Archive for February, 2010
03/02/2010 No comments

Police in manhunt across West Dorset countryside

Note added 10.45am Friday, February 5: Dorset Police reiterate their belief that firearms were not involved. They are still hunting for two or perhaps three men.

The account in today’s Dorset Echo of what happened at Court Farm in Buckland Newton seems the most  reliable published so far. An interview with farmer Martin Perrett backtracks on stories published in the Echo on Thursday.

“Mr Perrett said it was dark with bright headlights so although he had initially thought the raiders used a firearm, police now believed it was a projectile weapon like a ‘high-powered catapult’ as no cartridges had been found.”     

Update added 9am Thursday, February 4: Dorset Police are continuing to search for two or perhaps three men.

It’s now thought unlikely that firearms were involved in the initial alleged attempted burglary in Buckland Newton.

Acting on “a postive line of enquiry,” officers have searched an address in Dorchester.

The 40-year-old man arrested is from Somerset. He has been released on police bail while investigations carry on.

First report: DORSET POLICE are appealing for witnesses to come forward after an alleged attempted burglary on the outskirts of Buckland Newton, between Dorchester and Sherborne – with officers asking the public to look out for the men responsible.

Officers are advising members of the public that the men may be dangerous and that witnesses should not approach them, but call the police immediately on 999.

Police attended Court Farmhouse at 2am, today, Wednesday, 3 February 2010, following a report that three or four men had made off on foot after an attempted burglary.

Officers, assisted by the force helicopter and dog handlers, immediately began a search of the area.

Although no-one has been injured, it is believed that the men may have possession of a firearm. Armed officers have been deployed, as is normal in such circumstances.

The suspects were initially tracked by the force helicopter from the C12 Old Sherborne Road, across fields, in the direction of Alton Pancras.

The men were then seen in the vicinity of the B3143 – with one man being arrested in Pulham.

Officers are now following positive lines of enquiry in order to detain the remaining two or three men.

Superintendent Wes Trickey, of Dorset Police’s county division, said: “Officers continue to search for the remaining men and key areas are being contained.

“The men have been running from police for over seven hours now and they will clearly be tired, dishevelled, wet and muddy.

“I understand that these men may be wearing camouflage-style clothing and it’s also possible that they have been discarding this clothing while on the run – this will have left them inappropriately dressed for the wet weather.

“If members of the public notice anyone matching that description and anyone running, hiding or acting in a suspicious or unusual way, then I would urge them to call us straight away.

“Do not approach these men – officers are nearby and they will be able to respond immediately.

“Fortunately, the occupants of the address were not hurt during this incident – it also appears that nothing has been stolen.”

A 40-year-old man has been arrested and enquiries are ongoing.

Witnesses and anyone who sees the men who they believe to be those responsible should dial 999 immediately. Anyone else with other information about those responsible should contact Dorset Police in confidence on 01305 222 222.
02/02/2010 2 Comments

Real West Dorset: 100, not out

 An open letter to readers of Real West Dorset

OVER the last few days I’ve been stopped several times by people keen to tell me that they have discovered Real West Dorset – and they enjoy it. I have also had several emails from people saying they like reading it. I can’t quote from some of those emails because they were marked Personal – Not for Publication, as if visiting here were a guilty pleasure. Which perhaps it is! I don’t mind. We all know that guilty pleasures can be the ones we care most about.

I only mention these communications because I noticed this morning that there are now 100 articles on this site, (this is actually the 101st), so now seems as good a time as any to pause for a few remarks.

Firstly, I would like to thank all readers of this site and everyone who has contributed to it. I have done almost nothing to promote it, but the number of readers per month is now well into four figures, which, for a new local independent site, is very gratifying.

Secondly, some of my correspondents, even though they like it, have been wondering what exactly this site is. It’s a good question. The best answer is still: It’s an experiment. In terms of its content, there is nothing quite like it anywhere else in the country (I can say this with a fair bit of confidence because I have spent a long, long time looking at other local blogs and websites in Britain, Europe and America).

Thirdly, some of my correspondents have obviously been asking themselves whether “this very promising development” will survive. Answer: it will, in some shape, either as an island or bridged to other forms. All sorts of people have come to talk to me about all sorts of possibilities; merging its flow of content into a new newspaper or magazine, trying different sorts of print offshoots, allying with other websites…

But there are no adverts, I know people think. True, at the moment, there are no adverts, and few may appear in the future, but this week, if all goes to plan, the whole structure of the site will change and the first advert scheduled to appear will be for The Bookshop on Marine Parade in Lyme Regis, which is very small but crammed with quality.

I went there to take some pictures. I’ll talk through some of these briefly because it might help to explain a few points about this site. (Equally, it might turn out to be a load of boring / pretentious / self-indulgent tosh but let’s see). This was the first, rather hopeless effort:

It’s a window. So what? Look more closely and it starts to get a bit more interesting:

Once you’ve been poor you don’t forget it. Creativity is born of constraints. So, let’s move round to the other side of the window.

That’s slightly better. The picture is opening up to reflect different positions; I like the mystery man lurking in the hat, posed with the front cover of The Open Society and Its Enemies (by Karl Popper).

And what happens if you get inside the window?

It looks like a dodgy video shop, says my wife. I was rather startled by this remark. I don’t know what you think…

I’d rather describe it – and this has only just occurred to me – as an invitation to curiosity.

I think that, I suspect, because that’s how I still see West Dorset…

And now I wonder: is this site an invitation to curiosity?

Not as much as it could be, perhaps. Which is why it’s good to hear from people privately and publicly.

So, please keep visiting, and if you ever want to get in touch, to comment or to contribute, please do. It makes a big difference and I just know that there are interesting things about West Dorset that you – yes, you – could tell us about. I look forward very much to hearing from you…
01/02/2010 No comments

Loders School first in Dorset to seek co-head

FOR years parents whose children go to Loders School have found it hard to resist raising an awful question.

Generally discussed in playground-style huddles, this question has long given a delicious frisson of dread.

It is: What will happen when headmaster Mike Kite finally decides to retire?

Loders School

Last year when Loders was inspected by Ofsted, this small village school near Bridport was found to be outstanding in every respect.

 “Many [parents] commented on the inspirational leadership of the headteacher and it is this that provides the key to the school’s success. The headteacher has a positive ‘can do’ attitude and this permeates through the whole school from the headteacher himself to staff, governors, parents and children. No problem is too big to be surmounted.”

The problem now is that the time has finally come when Mr Kite, aged 62, has decided that he wishes to work rather less intensively than he has for the last 25 years.

His first plan – as explained in a letter – was to retire altogether in July.

But as everyone concerned with the school is reluctant to let him go – as some of what makes Loders special would inevitably go with him – another course of action is first being explored.

Loders has become the first school in Dorset to advertise for a Co-Head, that is, effectively, a job-sharing arrangement. It is, as Mr Kite says, unusual but by no means unique. About 40 other schools nationwide have co-heads.

The aim of Loders’ governors is to set up a mechanism for succession, an extended handover. It will be fascinating to see whether they succeed, at a time when a survey just last week found “a dire shortage of applicants” for headteachers’ jobs. More than a third of primary schools (35%) have to re-advertise.  

If no co-head of sufficient calibre can be found for Loders, then Mr Kite will retire in July, and the school’s headship will be re-advertised on a conventional basis. 

“Whichever route is taken,” says Mr Kite, “you can be sure that the governors will do an extremely thorough job – second-best is not an acceptable option for Loders School.”  

More details of what’s proposed can be found on the dorsetforyou website.

Editor’s Note: I should say that when I qualified as a teacher, Mr Kite was one of my mentors, and I looked up to him as a flicker of light does to a star…