Our beaches are among the best
A survey by travel website Trip Advisor puts west country beaches in the top ten in the UK and Europe
A survey by travel website Trip Advisor puts west country beaches in the top ten in the UK and Europe
A totem pole spotted in a Dorset farmhouse has sold for £19,000 at auction in Dorchester. It was being used as a coat stand.
The charity insists that it's back to business as normal, despite the on-going row with its founder.
A yachting boss and senior London 2012 executive has pulled out of an honours ceremony at Buckingham Palace today following the death of Olympic gold medal-winning sailor Andrew Simpson.
Sir Keith Mills, the deputy chairman of Locog (London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games) was due to be made a Knight Grand Cross - the highest grade of knighthood.
A London 2012 spokesman said: "We are all deeply saddened by the news of Andrew's death and, as a result of this tragic accident, Sir Keith will no longer be attending his investiture at Buckingham Palace today."
The National Sailing Academy is commemorating the life of the Dorset sailor Andrew Simpson. 'Bart' as his friends called him, was killed in an accident during a training exercise for the Americas' Cup on Thursday.
The tribute on the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy website reads:
"A profound loss to the sailing world. Bart Simpson was a true British Olympic sailor showing huge grit and determination throughout his life.
"A success on and off the water Bart was a family man and always a celebrated team player.
"Greatly admired around the world, the global sailing fraternity has lost a true gentleman. Our thoughts are with his friends and family.".
This footage from the America's Cup official website illustrates just how challenging it can be to sail the boats taking part in the America's Cup series. It's the oldest sporting event in the world, having taking place off the Isle of Wight for the first time in 1851.
The type of craft Andrew Simpson was sailing on is the new AC72 super catamaran. It is 72 feet long and powered by a huge wingsail. This design of yachts are contesting the America's Cup for the first time. They are faster and harder to sail than the monohulls used in previous contests.
The catamarans needly a highly skilled sailing team to keep the power under control. In the choppy waters of San Francisco bay the crew have to try to stop the catamaran's pitch-polling. This happens when the bow digs into a wave and the yachts tip over.
Dame Kelly Holmes has paid tribute to sailor Andrew Simpson.
My thoughts go out to Britain's Andrew Simpson,winner of Olympic Gold in 2008,Silver 2012 who died trg for America's Cup in San Francisco.
From @damekellyholmes on Twitter:– William Hague, Foreign Secretary, via TwitterSaddened by death of Olympic sailor Andrew Simpson. My thoughts are with his family and team mates at this tragic time."
– HARRIET HARMAN, DEPUTY LABOUR LEADER AND SHADOW SPORTS SECRETARY, VIA TWITTERSuch sad news about Andrew Simpson. My thoughts are with his family, friends and all @BritishSailing."
Members of Team GB have paid tribute to Andrew Simpson, who died after his yacht capsized off the California coast during training for the America's Cup race.
Long jump gold medallist Greg Rutherford said that Simpson was a "true gent".
So sad to hear the news about Andrew Simpson! My thoughts are with his family and friends!
From @bethtweddlenews on Twitter:Waking up to hear the tragic news about Andrew Simpson. So very sad, a true gent. my heart goes out to his family.
From @GregJRutherford on Twitter:So sad to hear about the tragic death of Andrew Simpson. Such an incredible guy. Thoughts are with the whole of the @britishsailing family x
From @Helenglovergb on Twitter:Former America's Cup sailor Andy Green has said that Andrew Simpson was questioning whether he wanted to continue sailing.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Green said: "He was questioning whether he wanted to continue sailing, but because his friend Iain Percy was at Artemis he went over there in February and started racing with them as a valuable asset.
"He will be sorely missed by them.
"It's particularly poignant for a British audience that this tragedy has happened because of his history in the Olympics, but I can only hope that Britain goes on to get involved in the America's Cup and win it back, with this very firmly in mind."
Members of the sailing community have paid tribute to Andrew Simpson today.
The British Sonar Sailing Team describing him as "a true sailing legend".
Devastated by the news from Artemis racing... Our thoughts and prayers go out to Bart's family and team, a true sailing legend...
From @BritishSonar on Twitter:A tremendously sad day for the sport of sailing. Our thoughts are with the family of Olympic Champion Andrew Simpson, and Artemis Racing.
From @USSailingTeam on Twitter:This is terrible. Andrew "Bart" Simpson was one of the nicest guys in sailing. My thoughts are with his family. RIP.
From @Williams_Racing on Twitter:
Double Olympic sailing champion Andrew 'Bart' Simpson, 36, had been sailing on the Artemis, Sweden's entry in the America's Cup, when the catamaran capsized, according to a statement for the team posted on the Artemis racing website.
Andrew 'Bart' Simpson, 36, won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and silver in last year's Games in London, both in the Star class.
Born in Chertsey, Surrey, he started sailing at the age of six with his father in Christchurch, Dorset, according to Tyler Sports Management.
Nicknamed Bart, he was awarded an MBE in the 2009 New Year Honours list.
A Foreign Office spokesman said it was aware of reports of the death of a British citizen and had contacted its counterparts in the United States.