Latest news with #LymeRegis
BBC News
a day ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Evacuation as gas leak in Lyme Regis prompts car explosion fear
Homes in part of Lyme Regis were evacuated after a gas main leaked beneath a parked car, leading to concerns the vehicle could services were called to Pound Street at about 20:50 BST on Tuesday where the pipe was found to be leaking beneath the and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service crews said the gas from the "ruptured" pipe had "vented into a car, creating a potential explosion risk".Residents were asked to leave their homes while the vehicle was moved, and were allowed to return at about 11:00 BST. In a Facebook post, Charmouth fire station, which attended alongside a crew from Bridport, said: "Crews evacuated the immediate area and gained entry into the vehicle."Fortunately it did not explode and we were able to vent the gas and move the vehicle so that the gas engineers could carry out repair work to the ruptured pipe." A fire service spokesperson added: "A small number of properties were evacuated to ensure resident safety." Simon Collins, spokesperson for gas company SGN, said engineers attended following reports of a smell of said: "We found a leak on a gas pipe running beneath the road, but were unable to access it due to a vehicle being parked in the way."As a precaution, we evacuated nearby properties while the emergency services removed the vehicle, which allowed us to stop the leak and make the area safe. "All residents were then allowed to return to their homes."We'd like to thank people for their patience while we worked to make this essential repair." You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
The Sun
17-07-2025
- The Sun
Travel influencers reveal their best UK holidays – cheap caravan parks, secret beaches… and overhyped places to avoid
When the sun comes out, there is no better place to cool off than on a stripy deckchair with a Mr Whippy and a sea breeze. However, chances are, half the country will think so, too. So how do you avoid being packed cheek-to-jowl on heaving beaches? 9 To find out, we asked seven top family travel influencers for their favourite off-the-beaten-track beach or the place they go to handle the heat, combat the crowds, and avoid the rush... Swap Lime Regis for Charmouth Lifestyle Influencer Chantelle Champs loves popular Lyme Regis in Dorset, but she takes her three girls to nearby Charmouth to go fossil hunting. She says: "We love finding new places to explore and a few years ago we booked a last minute break to Lyme Regis in Dorset. We had never been before but the trip was a hit and everyone loved it. We've ended up going back every year since. Dorset has a great coastline and there are so many different beaches to explore, you are not restricted to one area. This is great because in the school holidays, Lyme Regis is really popular, so you can easily go a bit further along the coast and find a quieter spot. Our favourite place is Charmouth Beach. It's beautiful and looks so much more natural and undiscovered than Lyme Regis itself. I love the beach, but I am not much of a sunbather and with three girls under 12, we like interesting places that keep us all occupied. Our favourite activity as a family is searching for fossils, which is really fun and costs absolutely nothing. It kept us all entertained all day. We usually find a few different pieces which we collect and take home as souvenirs. In between Lyme Regis and Charmouth is also the area of East Cliff. This is an old Victorian dump site. You can still find fossils here, but we also found the base of a ceramic pot from the Ritz London, which we all got very excited about. You can also see a statue of Mary Anning, who was one of the first female palaeontologists in the UK. She found her first fossils at the age of 12, so my girls know her story well. It's the most easy-going, laid back place to go in summer and we hardly spend any money. You can rent a little cottage close to the beach for less than £100 a night. It's one of our favourite UK holidays." 9 'Pay what you can' attractions Howey Ejegi, a digital creator at @howeydon and and dad from Dundee in Scotland, saves the beach for cooler days and heads to the Scottish Deer Centre with son, Jaivon (both pictured above) instead. He says: "Living on the Fife coast, we have some of the most beautiful beaches in Scotland a short drive from us. However, in summer, everyone has the same idea and they get really packed, with traffic jams and car parks all full. Aberdour Silver Sands is probably the most popular beach but we prefer to go in spring or autumn. It's not as hot, but sometimes we get the place almost to ourselves, so it feels like a secret beach. When it starts to get busy with locals and tourists, Jaivon and I prefer to head inland to the Scottish Deer Centre near Cupar. This wildlife park spans 55 acres and has 12 species of deer, wolves, otters, elk and bears. What's great about this place is that they have a 'pay as you please' admission, so guests pay what they can afford. It's a great incentive to encourage visitors from lower-income areas to experience the park without worrying about the admittance price. We love it. It's really educational and you can easily spend the whole day there, staying for lunch or bringing your own picnic. I know people head to the beach for a cheap day out in the school holidays, but this is our favourite local spot when the coast gets too crowded." 9 Quiet Cornwall in peak summer Lifestyle vlogger Kerry Whelpdale and her two energetic sons love to surf, but instead of hauling their boards to Newquay's busy Fistral Beach, they ride waves a bit further along the coast . She says: "We love surfing and there is no better place to do that than in Cornwall. However, everyone knows that Newquay is far too busy, especially in summer. Even if you are able to find a decent place to stay, it likely won't be cheap. We found a solution to this and not only is it a bargain, but we also often get the beach to ourselves first thing in the morning - and it never gets overcrowded. We stay at the Park Dean Newquay Holiday P a rk. It's just up the coast from the busy town of Newquay and ideally located to explore the whole area. Better still, Watergate Bay beach is walking distance from your accommodation - extra handy when you are carrying your own surf board! We booked a Glamping Pod for £100 a night for all four of us in the school holidays. The pods are so cute and we had our own kitchen to make lunch and dinner, which was so nice after an active day surfing. The resort itself has evening entertainment for families but we didn't even indulge last time. Everyone was so tired, we had pizza on the deck and chilled out in our pod until the next morning. If you have younger kids, it's absolutely ideal. There are three outdoor pools and a splash park with waterslides. For those who want to surf, the beach closest to the park is really quiet if you get up early to catch the first waves and I highly recommend it. It's definitely busier after lunch, but nowhere near the crowds that fill up the main beach in Newquay. It's a family favourite for us, but get in quick as the pods get booked up fast in the Easter and summer holidays." 9 Swap Brighton for Portsmouth Vicky Philpott from avoids busy Brighton and heads to the island city of Portsmouth with her family. She says: "When it's sunny, people flock to Brighton in East Sussex for a beach day, and I am always baffled why they don't think a little bit outside the box. We skip the crowds of Brighton Beach on a sunny day and head to Southsea Beach instead. It's just 1 hour and 30 minutes from London on the fast train and has such a chilled vibe. There's plenty of cool coffee shops and the charming Albert Road has lots of independent shops, too. It's just like Brighton, but quite a bit cheaper, you can get a coffee there for £2, whereas the going rate in Brighton is double that! On the beach there's always enough space to spread out without hordes of day-trippers. My toddler, Reggie, loves playing with stones on the big pebbly stretch and there's a little splash park on the seafront, as well as a park, zip line, golf and pedalo boats at Canoe Lake boating pond just over the road. The pier has rides and arcades and,, of course a great fish and chip shop too - although you'll pay a bit more to eat here (£13 for haddock and chips), considering the prime location. If you want to stretch out the afternoon, get an alfresco bistro table at Greek Cuisine Tony and you can enjoy £7.50 gyros on the pier - easily enough for two to share - while watching the paddleboarders and swimmers do their thing." 9 Secret beaches in picture-perfect nature reserves She says: "We live just outside of Reading, but rather than battle the crowds on the south coast during the summer months, we head to Norfolk instead. This is a very underrated coastline and home to some wonderful, endless beaches. Our best-kept secret is the Holme Dunes Nature Reserve. This stunning stretch is a little bit further off the beaten track than busy seaside towns like Sheringham and Cromer but it's perfectly unspoilt and a paradise for nature lovers. As well as thick fluffy sand, you can watch out for rare sightings of black-tailed godwit and ring ouzel. You won't have to battle for a place to pop down a towel, but do bring a cooler and snacks for everyone as there are no facilities on the beach. However, there is a fascinating visitor centre and cafe near the entrance, so if you have little ones, you're not too far from the real world. Parking is cheap and easy, too. Whilst not exactly a secret, we usually end the day at Wells-next-the-Sea. It's less busy at teatime and you can walk along the beach past the colourful beach huts. The beachfront cafe serves a big sourdough pizza for £12 and a tub of ice cream for £4.50. Enjoy both with your legs dangling over the sea wall." 9 Private paradise in hidden sandy coves Victoria Watts Kennedy from travel blog is known for exploring lesser-known places around the world. Here in the UK is no exception. She says: "Devon is beautiful but in the summer, the beaches and villages along the coast are some of the busiest in the UK. Instead of heading to popular Salcombe, we have a secret spot that we go to every year. Soar Mill Cove is a beautiful, isolated little bay, hidden along the rugged coast, just 15 minutes from Salcombe. It's the effort to get there that makes Soar Mill Cove so special. It's beautiful when viewed from the cliff, but take the mile-long path that winds down the headland and you'll find a golden, sandy beach. The tiny, sandy inlet, backed by magnificent cliffs, feels like your own personal paradise – and the journey to get there is all part of the fun, especially with kids. It's easy to park the car at the Soar Mill Cove Hotel at the top of the hill. Parking is only £5 for the day. If you want to splash the cash, the hotel is in a top location, but rooms start at £180. For a budget option, you can stay three nights at the Challaborough Bay Holiday Park for only £249. It's a 35-minute drive from Soar Mill Cove." 9 Ditch the busy south coast for the wild North East Macca Sherifi, from travel blog An Adventurous World, says the south coast gets all the hype but when he wants to escape with wife, Chloe, and two-year-old Cooper, they head north. He says: "When it comes to beach destinations, people always flock to the south coast, but the north of England has beautiful beaches too. I am firmly flying the flag for Durham and Northumberland in the north east. Take Seaham Beach, which on a bright and sunny day is absolutely gorgeous, with mile after mile of golden sands and craggy rock pools just waiting to be explored. My two-year-old loves searching for colourful sea glass, as well as the odd pebble. Seaham Beach is known for being one of the most colourful beaches in the UK for these colourful gems. It's an activity that is great for any age and I must admit, I enjoy the challenge too! We can be there for hours and spend next to nothing all day. If you venture a bit further down the coast, you can also see the Seaham Beach caves, which is ideal for teenagers or older kids. It really is a beautiful spot, and very close to Durham, which has very affordable hotels to base yourself in, meaning it's really good for anyone on a budget too."
Daily Mail
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Out of the blue! Moment kayaker has incredible encounter with cheeky dolphin
This is the stunning moment a kayaker has an incredible encounter with a cheeky dolphin after it jumped out of the water. Cameron Vere was paddling in the sea off Lyme Regis, Dorset, when the inquisitive mammal made a beeline for his small craft. Click to watch the video above.
The Sun
16-07-2025
- The Sun
Man, 71, charged after ‘exposing himself to groups of young women' in popular UK beach resort
A PENSIONER has been charged after he repeatedly exposed himself to groups of young women on a popular beach. The 71-year-old was arrested after police received a number of reports from beachgoers at Lyme Regis, Dorset, between April and June this year. 1 Dorset Police confirmed that the man had been charged with indecent exposure following a number of reports. In a statement, the force said: "A man has been charged and is due to appear at court in connection with a series of indecent exposure incidents in Lyme Regis. "Dorset Police received reports on Saturday 5 April, Saturday 10 May and Sunday 29 June 2025 that a man had exposed himself to groups of young women on Lyme Regis beach in Marine Parade. "Following a detailed investigation into these reports and a media appeal, a 71-year-old man from Cwmbran in South Wales has been arrested and subsequently charged with exposure offences." is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.
Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Moment dive-bombing seagulls attack beachgoers for their ice cream and fish and chips - as RSPCA urge victims to be kind to the aggressive birds
This is the moment seagulls dive-bombed on beachgoers for their ice cream and fish and chips - the day after the RSPCA launched a campaign urging people to be kind to them. The animal welfare charity said gulls were one of the most victimised and misunderstood wild bird species and described them as 'lovers not fighters'. However, visitors eating their lunch in Lyme Regis in Dorset may disagree with that message after coming under airborne attack from the aggressive birds. One man who was sitting on the sea wall eating an ice cream had the sweet treat ripped clean out of his hands by a hungry gull. A couple had to fend off 10 birds as they sat down at a table to tuck into their fish and chips. A group of women sunbathing on the beach resorted to using a flip-flop to shoo away as many as 27 seagulls who were after some discarded food in the sand and a man wafted a child's body board to scare them off. Lyme Regis is notoriously bad for aggressive seagulls dive-bombing tourists with food. One local resident said the birds were 'causing carnage'. John May said: 'There is carnage taking place on most sunny evenings these days. 'Visitors are being attacked and robbed. Children crying; distraught adults consumed with either shock or guilt at not being more vigilant.' Matt Yaxley, who runs Herbies Fish & Chips in the town, said: 'The seagulls are quite bad here. I have seen customers have their fish knocked out of their box by seagulls swooping down on them. 'It's tough luck really. We can't afford to replace fish for free. 'Any customer we serve we tell them they need to be really careful of the gulls and to keep their food close to them. 'We also tell them where the best places are to go and eat where they won't get bothered. 'The gulls are clever. They come in from behind you to knock the food out of your hand and the next thing 10 of them are there.' Several years ago, the local town council experimented by hiring two bald eagles in a bid to scare off seagulls that steal chips and ice creams from visitors. A group of women sunbathing on the beach resorted to using a flip-flop to shoo away as many as 27 seagulls who were after some discarded food in the sand Some tourism resorts have brought in by-laws making it an offence for people to feed gulls, with warning signs put up to reinforce the message. So-called gull-proof rubbish bins have also been used to stop them getting at food waste. But the RSPCA said seagulls were not attacking people, and insisted they were instead after their food. Geoff Edmond, the RSPCA's wildlife partnership manager, said: 'Many of us love seeing gulls gliding over the sea or town, or waddling around on the beach. 'But sadly not everyone is a fan. The RSPCA has launched its summer 'For Every Kind' campaign with some of our billboards declaring gulls are 'lovers not fighters' in a bid to make people think differently about these amazing birds. 'It's caused quite a reaction. Comments on social media have ranged from 'majestic', 'beautiful', 'survivors' to 'noisy thieves', and 'pure vermin'. 'But gulls are brilliant birds. They form lifelong bonds with their partners, they are attentive parents, they are intelligent, and are great at solving problems. 'Yet they are one of the most persecuted wild birds in this country. 'We receive a report about deliberate or extreme cruelty to a gull every three days and last year alone we had nearly 4,000 reports about gulls in need.'
