25 YEARS AGO

JULY 29, 1994

AWARD-WINNING: Burton Bradstock's Bridge Cottage Stores has been voted the best village shop in Dorset. Run by Sandra and Geoff Payne, the business picked up the county title in Woman and Home magazine's village shop of the year competition.

BEAR ON THE LOOSE: Beaminster residents were astonished to see Paddington Bear in the town's streets on one of the hottest days of the year. Hidden under the furry guise was Mike Lister, rattling a collecting box on behalf of the Action Research for Children Association, whose mascot is the famous Peruvian bear.

HEARTTHROB HUGH: British film heartthrob Hugh Grant and traditional East End pearly kings and queens are being brought together in the grounds of historic Forde Abbey, near Chard, for a summer fair extravaganza next Thursday. Organisers hope an auction of photographs of Hugh Grant and other stars, taken during filming at the stately home earlier this summer, along with a host of entertainment for all the family, will raise many thousands of pounds for the Children's Society and the Dorset Hospice.

50 YEARS AGO

JULY 25, 1969

FESTIVAL DEBUT: It is doubtful whether a better opening to the first-ever Bridport Arts Festival could have been devised. Shakespeare in an English country garden in the mellow light of a summer's evening provided a wonderful setting and atmosphere for the audience who snapped up all the available tickets in the last few hours before curtain rise.

SHOW DAY: The Woodroffe School, Lyme Regis, rapidly becoming one of the principal educational establishments in the South-West, went on show again on Thursday last week. In brilliant sunshine, the school was thronged with parents and friends for the junior speech day, a fete, a gymnastic display and an open-air play. The day was brought to a close with a gran summer dance in the school hall.

IN WITH ROYALS: The Mayor and Mayoress (Councillor and Mrs Alex Richards) attended the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace last week. They were among 3,000 of Her Majesty's guests.