Region moves up the league of gentlemen

From the Echo, first published Saturday 18th Oct 2003.

SINGLE women on the hunt for a man should turn their back on dating agencies in favour of moving to North Dorset to further their chances.

New research has revealed the district has 29 per cent more men than women, putting it fifth highest on the league table of places around the country where men outnumber women.

The news could lead to an influx of Bridget Jones style singletons everywhere as nationally females in their twenties outnumber men of the same age by 81,300 in England and Wales.

Happily married Della Jones, chairman of North Dorset District Council, said: "It's lovely - I feel very fortunate to have all these men around me.

"But it's also a wonderful opportunity to show some women power because you know what men are like - they need mollycoddling so the women have to show how determined they are."

The figures could be part explained by Blandford Camp where 4,000 troops, students and military staff work.

Spokesman for the camp Major Peter McComas said: "We have around 4,000 people working in the camp and around 2,000 people living on camp but that includes all the families and children.

"We are getting bigger - people don't realise how big the camp is as we are tucked out of sight but really we are quite a substantial settlement, certainly more than a village."

North Dorset has also seen some of the highest migration figures in recent years with huge influxes of people moving to places such as Gillingham, dubbed the fastest growing town in Britain.

The research by community website upmystreet.com showed the top five places for men were Richmond, North Yorkshire with 53 per cent more than women, Bridgnorth in Shropshire with 45.3 per cent, Rutland with 44.6 per cent, Isles of Scilly with 33 per cent and North Dorset with 29 per cent.

For places with more women, Knowsley in Merseyside came top with 12.3 per cent more women than men, Hackney in London with 12.1 per cent, Wandsworth in London with 11.2 per cent, the Wirral with 9.6 per cent and Liverpool with 9.5 per cent.

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