Weekly round-up: Five stories you may have missed

A story about a thief who was jailed for stealing almost 800 Creme Eggs was among our most read stories this week in the south.

We have picked five stories from the week across Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Dorset, Berkshire and Oxfordshire to keep you up to date.

Poole paddleboarders' 'jackpot' encounter with dolphins

A paddleboarder who spent an hour on the water with three dolphins has described the encounter as "like winning the jackpot".

Ben Felton and his friend Nick Woods, both from Bournemouth, were enjoying the water off Branksome, Poole, when they were joined by the small pod.

It appeared to be an adult dolphin - possibly a female - and her two calves, Mr Felton said.

Thief who stole almost 800 Creme Eggs jailed

A shoplifter who stole 798 Cadbury's Creme Eggs has been jailed for eight months.

Portsmouth Magistrates' Court heard on Friday that Layton Richards, 29, from Brownlow Close in Portsmouth, had been charged with 24 shoplifting offences in Hampshire, Dorset and West Sussex.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said he had stolen the chocolate between 6 January and 18 April.

Oxford chosen to help lead quantum computing research

The funding will pay for five research hubs, the government said

Oxford University has been chosen to lead one of five new research hubs to develop quantum technologies.

The government announced £100m of funding for five research hubs to deliver breakthroughs in healthcare, cybersecurity and transport.

The Hub for Quantum Computing is led by the University of Oxford.

Major road shut after car melts into carriageway

The road surface was damaged by intense heat, National Highways said

A major road was closed after a fire caused a car to melt into the carriageway.

Police and fire services were called at 23:30 BST on Saturday to the A34 near Chieveley, Berkshire.

The northbound carriageway reopened at about 18:00 after the road was resurfaced, National Highways said.

Residents call drone delivery site 'inappropriate'

An Inteliports drone which will trial deliveries to the Isle of Wight until February 2025

Islanders have labelled the site of a new drone delivery trial as "inappropriate"

Drones delivering goods are set to fly up to six flights a day to and from Mornington Road carpark, on the Isle of Wight.

The carpark will be closed during the scheme.

The trial, approved by the Isle of Wight council and carried out by Inteliports, begins on 7 August and ends on 7 February.