Weekly round

A 27-year-old man from Southampton who saw his newborn daughter for the first time after suffering a cardiac arrest and the happy ending for 'Britain's loneliest' dog have been among the most popular stories in the South.

In case you missed it, we have picked five articles from the past seven days across Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Dorset, Berkshire and Oxfordshire to keep you up to date.

Child star joins Strictly as professional dancer

Ingoldsby was crowned World Rising Star and Under 21 World Ballroom Champion [Tomasz Reindl]

A child star who played Annie in the West End musical will join four new professional dancers for Strictly's new line-up.

Maddie Ingoldsby, from Bournemouth, will join the celebrity dancing competition when it returns in September.

The UK National Ballroom Champion and eight-time Amateur 10-Dance World Champion made her television debut on Strictly: It Takes Two, and has also appeared in the hit film Last Christmas, starring Emma Thompson and Emilia Clarke.

She told the BBC: "Joining Strictly as a professional dancer is truly a dream come true. My heart is so full of gratitude, excitement, and anticipation as I begin this incredible new chapter."

Man wakes after cardiac arrest to see 'unbelievable' new baby

Sam King's wife, Emma, gave birth to their first child just four days after he nearly died of a cardiac arrest [Handout]

A dad has described the "unbelievable" moment he opened his eyes after suffering a cardiac arrest - and being placed in an induced coma - to see his newborn daughter's face for the first time.

When 27-year-old Sam King's heart stopped at home in Hedge End, near Southampton, he went two hours without a sustained heartbeat.

His survival is thanks to the actions of his wife, Emma, who was then 39 weeks pregnant, and a team of NHS staff, who continued treating Sam.

Since then, Sam has experienced a remarkable recovery, and said he first began to show signs he might pull through when he was shown his daughter, Sophie, for the first time, who was born four days after he almost died.

'Britain's loneliest' dog finds his forever home

Danny the greyhound spent more than 550 days at Battersea's Old Windsor centre [Battersea Dogs and Cats Home]

A dog dubbed "Britain's loneliest" after he spent more than 550 days at a rescue centre has found his forever home.

Greyhound Danny was repeatedly overlooked and spent 15 times longer than most dogs at the Battersea Old Windsor centre, in Berkshire.

When he first arrived, the ex-racing greyhound found aspects of the outside world frightening and he spent time in a foster home to get used to everyday life.

But, 16 months on, he is now living his best life after he captured the heart of his new owner, Sandra, who said: "It was heartbreaking, I could not stop thinking why this beautiful dog had not found a home. I felt an instant connection with him."

Truck Festival food stall closed after dozens report falling ill

Truck is Oxfordshire's largest music festival [Josh Collins/Truck Festival]

Oxfordshire's largest music festival has confirmed it was forced to shut down a food truck after people reported falling ill after consuming its meals.

Posts shared on social media documented dozens of people who reported falling ill after eating food from the Yorky Roast stall at Truck Festival over the weekend.

A spokesperson for the festival said it had closed the stall in question on Sunday, within 90 minutes of being notified of concerns by onsite medical teams.

The food vendor is operated by Event Mobile Catering Limited, which is based in Cardiff and was contacted for a comment by the BBC on Wednesday.

Campfire remains found at site of heathland fire

The fire is fully out at Headon Warren on the Isle of Wight [Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service]

Campfire remains have been discovered at the site of a large heathland fire that burned for five days on the Isle of Wight.

The blaze in Headon Warren, in the West Wight, has been fully extinguished, but people are still being urged to avoid the area.

About nine hectares (22.2 acres) of land, the equivalent of 12.6 football pitches, was burnt during the blaze, which the National Trust said damaged "a significant area of precious heathland".

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) said while the cause was currently unknown, firefighters found the remains of a campfire while tackling the incident.

Weekly round-up: Five stories you may have missed