25 YEARS AGO

AUGUST 19, 1994

COLOURFUL CARNIVAL: Thousands of revellers are expected to throng the streets of Bridport tomorrow evening for the town's annual carnival parade. Spectacular floats, bands, walking groups and majorette troupes will form just part of the procession.

CLEARING UP: Young volunteers have cleared a mile of pathway leading out of West Milton. Brambles and nettles were forced away as the teenagers set about totting up the 15 hours' community service needed to gain the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award. It is now possible to walk or ride along the old parish road from Leigh Gate to Ridgeback Lane without being hampered by unruly vegetation.

SEALIFE HAVEN: Numerous harbour porpoises and more than 30 species of seabird have been spotted in Lyme Bay in the first seven months of an environment survey being done for Kerr-McGee Oil and two other companies. They are monitoring tides and currents, weather conditions and the physical characteristics of the seabed and sediment, and finding out how much oil pollution there is already.

50 YEARS AGO

AUGUST 15, 1969

MINK AT LARGE: A family of mink has been discovered on the River Char at Whitechurch Canonicorum. Nine large animals and some babies have been seen recently by Mr E. J. Larcombe. Mr Larcombe said that he had been fishing with his nephew when they saw what they thought to be very large water rats. The animals, which can do untold damage, are very vicious and will attack if provoked.

TOP OF THE TOWN: Beaminster Youth Centre have won the area final of the Topple the Town competition. Before a crowd of hundreds of holidaymakers on Weymouth sands last week they triumphed over teams from Weymouth, Sturminster Newton and Swanage in a series of slapstick obstacle games. They will now compete in the semi-finals at Southsea on August 23.

ROWING TO VICTORY: A crew from 1st West Bay Sea Scouts beat two other units in rowing races during their annual camp at the National Scouts Boating Activity Centre, on the Thames, near Marlow. The Sea Scouts won by 100 yards.