Image source, Google

A block of flats in Dorchester which has been empty for almost three years will provide a home for adults with learning difficulties.

The Coburg Court building, which has eleven flats, was last used by NHS staff.

Local councillors have welcomed the decision for the building to be taken over by East Borough Housing Trust.

Dorset County Council stepped in to broker the deal and will buy the property and then immediately transfer it to the housing association, which already runs a home for people with learning difficulties next door.

Police are investigating a report of a laser strike on a military helicopter.

An RAF Puma helicopter was flying over Wantage late on 18 October when it's thought a laser was shone at the aircraft from the area of Wasbrough Avenue.

Thames Valley Police said the crew took "avoidance action" and were able to continue with the flight.

Sgt Mark Smith: “This is a dangerous act which could have seriously endangered the aircraft."

Alex Lewis from Stockbridge, Hampshire, was diagnosed with a Strep A infection in 2013 which developed into blood poisoning.

It led to the loss of all his limbs and the infection ravaged his face. But he is now hoping to climb one of Africa's tallest mountains, Ras Dashen in Ethiopia.

There was a rather unusual animal rescue for Dorset firefighters overnight when this fox got its paws stuck in a fence.

South Western Main Line services into London Waterloo station are "severely" disrupted by a fault.

Women in Games (WIGJ) is an organisation that promotes female talent in a male-dominated industry.

Image source, Family handout

The mother of a teenage girl found stabbed to death in woodland has paid tribute to her daughter on what would have been her 14th birthday.

Lucy McHugh, 13, was found in July near Southampton Sports Centre. No-one has been charged with her murder.

Stacey White said her daughter's birthday should have been "filled with presents, balloons, cakes and a party".

The Environment Agency moves in to clear up giant fly-tip site in Havant.

Hampshire County Council has sent a plea to Westminster to help fund vital bridge works, having spent almost all of its £10m repair budget on the first phase of the scheme.

County chiefs last month agreed £8.4m plans to strengthen one of the four bridges which make up Redbridge Causeway.

But now county council leader Roy Perry has called on the government to help cover the £25m overall cost of repairing the 50-year-old link between Southampton to Totton.

Image source, Peter Facey

The project shows the location over 1,100 ships lying on the seabed off the south coast.

Paul Clifton
Transport correspondent, BBC South Today

The railway line between Woking and Clapham has reopened fully following the earlier signal failure.

But it will take the rest of the day for services to return to anything like the planned service.

A cable connecting signals in the Woking area broke and has now been replaced.

All trains on the South Western Main Line (from Weymouth and Southampton), the Portsmouth main line (through Guildford) and the line from Exeter (via Salisbury) pass through this stretch of track.

Because of a RMT strike, the numbers of trains operating is lower than normal today.

A man has been arrested after a woman was raped in Swanage in the early hours of Sunday.

Dorset Police said a local woman aged in her 20s reported that she was in the company of a man she had met earlier that night in Bar One in the High Street and was later attacked on an area of grass in the town.

A 28-year-old man was held on suspicion of rape and released while inquiries continue.

An update on the lines affected by the major fault with the signalling systems at Waterloo:

• Alton, Basingstoke and Woking to London Waterloo
• Exeter St David's, Bristol Temple Meads and Salisbury to London Waterloo
• Portsmouth Harbour to London Waterloo via Guildford/Basingstoke
• Weymouth, Bournemouth and Southampton to London Waterloo
• Dorking to London Waterloo
• Guildford to London Waterloo via Epsom/Stoke d'Abernon
• Trains between Salisbury and London Waterloo will start and terminate at Basingstoke
• Trains are not calling at Walton-on-Thames, Esher or Hersham

Disability consultant Robert Droy chaired national conferences and met with David Cameron.

A taxi driver has been robbed at knife point in Hedge End near Southampton.

Hampshire police said the driver was attacked after he picked up three men from Wickham Road in Fareham during the early hours of Monday.

When they arrived at Grange Road in Hedge End he was threatened with a blade and had cash stolen.

Police have appealed for witnesses.

This is the scene at Basingstoke station this morning as a major signalling fault continues to affect services on the South Western Main Line.

Network Rail said the signal failure was affecting all lines between Woking and Surbiton, meaning trains are unable to run on this line through to London Waterloo.

Trains between Salisbury and London Waterloo will start and terminate at Basingstoke, it added.

As Halloween looms, people have been out taking their pick of a bumper crop of pumpkins.

A scheme has been launched to help first time buyers get on to the property ladder in Winchester.

The city council is putting £4.5m into the My Home scheme.

Under the scheme, the local authority buys a house outright on the buyer's behalf. In turn, the buyer leases between a 50% and 70% share from the council, paying a monthly rent on the share they don’t own.