Dorset

A THREE-year-old boy has been rushed to hospital with serious injuries after a horror van crash.

The tot was walking in a car park in Bournemouth, when a blue Vauxhall Vivaro hit him on Saturday.

Dorset Police were called to the scene, in Landsdowne Road, at 12.35pm.

Paramedics rushed the three-year-old to hospital with serious injuries.

His family is being supported by specialist officers.

No arrests have been made and the van driver is assisting officers with the investigation, said the force.

Sergeant Richard Stroud, of the Roads Policing Team, said: “Our thoughts are with the young boy involved in this incident and his family.

“Our enquiries into what happened remain ongoing and I would urge anyone who witnessed the incident, or who has any information that might assist our investigation, to please contact us.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police online, via email at [email protected] or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55250147249.

Alternatively, independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously online using its website or by calling Freephone 0800 555 111.

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A pretty UK seaside town may look like a picturesque holiday spot – but it has a dark history. Now locals are remembering those who were brutally killed in the 17th century with a new plaque

While it may be a picturesque seaside spot, this pretty town has quite a dark history behind it.

Weymouth is a seaside town located in Dorset, southern England and it’s know for it’s sandy beach, decorated with colourful beach huts and backed by Georgian houses. But what we see Weymouth as today was the total opposite to the dark chapter in history in the 17th century filled with brutal killings and bloody streets.

Two hundred and forty years ago, in September 1785, 12 local men were hanged, drawn and quartered in the town for their involvement in the Monmouth Rebellion.

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The brutal sentence was delivered by Judge Jeffreys at the Antelope Hotel in Dorchester during the infamous ‘Bloody Assizes’. This new plaque brings the total number of installations on the trail to 19.

Nowadays, Greenhill gardens is an award-winning gardens in Weymouth, with a tennis court, putting, bowling, live music events and two cafes. It has become a picturesque haven, beloved by locals and visitors for its vibrant floral displays and sweeping sea views, and the contrast between its serene present and brutal past adds a poignant depth to the town’s historical narrative.

Now locals from the We Are Weymouth group have unveiled a powerful new addition to the town’s heritage trail: a commemorative plaque on the Promenade at Greenhill, marking one of the darkest chapters in Weymouth’s history.

Graham Perry, chair of We Are Weymouth, said: “It is ironic that the first historical mention of Greenhill, one of the most beautiful spots in Weymouth, is in relation to this horrific event.

“The installation of this plaque helps us to remember the many layers of Weymouth’s history – both the celebrated and the sombre – and ensures they are not forgotten.”

The heritage trail, which celebrates the unification of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis in 1571 under Queen Elizabeth I, takes visitors on a journey through the town’s rich past. Highlights include the arrival of the Black Death, Weymouth’s rise as a Georgian resort, and its strategic role in the D-Day invasion.

Later this year, two additional plaques will be installed along Preston Beach, sharing stories from Lodmoor, a saltmarsh reserve with diverse wildlife, including waders, ducks, terns, and winter birds, and a reedbed with Bitterns and Bearded Tits.

Once complete, the trail will form a continuous historical journey from the Roman temple at Bowleaze to the iconic Nothe Fort, offering a superb and immersive experience for residents and visitors alike.

These initiatives reflect We Are Weymouth’s ongoing commitment to placemaking, community engagement, and celebrating the town’s unique heritage.

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DRAMATIC footage shows the moment a pensioner was rescued from the sunroof of his sinking Bentley after it plunged into the sea.

Retired funeral director Robert Hill had driven to a waterside car park before his motor suddenly accelerated and careered down concrete steps in Sandbanks, Dorset.

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The expensive bronze-coloured motor worth £50,000 hit the water after rolling down from the car park at around 5pm on Monday.

Mr Hill, 74, said he was unable to unwind the electric windows or open the door and feared he was about to drown as the interior started to fill with water.

But footage captured three brave shore fishermen jumping into the harbour and swimming to the car.

Two were seen clambering onto the bonnet of the semi-submerged car as they desperately tried to get a hold of Mr Hill.

Video captured the moment the 74-year-old was then pulled through the sunroof by the courageous strangers.

The brave trio then helped escort him back to shore as worried bystanders watched on.

But just moments after returning him to land, the Bentley sank to the seabed at the entrance to Poole Harbour.

Mr Hill, who was taken to hospital to be checked over, said: “To the men who swam into the water to get me out, I can’t thank them enough for saving my life.

“I would have died within five minutes if it hadn’t been for those chaps.”

Mr Hill recounted how he was slowly driving towards the kerb when “all of a sudden the engine revved up” and despite putting his foot on the electric brake,.

He added: “It was too late and my car did a dive into the water like a submarine.”

However, the 2013 Bentley was later winched from off the seabed by the Poole Harbour Commissioners as it posed a potential hazard to shipping.

It remains in the car park on the end of the Sandbanks peninsula.

Sandbanks is an affluent neighbourhood known for its high property prices.

Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher and ex-Premier League boss Harry Redknapp live nearby.

In 2005 it was reported to have the fourth highest land value by area in the world.

A Poole Harbour Commissioners spokesperson said: “A car entered the water from the car park adjacent to the Sandbanks Ferry’s ramp at Sandbanks.

“The vehicle entered the water directly from the Ferry Way Car Park.

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“A number of local anglers and passers by sprang to their assistance and the sole occupant was assisted from the vehicle before it submerged.

“Divers and a crane were mobilised for recovery and the vehicle was lifted safely ashore at 10.30pm.

“We would like to take this opportunity to commend the swift and selfless efforts of those individuals on the quayside who assisted the gentleman from his car before it sank.

“We would also like to thank PHC staff, partner agencies and our contractors who worked late into the night, recovering the vehicle to ensure the safety of navigation and protection of the environment.

“We would like to take this opportunity to commend the swift and selfless efforts of those individuals who assisted the gentleman from his car.”

A PENSIONER is having to sell her home to cover a £113,000 legal bill after losing a five-year dispute over a 1ft strip of land.

Jenny Field, 76, was told to pay £14,000 after her initial court defeat to Pauline Clark, 64, but her repeated challenges saw the total rocket.

A judge has now told her she must pay the resultant £113,126 in three months or flog her £600,000 bungalow in Hamworthy, Dorset, so the cash can be recouped.

The divorcee told a court: “I am selling it because I have to and I’m fed up with living here but I will offer to pay her £1 per week.”

Their feud began in 2020 after Mrs Clark replaced a fence between the properties.

Ms Field claimed it had encroached on her garden and had it demolished, but Mrs Clark sued for damages and won the first case in 2022.

Several appeals followed and Ms Field was accused of wasting time by bombarding the court with papers.

A bid by her to sue for £500,000 in damages was also dismissed as “totally without merit”.

District Judge Ross Fentem said Mrs Clark had been kept from money owed to her for a long time and told Bournemouth county court the order for sale was “a last resort and draconian remedy”.

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