THE SOUTH's farmers are set to form the country's biggest agricultural combine if plans for a merger between Winchester-based SCATS, the Southern Counties Agricultural Trading Society, and Midlands-based Countrywide Farmers goes ahead. The two are in
SMALL businesses in Southampton are being given the chance to stay at the forefront of the electronic revolution with a one-stop source for banking and on-line services. Bank of Scotland has teamed up with BT to offer a tailored package of e-business
SMARTConsulting, the Southampton-based business process consultancy, has launched a joint venture with the London IT services group, First Stop Computer Group as part of its expansion plans. The new alliance means that SMARTConsulting will be able to
A MILKMAN has been reunited with his false teeth - after they were stolen along with his cheese butties from his float. Ken Ratcliffe, 58, only puts his false teeth in his mouth when dealing with customers as he pops pintas on doorsteps. The rest of the
SOME of Saints all-time stars turned out at Southampton Guildhall last night to support old team-mate David Armstrong. The midfielder from Durham, who joined Saints for a club record of £600,000 and went on to play a powerful role in creating one of the
VILLAGERS and parish councillors at Wickham are gearing up to stop heavy lorries trundling along a narrow country lane to reach the Knowle Hospital redevelopment site. They have expressed concern that lorries could use Mayles Lane during major construction
FAREHAM residents are to be given some useful information on the proper way to dispose of household waste. A concerned borough councillor believes householders are not taking full advantage of the recycling boxes they have been provided with - instead
SHANE WARNE touched down this morning to light the blue touch paper to English cricket and at the same time presented Hampshire with a clean bill of health. The biggest name in world cricket arrived for his season with Hampshire, and declared himself
ENGLAND coach and former Saints ace Kevin Keegan paid tribute last night to his international predecessor and current Dell boss Glenn Hoddle. Keegan (above), who was speaking at a benefit dinner for former Saints star Dave Armstrong at the city's Guildhall
ANXIOUS Cherries star Steve Robinson faces a race against time to prove his fitness after receiving a surprise call-up by Northern Ireland. Robinson has been recalled by Sammy McIlroy for next week's international friendly against Hungary - despite currently
Graham Salmon made history on a Hampshire golf course when he became the first totally blind person to achieve the seemingly impossible feat of a hole in one. Now Romsey are set to enter the annals of English Blind Golf by staging a Ryder Cup style international
Warren Skelton plays more than the odd round of golf with European Tour campaigner Steve Richardson at their Lee-on-Solent Club base. And Skelton proved he has learned a trick or two from the former Ryder Cup player when the Hampshire Alliance of Amateur
Rob Edwards begins his defence of the Waltham Contractors Order of Merit title when the Hampshire PGA season opens up with the Barton-on-Sea Pro-Am on May 5. Former European Challenge Tour player Edwards topped the county rankings despite taking on the
DAVID Elsworth, who has plundered just about every major race in the National Hunt calendar and is no stranger to success on the Flat, has surprisingly never won an English Classic. He will be bidding to end that anomaly in the 2,000 Guineas in less than
PUPILS at Redbridge Community School in Southampton wowed audiences with their adaptation of musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. They belted out favourites including Any Dream Will Do - once a chart hit for singer Jason Donovan - in
ACTING sensation Amelia Morse will be flying the flag for Southampton this autumn when she represents the city at the millennium festival of amateur performing arts in Leeds. Amelia, 17, floored opposition at Southampton's festival of music and drama
Now is the time for sophisticated investors to lock in some of their profits, particularly from dot.com stocks, according to Bob Dawkins, head of investment products, Coutts Group. He continued: "Most sophisticated investors made their money by taking
In Port Today's Southampton arrivals: Autofreighter, vehicle carrier, 0700, 201; Pelander, vehicle carrier, 0730, 201/2; HSMS Navarra, military, 0800, 46; FNS Dupleix, military, 0900, 44; MM Euro, military, 0900, 46; NRP Berrio, military, 0900, 44; Kochnev
CANCER smear test laboratories in Southampton are set to benefit from a £3.9 million refurbishment to bring them up to national standards. Bosses at Southampton General Hospital have applied for the cash to completely transform the cellular pathology
ALRESFORD'S loyalty card is proving a hit with shoppers. All 3,000 cards originally printed have been snapped up. Now more of the unique SO24 cards, which give discounts and special deals in 31 shops and businesses in the town, have had to be produced
CHEFS on board luxury cruise liners are used to creating culinary delights for the most demanding of gourmets. And these Southampton guests knew exactly what they wanted - jelly, ice cream, plenty of crisps and piles of chips. Dozens of children from
TAKING over the books from Eastleigh's current head of finance Chris Malyon is Nick Tustian. Nick takes up his duties of running the borough's finances on July 3 after he moves from Southampton City Council where he is corporate accountancy manager. He
CONTROVERSIAL plans to build houses on the site of a former hostel have been given the go-ahead by Eastleigh planners. Bishopstoke, Fair Oak, and Horton Heath local area committee has cleared the way for the development of 11 large detached properties
A ROADSHOW which unveils Hampshire County Council's five-year transport plan moves on across the New Forest this week. Having already stopped off at Lyndhurst and Hythe, the show is at New Milton Library in the early part of this week and moves to Lymington
ONE of Hampshire's largest and most successful comprehensive schools has sparked controversy by charging parents of low-achieving pupils. A refundable deposit of up to £153 is being asked for - which will be lost if their child does not sit GCSEs this
KEITH HAMILTON looks through past editions of the Echo and reviews the issues which made the headlines. 50 Years Ago The gardens of Sir Robert Hobart at Orchard Hill, Old Bursledon, were being opened to the public to raise money for the Southampton branch
