25 YEARS AGO:

September, 24 1993

HOT SHOT: Top gun Lee Bowditch was in impressive form when he shot for the England team that won a silver medal in the clay pigeon mini-Commonwealth Games.

Bowditch (33), of Beaminster, partnered Richard Brickell (Berkshire), John Robertson and Phil Musson (both East Yorkshire), to secure second place behind Cyprus in the Olympic skeet discipline of the two-day event at Nuthampstead, Hertfordshire.

PARTY: Veteran Bridport pianist Ron Stoodley, part of the local music scene for nearly 60 years, danced with his ten-year-old great-granddaughter during his 80th birthday celebrations.

The personal milestone was marked by a party at Bridport's Masonic Hall attended by 76 family members and friends.

Organ music was supplied by Derek Bussell, giving Ron a welcome break from the keyboard.

MARRIAGE: Pure joy shone out at the blessing of the marriage of Sudanese refugee Andrew Allam and his wife, Anna.

"I tell you, this is the best time of my life," said Mr Allam (25) who now lives at Beaminster.

After three nerve-grinding years of separation, Mr Allam was reunited with his wife and son this summer after a brave rescue mission by Beaminster Team Rector Canon Timothy Biles, who smuggled Anna (20) and Kilele (3) from a shanty town near Khartoum back to Dorset.

50 YEARS AGO:

September, 20 1968

NEW HOME: For a London couple who had experienced the horrors of the blitz, the quaint West Dorset cottage was idyllic.

Year after year, Mr and Mrs Thomas Bradshaw made the pilgrimage to the peaceful holiday home in Loders, and when the property came on the market they bought it without hesitation.

And on Saturday, some 13 years after moving to the cottage, No. 2, Yandover, the couple celebrated their golden wedding.

VISITOR: A figure in dark glasses, wandering around the Church of England's Children's Society sale at Melplash on Saturday afternoon was recognised by Wanderer as Mr Robert Robinson who conducts the 'Points of View' feature on BBC television.

BIRTHDAY: Over 80 people attended the first birthday of the Bridport Evening Townswomen's Guild held at the Bridport County Primary School.

Among the guests were visiting guilds from Weymouth, Crewkerne and Dorchester.