Hampshire & Isle of Wight weekly round-up: 2 March - 8 March 2024

Stories about a huge fire near Southampton's football stadium were among our most read this week in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight.

A variety of local issues featured on the BBC News website, BBC Radio Solent and South Today.

We have picked five stories to keep you up to date.

Huge fire near stadium cancels match

The aftermath of the building ravaged by fire on Wednesday

A major fire near Southampton's St Mary's Stadium resulted in their Championship match against Preston being called off.

A smoke plume coming from industrial units on Marine Parade could be seen from miles around on Wednesday afternoon.

One person was treated for the effects of breathing in smoke but there were no other injuries reported by the ambulance service.

Dementia debit card secures Dragons' Den cash

Dragon Sara Davies with Sibstar founders Jayne Sibley and Martin Orton

A business owner has secured £125,000 on Dragons' Den for her debit card and mobile app for people with dementia.

Jayne Sibley, from Winchester, created Sibstar while caring for her parents, who were both diagnosed with the disease.

The card and app allows families to safely manage everyday spending and was launched in March 2023

Grey seal spits water at eagle in unusual battle

Experts have said interactions between these two species have so far not been reported

A grey seal has been seen spitting a jet of water at an eagle in what experts have called a unique exchange.

The event, from January 2022, was captured by a birdwatcher at Newtown Harbour on the Isle of Wight.

University of Portsmouth palaeontologist Megan Jacobs said in a new study this was the predators' first recorded interaction.

Ash dieback disease costing councils millions

Dr Cecilia Dahlsjö is part of a research team in Oxfordshire monitoring the spread of ash dieback

An airborne tree fungus is costing local authorities across the south of England millions of pounds.

A Freedom of Information request by the BBC has revealed the financial impact of ash dieback.

The disease was first detected in the UK in 2012 and Hampshire County Council confirmed it had spent more than £3m removing 15,000 trees.

Man survives falling hundreds of feet down cliff

The incident happened near Milford-on-Sea at about 14:30 GMT on Thursday

A 67-year-old man has survived after plunging about 330ft (100m) down a cliff.

Emergency services responded to the fall near Milford-on-Sea at about 14:30 GMT on Thursday.

The man, who had been walking on a coastal path, landed on soft mud and suffered an ankle injury..

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