 11oz to the scales despite the bright but very cold weather
Hampshire's second XI put in a sound display at the start of their four day game against England's under-19 starlets, a fixture awarded to the winners of the 2nd X1 Championship, writes Iain Brunnschweiler. The day's play was the first under the gaze
After some three weeks of speculation, Fareham Town have finally announced that Duncan Pratt is no longer their manager. The news comes as no great surprise. Pratt has been mysteriously absent from the Jewson Wessex League club since Easter, leaving team
PICKET Piece Social manager Guy Rutter bowed out on a triumphant note after his side clinched the ADL title for the first time with last Saturday's narrow 2-1 home win over Inkpen Exiles. Goals from Bob Bannon and Iain Small gave Social victory but Rutter
Bemerton HH 1, Andover 5 ALL-CONQUERING Andover took over top spot in the Jewson Wessex League for the first time this season last Saturday after gaining their third away win in five days - leaving the title race firmly in their own hands. The Lions'
Whitchurch United 2, Bemerton 2 AT long last, Whitchurch are back on the goal trail. They finally ended their seven-game goal drought on Tuesday night in the JWL with strikers from Paul Rolfe and Neil Butler - their first in over 12 hours of play. Trailing
Andover 3. Fleet Town 5 FLEET Town maybe now in the driving seat in the race for the JWL title after Tuesday's night mauling at The Portway, but it's not all over yet. The Lions still have a game in hand on their North Hants rivals and it could still
A LAST-DITCH Denville Elleston try maintained Hampshire's vice-like grip on the Wightlink Bowl as they twice came from behind to steal victory 36-33 over the Navy. It was a fine game which wiped away the pretext of friendly rugby. With both sides looking
FAMILIES involved in organ donation look set to be offered more support, thanks to a new study at the University of Southampton. The research is looking at why some families agree to organ donation after the death of a relative, but others decline. Results
FOR someone who leapt to fame doing Shirley Bassey impersonations, Joe Longthorne has had a remarkably long career. The performer, who comes to the Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth on Friday April 26, has now broadened his remit to include the likes of Frank
Half a Sixpence, Andover Musical & Operatic Society, Cricklade Theatre. ANDOVER enjoyed the humour of this musical enormously, especially the ad-libs when things did not go quite as planned. The production, from director Sue Sampson, is full of movement
NURSES in Southampton are lining up to support the Daily Echo You Can Help Your NHS campaign. Since we launched the campaign, which aims to save Hampshire health services £500,000, we have been inundated with calls of support from members of the medical
FORGET Pooh sticks, Shipton Bellinger residents, old and young, enjoyed the thrills and spills of racing bright yellow plastic ducks in the village bourne on Saturday. It's an annual event, organised by the WI whose members have to get in at the deep
TICKETS are still available for the St George's Charity Ball being held by the Mayor of Test Valley, Cllr Jack Taylor, at the Garrison Theatre, Tidworth on 27 April at 7pm. Entertainment at the prestigious ball will be provided by the Lucknow Band of
A SOLDIER who lives in the hamlet of Crux Easton near Hurstbourne Tarrant kept vigil over the Queen Mother's coffin on 12 separate occasions during her lying-in-state at Westminster Hall. On the Friday and the Monday of the occasion Major Johnny Wheeler
CONTRACTORS were forced to stop boarding up a vandalised shop on River Way when a gang of children threw stones at them. The incident happened after the building, owned by Test Valley Borough Council and empty for several years, was broken into and a
AN artist with a passion for oils has just enjoyed showing her pictures for the first time in Andover. "I have always loved painting with a passion. I would find it difficult to live without it," Leonie Warwick, who is self- taught, said. "I also love
SEVENTIES star Dave Edmunds will be knocking on the door of The Brook next week. Edmunds, whose biggest hit was the 1970 single I Hear You Knocking, will be making a rare live appearance at the Portswood Road venue on Tuesday. The Welsh-born performer
VERNHAM Dean Gillum's Primary School is a very effective and successful school providing a very good education for all its pupils, according to a recent Ofsted report. Inspectors praised all aspects of the village primary's operation and found no major
THERE was disappointment on London marathon day for Andover mother of four, Amanda Taylor. A muscle injury which hit her after a 16-mile run on Easter Sunday, prevented her taking part. "I thought long and hard about it." the 38 year-old said. "But I
A HUGE swathe of countryside north of Andover is to enjoy better protection to help reduce some of the many pressures which threaten its historic landscape. The area from the Collingbournes across to the boundaries of Overton forms a small part of what
AN avenue of mature trees, cut down in a development project, is being mourned by an Andover resident. Peter Wightman said: "I live in Weyhill Road and I find it disgusting that this beautiful avenue of mature trees which has been in place for over 60
THE ISLE of Wight has been chosen to take part in a major Europe-wide study into coastal erosion. The Island council's centre for the coastal environment at Ventnor is to have a key role in the £3.6m study under the EU's LIFE Environment Programme. The
SCHOOL buildings on the Isle of Wight are to benefit to the tune of £1.8m in a government handout. Schools' minister Catherine Ashton announced that 87 major school projects from across the country will receive £193m from the Targeted Capital Fund. Special
AN Isle of Wight building is among 12 to be shortlisted in the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) awards for the south. The building of fashion firm Artigiano at Yarmouth, designed by The Manser Practice, is to be visited this month by an awards
THE THORNY issue of whether taxis on the Isle of Wight should be de-zoned was due to come before councillors today. In 2001, groups including the West Wight Taxi Proprietors' Association and the Isle of Wight Taxi Proprietors' Association both said they
ISLE OF Wight showbiz writer and broadcaster John Hannam is to stage a special live chat show on his 30 years of interviewing famous people, to be held at Quay Arts, Newport, on April 29. Hannam is putting on the show in the arts centre's Anthony Minghella
LONG-serving Sandown councillor Miss Heather Humby has been elected to serve as the new chairman of the Island's council. Miss Humby, also a former South Wight Borough councillor, was chosen unanimously at the council's annual meeting at County Hall,
Gareth Southgate last night paid tribute to Wayne Bridge and said: "He's now got a great chance of going to the World Cup." Middlesbrough stopper Southgate played alongside Bridge in last night's 4-0 win over Paraguay at Anfield - it was their second
