Winter sunsets on the way

With just ten days to go before the clocks go back, winter is definitely just around the corner. On the plus side, the sunsets and sunrises from Boscombe get more spectacular as the days get shorter.
As sun the sun gradually moves south, it creates a breathtaking show over the Isle of Wight in the morning and over the Purbeck hills in the evening - and you won't have to be awake at a ridiculous hour to see it.

Beach hut design winner announced

The winner of the Boscombe beach hut competition has been chosen.
The winning design, inspired by a beach windbreak, was submitted by architects in Brighton and Hove.
Peter Francis Lewis of Brighton based design consultancy AEREA worked with ABIR Architects to beat 173 entries.
The design, called 'The Seagull and the Windbreak', has echoes of two sights commonly associated with the seaside.
Designer Peter Francis Lewis said: "The seagull is represented by the canopy roof, each wing covering a pair of semi-detached beach huts. The curved horizontal bands of the exterior take their cue from the classic windbreak."
The four accessible beach huts can each accommodate up to four wheelchair users and include facilities such as adjustable height kitchen units.
The huts, which are due to open next summer, will be built west of Boscombe pier, near Coasters restaurant.

Sports events bring beach alive

Boscombe beach was buzzing with friendly rivalry this weekend as a lifeguard contest shared the sand with football tournaments, volleyball and surfing activities.
The European Inshore Rescue Boat Championships, which continues tomorrow, drew the bigger crowd.
Crews from around Britain, Denmark and Germany showed off their lifesaving skills by racing to rescue volunteers from the water.
Meanwhile, teams competed in five-a-side football, beach volleyball and on a 70m inflatable assault course brought in by the Army.
Other events included a free African drumming workshop and sumo wrestling ring.
You may also have been forgiven for thinking a pod of dolphins were washed up on Boscombe Beach, just days after Gilbert the whale met an undignified end. The dolphins were, in fact, part of a sand sculpture competition. By the end of Saturday, dozens of the animals could be seen leaping from the sand.
The events were all part of the Boscombe Beach Fest, organised by the Citizens Advice Bureau, Sport England, Bournemouth Borough Council and the 2012 Legacy Project.

Underground market closes

Stallholders at Boscombe's indoor market, Boscombe Underground, were packing up for the last time today as the venture became the latest victim of the recession.
The market, on the corner of Adeline Road and Christchurch Road, opened just three months ago. But the stalls selling vintage clothing, records, goth clothing, art, crafts and incense did not attract enough customers and several stallholders decided to pull out.
A notice on the window today read: "To our lovely customers - thank you for your support over the last few months.
"If you wish to see us, we have now opened independently. Bunty's Beads, now at Unit 3, Roumelia Lane (opposite); Deco Vintage, Pokesdown (check us out on Facebook); Fairtrade, Pokesdown (near Deco); Armour Gothic/Horror, Winton High Street.
"Goodbye from all of us. We've enjoyed every day."
The closure is the latest to hit Boscombe traders. The Reef Indian and Pizza restaurant on the same block was recently reposessed by agents Terra Firma who, in a public notice, cited non-payment of rent. Chains such as Woolworths and Rosebys have also disappeared from the High Street.

Musicians bring Boscombe together

The weather was on the side of Boscombe musician Theone Coleman for Sunday's Bourne 2 Stand Out music event in Boscombe Chine Gardens.
Dozens of musicians and live acts took part in the mini festival in the sunshine and hundreds more residents, young and old, came along to watch.
There are already plans for another event next year. Theone said: "The council said they want us to do it again. It was hard work to put together but we now have a whole year to plan the next one."
Theone, 24, launched Bourne 2 Stand Out - a community music project - with the help of the Princes Trust. It has since developed into a band who try to break down barriers in the community. Sunday's gig was supported by ITV Fixers.
Theone's aim of using music to heal social ills stemmed from his time in prison. You can find out more about Theone's story on ITV regional news next Wednesday, September 30.

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."