Monday 14th December 2009 Portland chopper reaches milestone
When the Portland Coastguard helicopter was scrambled this week it
marked a big milestone for the rescue chopper. The mission was number
3,000 clocked up by the helicopters that have been based at Portland
since 1995.

The AgustaWestland 139 helicopter took off from its purpose built
facility at Osprey Quay to search for a person reported missing at
Christchurch in Dorset.

Rod Johnson, the MCA's chief coastguard, told the press: "The passing
of this milestone is a major achievement for the MCA. The service
availability record of the aircraft is a testament to the hard working
dedication of the ground crews and engineers who are often the
'forgotten' part of the team." Dorset

Tuesday 10th November 2009 Reptiles on the move
Protected species including smooth snakes and sand lizards will be
moved from the roadside verges of the A338 ahead of six months of
major road repairs. Dorset County Council say the carriageway needs to
be dug up and replaced, with potentially disastrous results for the
wildlife using the roadside for home. 6.5 miles of carriageway and
associated drainage system is being completely renewed at a cost of
£26m.

Work on the road is due to start in Autumn 2010, in the meantime
ecologists have begun moving rare reptiles to another site.
Precautions are being taken to try and stop their return to the site
before work is completed. Dorset

Tuesday 3rd November 2009 Dorset opens Europe’s first artificial surf reef
After eating its way through £3m and a year late Dorset’s artificial
surf reef has finally opened. The project costs spiralled out of
control, doubling the spend which is part of an £11m regeneration of
the Bournemouth seafront. The New Zealand company ASR were contracted
to place 55 sand-filled ‘geotextile bags’ 740 feet off the shore to
generate better waves for surfing.

Councillor Beverley Dunlop said the surf reef was part of a huge
regeneration project designed to bring prosperity to the area.

"It amplifies the natural wave, if there's no surf the reef can't do
something out of nothing, but when there is surf it amplifies and
improves that. It is value for money because of what it is doing for
the area. It will all be paid for, it will be self-financing and it's
a hugely successful project.”
Tourists chiefs have brought in a specialist team from Plymouth
University to monitor the reef's performance over the next 12 months
and to assess the surf conditions. Information Britain could not get
confirmation of if the University scientists would be wearing Bermuda
shorts, or white coats for their work. Dorset

Tuesday 27th October 2009 Dorset’s sea monster
A huge fossilised skull has been discovered along Britain's Jurassic
coast. The 2.4 metre long skull belongs to a pliosaur that would make
the T-rex look like a kitten at an estimated 10 - 16 metres long. The
skull was found by a local collector who then sold it to Dorset County
Council for £20,000. It will now be put it on display at the Dorset
County Museum.

Britain’s Jurassic coast is England’s first World Heritage Site and is
well known for it’s rich bounty of prehistoric fossils. However,
officials are not revealing the location of the find as they say there
would be a danger of landslips if people flocked to the site and tried
digging for similar finds. Dorset

Friday 23rd October 2009 Arts council pays man £500,000 for Arctic isle
Devon artist Alex Hartley has been awarded £500,000 to tow part of an
Arctic island to the UK. The plan is to dig up rocks from the Svalbard
archipelago, north of Norway, load them on to a barge and bring them
back to the UK. Once back in the UK they will form an art installation
to be called ‘Nowhere Island’. The island will be in Weymouth for the
Olympic sailing events in 2012.

Given the current financial climate there will be many who are
flabbergasted that half-a-million pounds of public money should be
spent this way. The Arts Council however disagree and Gillian Taylor,
from the Arts Council England, defended the spending saying:

"Lots of people will think it is worth the money." Dorset

Friday 25th September 2009 Dorset prisoners got high on hand gel
Hand gel containing alcohol has been removed from HMP The Verne at Portland, only days after it was delivered. Prison officers at the prison noticed that the gels, brought in to help combat the spread of swine flu, were being used up rather fast. When they found an intoxicated inmate they quickly realised the gel was the source of the alcohol and removed the dispensers.

Andy Fear, from the Prison Officers Association at The Verne, said: "We were informed of an incident within hours of the gel being available. In one of the wings it is believed an inmate was using it inappropriately. When you get something called alcohol gel you can see what is going to happen.”

There was no explanation of how exactly the authorities thought an anti-bacterial hand gel would fight off a viral borne infection. Dorset

Thursday 24th September 2009 Heathland Arsonist gets jail
A man who set fire to and destroyed valuable heathland in the Dorset has been jailed. Robin Spinks was sentenced to 18 months inside for his part in setting fire the the heath at Bowden Road, Poole. A 15 year old girl who was charged along with him was given a 10-month referral order and made to pay £780 in compensation. Another unnamed 15-year old had all charges against them dropped.

The fire destroyed a large area of vegetation at the formerly beautiful Canford Heath in Poole last March. Spinks was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court Dorset