Poole News Archive - 2010
Click on the headline below to read the full story :
TREE FELLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT - 23 June 10
MAN FALLS TO DEATH AT DOLPHIN SHOPPING CENTRE - 16 June 10
POOLE PARK - 30 May 10
SUN, SEA AND SAND - IT HAS TO BE L.A. ( or SANDBANKS ?!) - 27 May 10
WORK TO START ON NEW POOLE BRIDGE - 10 May 10
FUNERAL FOR FIREFIGHER - 28 Apr 10
BRANKSOME CHINE SLSC ANNOUNCES THREE BEACHES WINNER - 26 Apr 10
WARNING TO DORSET RESIDENTS - 15 Apr 10
ELDERLY WOMAN DIES IN POOLE HOUSE FIRE - 10 Apr 10
FIRE TRAGEDY - 8 Apr 10
POOLE SECURES FUNDING FOR NEW BRIDGE - 12 Mar 10
GOOGLE STREET VIEW COMES TO POOLE - 11 Mar 10
FIRE AT POOLE BUSINESS CENTRE - 10 Mar 10
LOSS OF BARFLEUR MEANS LOSS OF JOBS ? - 20 Feb 10
NEW LOCATION FOR NATIONAL EXPRESS COACHES - 25 Jan 10
TEENAGE FAWN KILLERS SENTENCED - 15 Jan 10
TREE FELLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
Dorset Police and the local Council are investigating after a protected tree that blocked a stunning view of Poole Harbour has been mysteriously felled.
The 12m Scots pine, which stood in the garden of a house in Heavytree Road, Parkstone, was felled in the early hours of Sunday morning. It is believed that an intruder broke through a fence and used a chainsaw to bring down the tree, which only narrowly avoided crashing on to the houses around it. The occupants of the house were woken by the sound of the chainsaw, followed by the crash as the tree was felled.
The removal of the tree has opened up views of Poole Harbour which previously were obstructed by the tree. (Wed 23 June 10)
MAN FALLS TO DEATH AT DOLPHIN SHOPPING CENTRE
It is reported that a 23 year old male from Poole fell to his death at the Dolphin shopping centre last night . The death is not being treated as suspicious. It is believed that the incident happened at the rear of the building in the early evening. No more details have been released. (Wed 16 June 10)
POOLE PARK
Once again, Poole Park is the scene of new life, as this years batch of cygnets and duckings emerge. This year has seen a successful breeding season for the swans with several pairs nesting on the newly man-made islands within Poole Park Lake.
In the video below, you will see some of the cygnets and duckings, as well as a nesting pair of swans and images of their eggs.
(Sun 30 May 10)
SUN, SEA AND SAND - IT HAS TO BE L.A. ( or SANDBANKS ?!)
Sunny L.A is the ultimate destination for anything film, and the land of the beautiful boasts super rich and glamorous residents alike. With the Hollywood hills as a backdrop and a whole host of talented extra's on hand, it's not surprising that Brit film makers Twist Films couldn't wait to get on set to finish the La la Land storyline to their new film Morris: A Life with Bells on.
But, there was just one problem…. Twist Films had no budget to fly the entire cast and crew out to California. But, with the L.A scene being such a core part of the storyline they would have to somehow make it happen. And so the genius idea was born to turn a beach on Dorset's South Coast into Venice Beach ‘totally awesome'!
The biggest challenge to the filming was of course the weather! The consistent rain threw out the scheduled timetable and only allowed a very small window for filming to take place. The allocated 2 days of filming the beach scene had to be squeezed into a few hours! However, the actors were unperturbed and embraced the chilling sea air (in their beachwear!) to take advantage of any sunshine there was.
The stunning location of Sandbanks is a worthy challenger to the likes of L.A. Golden beaches, space for watersports, gourmet beachside restaurants or just simply soaking up the lavish lifestyle that is on offer. If it's luxury accommodation you are after then Sandbanks has got that covered too. Being one of the most expensive places to live in the whole world there is an abundance of multi-million pound properties and luxury hotels. Fancy a bit of celeb spotting? No problem! You could easily come across the Redknapps taking a stroll down the beach or Vernon Kaye and Tess Daly soaking up the sunshine on a well deserved break.
So if you can handle a bit of unpredictable English weather, then Sandbanks is a great alternative for those on a budget!
Blighty (Sky channel 534, Virgin Media 206) is pleased to announce the TV debut of ‘Morris: A life with bells on' at 8pm on Saturday 29 May. Set to be a bank holiday treat the light-hearted comedy “captures the heart of England” and will charm even the most cynical of viewers.
Behind the scenes video from Morris: A Life with Bells on.
Don't miss out on the Morris phenomenon, visit: www.loveblighty.co.uk
For more information on Blighty, become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter
Available on DVD 26th July 2010 or pre-order now on Amazon, click here to order yours now! http://bit.ly/bdbflU
WORK TO START ON NEW POOLE BRIDGE
Work has begun on the approach road for the new £37m Twin Sails Bridge in Poole Harbour, which will will connect Hamworthy and Poole and is due to open in 2012.
Wilkins Way in Poole will be closed for up to two years while the road is built to link the new bridge to the junction of West Quay Road.
The bridge will provide access to 64 acres (26 ha) of brownfield land where 2,000 new homes are planned over the next 10 years on the site of the old Poole Power Station. Poole Borough Council predicts the bridge and associated development could create up to 5,000 jobs.
In April, the council announced it had appointed construction firm Hochtief as the contractor to build the second harbour crossing. (Mon 10 May 10)
FUNERAL FOR FIREFIGHER
Poole man Jim Shears, from Oakdale, was one of two Hampshire firefighters to die while battling a tower block blaze in Southampton earlier this month.
A funeral service will be held at St George's church in Darby's Lane, Oakdale on Friday 30 April 2010. The family of Jim have requested a large turn-out to give Jim the biggest possible send-off.
The local newspaper (Daily Echo) has published details of the route the funeral cortege will take on Friday :
The funeral cortege will pass through Poole on Friday morning, with supporters again encouraged to line the streets to pay their respects. It will leave Jim's family home in Oakdale just after 10am before passing Poole fire station, where a salute of honour will take place. The procession will then pass down Dorset Way and along Johnston Road before arriving at the church for 10.35am. Anyone wishing to see the arrival of the cortege is asked to arrive at St George's before 10.30am. (Wed 28 Apr 10)
BRANKSOME CHINE SLSC ANNOUNCES THREE BEACHES WINNER
Branksome Chine Surf Life Saving Club has hosted another successful Three Beaches Surf Ski Series, with Simon Dark being crowned King of the Three Beaches.
The series consisted of two five-mile races a week apart and points awarded at each were added together for a final score. In the first race, the 13 paddlers were met with a strong 15-knots easterly wind, which presented perfect racing conditions for those who were comfortable in chop and runs, but a tricky race for those who were not.
Simon Dark from Bradford-on-Avon Canoe Club had a slow start, but managed to reel the field in by the turn, after which he managed to pull away from the field. His new 8kg epoxy K1-styled ski from Zetech took full advantage of the downwind runs and Simon took first place, ahead of Paul Kingman and Andy Ferris in second and third.
Conditions for the second race were much kinder to paddlers, with the flatter sea encouraging two female entrants, including one under-19, and keen spectators enjoying the sunshine on the beaches. The experienced K paddlers set a blistering pace with Simon Dark repeating his performance from the week before and finishing first in an impressive time of 37:06, taking the title King of the Three Beaches. The battle for second place was a close fought contest between Richard England , Paul Kingman, Andy Nicholson.
Simon Dark, Richard England and Alison Dark will also be competing at the European Surf Ski Challenge on 1 st May in Alicante, Spain. Other Dorset-based paddlers competing in the event include Chloe Bunnet, expected to be up with the elite ladies, Andy Blow and Ben Mason, who are entering the event for a second year.
The next local surf ski event is the 10km from Branksome to Boscombe and back (B2B) to be held on 16 th May and enabling paddlers to qualify for the Weymouth to Lulworth Cove race in June. Branksome Chine Surf Life Saving Club will also be running a Nipper Carnival on the day, starting at 10am. The seven to 13-year-olds will be demonstrating the Surf Life Saving skills they learn from an early age.
To pre-register for local races or to find out more about surf ski events, visit www.wellsimple.com Contact Ian Robinson on 07951120627 or email irdbn@hotmail.com (Mon 26 Apr 10)
WARNING TO DORSET RESIDENTS
Dorset Police is warning householders – as well as friends and families of vulnerable people – to be aware, and on their guard, after five distraction burglaries in the county during the space of five hours.
One of the crimes was in Wimborne, two were in Poole and two in Bournemouth – all taking place between 2.30pm and 7.30pm on Monday 12 April 2010.
A Dorset Police spokesman said: “These were despicable crimes perpetrated by people who have taken advantage of trusting pensioners. People should keep an eye on elderly neighbours and immediately report any suspicious activity to the police.
“Householders should only open their door to callers when it's on a security chain and they should never let anyone into their home without first asking for – and checking – their identity documents.
“Residents should keep callers on the doorstep with the security chain still on the door while their identity is established by calling the number the person claims to be calling on behalf from a directory and not their details in case they are false.
“If you are in doubt about the honesty of a caller, do not let them into your home. If you think someone is suspicious, note down their vehicle registration and call the police immediately,” explained the Dorset Police spokesman.
In one of the incidents at a property in Darby's Lane, Poole, between 4.30pm and just after 5pm, a white man claiming to be from the water board entered the home of a woman aged in her 80s on the pretext of testing the water because of a burst water main. Money was later found to have been stolen from the woman's purse.
In a further incident at a property in Danecourt Road, Poole, between 4.30pm and 6pm, two white men approached an elderly man on the pretext of checking the water pressure due to a burst water main. One man talked to the pensioner in his kitchen and the other man disappeared. Later, the elderly man's son discovered that the pensioner's upstairs rooms had been searched and cash taken from his wallet. The first man was aged in his late teens while the other man was around 40 years old.
Anyone seeing suspicious activity that could be a crime in progress should immediately call Dorset Police by dialling 999 while anyone with information about past incidents should call Dorset Police in confidence on 01202 222 222. (Thu 15 Apr 10)
ELDERLY WOMAN DIES IN POOLE HOUSE FIRE
Dorset Police and the Dorset Fire and Rescue Service are investigating on behalf of the Coroner after an elderly woman died in a house fire in the Oakdale area of Poole this morning, Saturday 10 April 2010.
The fire at the detached property in Dorchester Road - near the junctions with Enfield Crescent and Henning's Park Road - is not being treated as suspicious.
The fire was reported to Dorset Police by the Dorset Fire and Rescue Service at 6.20am this morning, Saturday.
The dead woman is believed to be 76 years of age. Her next of kin have been informed.
Three people - an 80 year old man, a 39 year old woman and a 14 year old girl - who were also in the house when the fire broke out were treated by the ambulance service and then taken to Poole Hospital for further treatment.
Dorset Police closed the Dorchester Road at the junction of Henning's Park Road and Oakdale Road while the fire was being extinguished and the casualties being treated by the ambulance service. The road was reopened by 8am this morning, Saturday.
The 80 year old man was treated in Poole Hospital for serious burns while the 39 year old woman and the 14 year old girl were treated for shock and minor smoke inhalation.
The 80 year old man was this morning, Saturday, due to be transferred from Poole Hospital to the burns unit of the Salisbury Hospital in Wiltshire for specialist treatment.
This morning, the property in which the fire took place remains sealed off ahead of detailed examination by Dorset Police scene of crime officers as well as investigators from the Dorset Fire and Rescue Service.
The fire is not being treated as suspicious and the Coroner has been informed. (Sat 10 Apr 10)
FIRE TRAGEDY
It has been confirmed that one of the two firefighters, killed whilst tackling a blaze in a tower block in Southampton was a Poole man.
Jim Shears from Oakdale, Poole, died battling the tower block blaze in Shirley, Southampton. His wife Carla, has paid a heartfelt tribute to her husband, describing him as "an amazing dad and a amazing husband". (Thu 8 Apr 10)
POOLE SECURES FUNDING FOR NEW BRIDGE
The government has finally agreed to give £14m to help fund a new bridge in Poole.
The £37m Twin Sails Bridge, which is designed to cross a section of Poole Harbour and connect Hamworthy with Poole port, has faced years of delays. Today the Department of Transport handed the town the news it had been waiting for - confirmation of the £14.1 million grant for the scheme.
It means all the funding for the £37 million project is now in place. Work is expected to start in early summer and take around 20 months. (Fri 12 Mar 10)
GOOGLE STREET VIEW COMES TO POOLE
Google have just released their latest update which includes details of the whole of Dorset, including Poole.
View Google Street View of Sandbanks Beach, Poole > (Thu 11 Mar 10)
FIRE AT POOLE BUSINESS CENTRE
Over 50 Firefighters from Dorset Fire & Rescue tackled a blaze at a Broom Road Business Park, Poole on Tuesday night.
The fire is believed to have started at a double glazing factory. (Wed 10 Mar 10)
LOSS OF BARFLEUR MEANS LOSS OF JOBS ?
There are increasing fears that the loss of Brittany Ferries Channel ferry service provided by the Barfleur will now mean the loss of jobs at Poole Port.
Some 120 people are employed at the Port, and the loss of the ferry service will mean a reduction in income for the Port of at least 20%. The Poole Harbour Commissioners are in talks with the staff and unions at this time over a reduction in staffing levels, redundancies have not been ruled out. (Sat 20 Feb 10)
NEW LOCATION FOR NATIONAL EXPRESS COACHES
National Express coach services in Poole are now using a new facility.
The recently upgraded Seldown Coach Park will be the new departure and arrival point for the National Express services that currently run from Poole Bus Station. The coach park is located next to Poole Bus Station and will provide easy to access to and from local bus services.
Car parking, including disabled spaces, is available at the new facility making it easier for National Express passengers, especially those with heavy luggage, to be dropped off and collected. The move will also help ease congestion in the bus station and as a result help keep local bus services running on time.
Two new stops with shelters are provided for National Express services. They are clearly marked with seating also available.
The location of the new coach station can be seen on this Google map > (Mon 25 Jan 10)
TEENAGE FAWN KILLERS SENTENCED
The Poole teenagers found guilty of found guilty of intentionally killing a deer while on land without consent, but cleared of beating a wild animal with intent to cause unnecessary suffering have been sentenced at Poole Youth Court.
The two, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were fined £1,000, sentenced to 100 hours community service and ordered to complete a rehabilitation course.
During the trial one of the teenagers said the deer already had a broken leg and was bleeding when they found it in long grass. However, strong public opinion has met the sentence, with animal rights supporters claiming that the boys have "been let off." (Fri 15 Jan 10)
