Bournemouth Air Festival

Bournemouth Air Festival drew to a close yesterday afternoon with organisers claiming more than 1.25 million people attended over its four days.
The displays reached a climax yesterday afternoon with the Avro Vulcan, the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Red Arrows rounding off the weekend.
The dates for next year's event have already been announced - August 19-22, 2010.

Air Festival Fireworks Disappoint

Bournemouth Air Festival began yesterday, although high winds hampered some of the events.

The biggest welcome by far was for the Vulcan bomber, which gave a short display en-route to Dawlish where it flew with the Red Arrows. The Cold War aircraft is the last flying example and has been beset with technical problems at previous air shows.

The biggest disappointment, however, was with the evening's fireworks.
Billed as a record-breaking 'Roar on the Shore', organisers promised more than 100,000 fireworks in under 60 seconds.

Thousands flocked to the beach to see the display, causing tailbacks and queues just about everywhere. Many never made it to the seafront and were stranded in traffic jams until well after the event.

At 9.40pm, after the initial fireworks display, viewers stood disappointed, thinking they had already seen the record attempt.

A few seconds later a second barge suddenly erupted in a hail of rockets before catching fire within a matter of seconds. The blaze was quickly extinguished to the sound of boos coming from the packed beach.

As people queued to leave the undercliff, another display began in Poole, prompting many despondent revellers to pause and watch before making their way home.

Bournemouth Borough Council hailed the event a success, saying the 110,000 fireworks were let off in less than 10 seconds.

Jon Culverhouse, managing director of Fantastic Fireworks, who organised the display, said: "We are as astonished as everyone else that the fireworks went off so quickly, but we are of course delighted that we have claimed a new world record.

"It was always our aim to get the rockets up in the shortest possible time in order to claim the record but we didn't expect them to go up in 6.5 seconds."

Peregrine falcons attend college

This is a rather blurry image of one of the peregrine falcons that took up residence in the clock tower above Bournemouth and Poole College in Lansdowne.

Workers in Royal London House, opposite the college, enjoyed a birds eye view of the avian des res.
One member of staff at Bournemouth University, which occupies Royal London House, said she had seen the falcons catch other birds, including pigeons, in mid-flight and dismember them on the stone lintels surrounding the bell tower.
The birds, which sit in the uppermost section of the tower, cannot be easily seen from street level.

Photo by Roz Tappenden.

Free bus - But is it Pokesdown or Boscombe?

Travellers to the recently renamed Pokesdown for Boscombe Station can now catch a free shuttle bus to the beach.
The Shoreline bus service, which launched on Saturday, is free to rail ticket holders to Bournemouth or Pokesdown for Boscombe or to anyone using the long-stay car park behind Boscombe Sainsbury's in Hawkwood Road.
Pokesdown for Boscombe Station opened in 1886 and was originally called Boscombe until another station of the same name was opened in Ashley Road 11 years later.
The Ashley Road Boscombe Station was shut down in 1965 following the Beeching Report, which drastically reduced the size of the country's rail network, but Pokesdown Station was not renamed until May this year.
The local Liberal Democrat group has included plans in its manifesto to reopen the Ashley Road stop as part of Boscombe's regeneration but the proposals were branded "too expensive" following a study by Bournemouth's head of planning and transport.
The shuttle bus will ferry holidaymakers and daytrippers to the beach every day until September. At weekends it will also pick up and drop off passengers at the Littledown Centre in Chaseside.
Fare paying passengers and concessionary pass holders can also use the service, which is partly funded by South West Trains.

Beach huts destroyed by arsonists

There was more misery for beach hut owners yesterday when arsonists torched a row of huts just yards from Bournemouth Pier.
One building was completely destroyed and two others were burned beyond repair in last night's blaze.
Firefighters from Dorset Fire and Rescue Service were called to the site at 2.20am.
The burning huts were on Undercliff Drive between Bournemouth and Boscombe piers near to Harry Ramsden's restaurant.
Today the site remained fenced off and a sign posted by Dorset Police read: "Due to an act of vandalism, three neach huts were burnt down last night.
"The site will be cleared once the scene has been fully investigated by the police.
"We apologise for any inconvenience in the meantime."
Investigators believe the blaze was started deliberately.
Two further beach huts suffered damage in the fire, which also burned shrubs on the cliffs above.
In February five luxury beach huts were destroyed by arsonists at Mudeford Spit, near Christchurch.
Watch the video about the Mudeford Spit beach blaze below.

High demand for surf pods

More than 400 people have registered interest in just 59 'surf pods' in Boscombe's Overstrand building within days of the price tags being announced.
Estate agent Savills announced the price of single units at £64,995 and £89,995 for a double.
The 1950s building has been refurbished under the direction designers of Wayne and Geraldine Hemmingway. It originally contained 72 single beach huts but around half of them have been combined to create larger units. Many have balconies overlooking the beach at the surf reef construction site.
Wayne Hemmingway said: "The Overstrand excites us both as designers, and as people interested in seaside regeneration. It’s the restoration of a cool, historic building. With the great work being done on the Pier and Europe’s first artificial surf reef, Boscombe is about to become big news."
The surf pods are nearing completion but only half will be offered for sale. The remainder will be available to rent through Bournemouth Borough Council.
Savills is organising a sales event for the surf pods on May 15.

Surf reef delayed until 2009

Construction of Boscombe's surf reef will not be completed by New Year as expected.
Bad weather and heavy swells has already hampered New Zealand contractor ASR and the company has conceded that conditions will only get worse as winter draws in.
Bournemouth Borough Council is currently in negotiations over a new target date for the reef's completion. Engineers need to wait for several consecutive days of calm weather before work can recommence.

Paragliding along the seafront

I saw this person from my living room window paragliding along the clifftop past Boscombe towards Bournemouth. According to the Wessex Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club website, paragliders are allowed to fly along this stretch of the seafront provided they inform Bournemouth Air Traffic Control.

Boscombe surf reef

The first section of an artificial surf reef was laid near Boscombe Pier at the end of August. The reef, designed to improve conditions for surfers, is the first of its kind in the northern hemisphere. This video, by www.hallmarkproductions.com, shows how it is made.
Work has been delayed by strong winds and heavy swells so engineers have amended the plans by dividing the second section of the reef in two. This should allow them to complete the next stage sooner, instead of waiting for several consecutive days of good weather.

Government funding to restore town's pride

The town centre at Boscombe could benefit from nearly half a million pounds of funding from central Government.
The area has been awarded £455,000 as part of the Government's Sea Change programme, run by the Commision for Architecture and Built Environment, which aims to link heritage and culture while restoring pride in the community.
Suggestions about how to spend the money include illuminations along Sea Road, accessible beach huts designed by local artists and improved wheelchair access on the seafront.
The money was secured by Bournemouth Borough Council and the improvements will be rolled out over the coming year.

Is Boscombe The New Sandbanks?

BBC Hampshire discusses whether Boscombe will become the new Sandbanks when the surf reef is finished.
Click here to listen.