25 YEARS AGO:

October, 8 1993

BREW UP: Coffee mornings run by firms and organisations in West Dorset have helped raise more than £1 million for the Macmillan Nurse Appeal.

The cash was raised as part of the national charity's world's biggest coffee morning, sponsored by instant coffee makers Lyons Signature.

NEW BORN: A young Askerswell man helped deliver his own son while reading instructions from a parent craft book borrowed from Bridport Library.

It happened when Rebecca Hilton realised that her baby was going to arrive before medical help could reach the remote converted barn where she and her partner, Adrian Beckingham, live.

Twenty-five year-old Adrian said: "I didn't really believe it was really going to happen ten minutes before.

"But suddenly there was the top of his head and the next thing we knew he was being born."

HIGH NOTE: Recorder players performed a piece of specially written music when their musical director retired after 13 years.

Members of the West Dorset Society of Recorder Players secretly rehearsed a suite in six movements dedicated to Gordon Watson (73) of Berne Lane, Charmouth.

50 YEARS AGO:

October, 4 1968

RECREATION: If, on passing through Broadwindsor on Saturday night, you had seen Cavaliers and Roundheads and heard the thud of hooves you would not have been the victim of hallucinations induced by creatures from outer space or by legendary ghosts.

The riders were real enough and so were the costumes and the horses.

Those wigs and knee-breeches had replaced the normal garments of villagers, who were reenacting scenes associated with King Charles through West Dorset after the battle of Worcester.

BEST EVER: Weather-hit Lyme Regatta made a profit of only £50 or so after a record outlay of over £700.

The 1968 event, acclaimed by most as one of the town's best ever efforts, cost a great deal more to present this year because a conscious effort was made to made the Regatta more appealing.

REUNION: Charmouth Church Hall was the venue for an unusual 'get together'.

Seventeen of the Seventh Bristol Scout Troop made the trip to the village for a reunion.

This troop was formed in April 1909 and they were all 'boys' who served under Mr R Pavey, of the Well Head, Charmouth.