Southend United player-coach Mick Gooding was thrilled with his fluent young side, despite their undeserved extra time blues in the Essex Senior Cup. Adrian Clarke, perhaps the player with most to prove, and Leon Johnson, possibly the one with most potential
A convicted killer who escaped from a mental hospital was today urged to give himself up. Philip Wilkinson, 53, was jailed for life in 1987 after he murdered his lover Mary Gidvani at their seaside home in Jaywick by stabbing her with a kitchen knife.
Bitterly-disappointed Brightlingsea have had their cup game with Needham Market called off by League officials. The Oystermen lead 5-3 after the first leg away but it has been alleged Needham used an ineligible player during the first leg last Saturday
Basildon's Brooke House has been listed as a building of national architectural importance. The stilted multi-storey now ranks among some of the country's finest works of architecture, alongside the Houses of Parliament and the Tower of London. It has
Forget the Regent Street lights or the Oxford Street shop windows - Maplin Close in Benfleet is the place to go this Christmas. Hundreds of sightseers have been heading for the road to see some of the brightest lights in Essex. Residents of eight homes
Medical instruments company KeyMed was today revealed as the mystery backer of Southend's Palace Theatre. The company, based in Stock Road, Southend, has pledged £35,000 to give the cash-strapped playhouse a facelift. Today, Keymed's managing director
Budding star Andrew Gray thought he'd missed out on his chance to tread the boards when he was struck down with appendicitis. But kind-hearted staff at the Palace Theatre made his wish come true when they invited him to meet the cast of this year's panto
Two women who started a physiotherapy clinic in Colchester more than 20 years ago are to retire. Susan Barter, of Wakes Colne, and Mary Firth, of Chappel, had been friends since they worked at the former St Mary's Hospital in the town. They started Colchester
Police are appealing for help from the public after two men forced their way into a Harlow resident's home. An Essex Police spokesman said two burglars pushed their way into the home of a 45-year-old man living in Pitmans Field, Harlow, at 8.45pm on Monday
A big-hearted Billericay teenager has proved that the true spirit of Christmas lives on by devoting his spare time to bringing the gift of joy to local pensioners. Knowing that Christmas can be a cold and lonely time for the elderly, 14-year-old Richard
A mountain bike worth £4,000 - one of only ten in the UK - has been stolen from an address in Leigh. An Essex Police spokesman said the Koga Miyata bike, pewter-coloured with a titanium frame was taken from an address in Leigh Hall Road between 3pm yesterday
An Army pilot from north Essex has been killed in a helicopter crash in Bosnia. Captain Philip Jarvis, 27, from Colchester, had just taken off from the Nato military base at Gornji Vakuf when the accident happened. It is not yet known what caused the
If you're good enough you are old enough - and Titus Bramble proved the point with an assured second half performance in Town's 2-1 win at Sheffield United. Helped at the back by Adam Tanner and Tony Mowbray the 17-year-old local product ignored the television
A family searching for their lost cat have appealed for a central contact number to be set up to help others hunting missing pets. Valerie Marwood, of Leitrim Avenue, Shoebury, is still searching around the area for Sophie, a chinchilla/Persian half-breed
Climbing down all those chimneys can leave Santa's suit looking less than gleaming. But soot-stained Santas in south Essex can come clean this Christmas - thanks to the generosity of a Canvey supermarket. The island's Safeway is offering two free dry-cleans
The man who has guided generations of Billericay youngsters through the trials and tribulations of their school days has finally stepped down at the age of 73. Ernie Cox retired as the chairman of the governors at Mayflower County High School last week
Christmas has come early for Brentwood secondary schools, awarded millions of pounds by the Funding Agency for Schools in what is believed to be the largest successful bid in the country. Four of the schools, Brentwood County High, The Hedley Walter High
The reigning 1998 Budweiser League champions, the Adidas Greater London Leopards, are playing their final game of 1998 at Brentwood International Centre on Tuesday at 7.30 pm against the Worthing Bears. The last time the teams met was earlier in the season
Ford dealership Dovercourt has confirmed it is cutting 40 jobs. Hardest hit at nine sites are van drivers, administrative and accounts staff. The firm said yesterday the redundancies followed a reorganisation of the company including the parts business
A young woman had an amazing escape when her car went out of control, rolled over several times and hit a house. And the homeowner and his friend also cheated death. They ran for their lives after seeing the car hurtling towards them as they chatted by
It's back to reality for many of Ipswich Town's youngsters after the excitement of three points at Sheffield United. Wayne Brown and Richard Logan who were part of the winning squad line up for the reserves tonight as the Blues go to Peterborough United
An Army officer has died in an apparent suicide in a military prison. Captain Paul Morris, 44, was found unconscious in a cell at the Military Corrective Training Centre in Berechurch Hall Road, Colchester. He was being held under close arrest after going
A man who cut his gum on a chicken bone while eating a curry at a Little Clacton superstore said he felt insulted by a £75 compensation offer. Dale Freeman told how he was eating a chicken curry in the Safeway's coffee shop in Centenary Way when a sharp
The H & K Commissions Indoor Tennis League which is played at the Clearview Centre in Brentwood has reached the halfway stage of its season. Westcliff are looking to retain the mens division one title and currently lead the table by four points from
With most teams in the Romford Table Tennis League having played half their matches, the picture as to who wins what, is becoming clearer. Despite losing to their great rivals Cranston Park, Romford Catholic seem to have the top division tied up. It looks
Police are concerned for the safety of a missing 15-year-old girl from Southend. Holly Sale of Maplin Way was last seen out with friends in Southend on Saturday night, according to an Essex Police spokesman. Her parents are now extremely concerned for
Dick Whittington and his Kool Kool Kat is a brash, beaty rock 'n' roll panto for the nineties being premiered at the Queen's this Christmas. Dick's cat Tommy talks with her master via her saxophone and is very jealous of his romance with spunky Alice
Southend United's shareholders were told that the club lost over half-a-million pounds during 1997 - at the Shrimpers' belated annual general meeting held at Boots and Laces last night. The Third Division club failed to stage an AGM last year and figures
Paul Abrahams has been transfer listed by Colchester United. The mercurial 25-year-old former U's youth team skipper revealed today that he has "asked to be put on the list." But U's boss Steve Wignall said when confirming the player's request: "We will
Peterborough United winger Scott Houghton is finally set to complete a permanent transfer to Southend United today. The 27-year-old, who brought a month loan spell with the Shrimpers to an end with a match-winning performance at Hartlepool last weekend
Watch out for The Curse of Frankenstein -- not the famous old Hammer horror film, but the shadow of doom which hangs over this year's Shoebury panto about the man who made a monster. Frankenstein the Panto features a mad doctor by the name of Professor
Organisers of a village charity fundraiser were today left stunned after decorations were vandalised for the second year running. Around 40 light bulbs were removed from the Christmas tree in Thorpe which is put up as the centrepiece of its festival night
News the 19th World Scouting Jamboree in Chile will go ahead has come as an early Christmas present to three young Scouts. The political crisis caused by the proposed extradition of former Chilean dictator General Pinochet had raised concerns it would
Canvey's seafront could become an attraction to rival Southend if a £200,000 lottery bid gets the go-ahead. Campaigners are confident they can win back the tourists which packed the island's beaches 30 years ago and have warned Southenders to "watch out
Animal rescue staff at an RSPCA centre are appalled at the condition of three lurcher puppies found in an Essex field. The seven-week-old pups - being treated at the RSPCA Danaher Animal Home in Wethersfield, near Braintree - are little more than skin
Forget the Beast of Bodmin - there may be a Big Cat of Colchester. Three sightings of the puma-like animal have been reported at a Stanway health centre and now staff hold cat-spotting sessions in the hope of catching another glimpse. Alan Brewis of Woodside
A rail boss was involved in a dramatic citizen's arrest of two youths he accused of vandalising property at Ongar Station. Epping Ongar Railway director Bill Camplisson swooped on the teenagers in the High Street. He then marched them into the nearby
The controversial move to dump contaminated waste on a site destined to be a country park has been given the go-ahead despite opposition from environmental activists. Only one councillor at Essex Planning Committee voted against the plan for the Greenways
A garden centre beseiged by children visiting Santa has pledged to improve its arrangements after tearful youngsters queued in vain to enter his grotto. Excited children queued expectantly for Santa at Alton's Garden Centre on the A127 near Rayleigh -
Animal lover Sue Cook has vowed to defy a court order to have her beloved pet dog Blackie put down - even if it means going to prison. Sue, of Tilburg Road, Canvey, has lost an appeal against a magistrate's decision for the six-and-a-half year old cross-collie
A newborn baby girl is all shook up about her identity - because her family have nicknamed her Elvis. While mum Sarah Downing was pregnant, dad Dave Warren, 29, dubbed the unborn baby Elvis because he was a big fan of the King of Rock and Roll. But when
A woman facing a heart and lung transplant has been granted her dearest wish - the chance to see her daughter's face light up for Christmas. Karen Biffon has travelled for miles hunting down a prized Furby toy for her daughter, despite the fact she could
A campaign to save a sports ground from sell-off has been backed by a county-wide body. Ward councillor Ray Gamble will oppose any plan to build houses on the site of a sports club house and three football pitches on Bromley Road, Colchester, owned by
The daughter of murder victim Mary Gidvani today told of her fear after her mother's killer escaped from a mental hospital. And Alison Wells said she was angry she only learnt from the media that Philip Wilkinson was on the run. Mrs Wells, 31, believed
Billericay won through to the semi-finals of the Essex Presidents Cup with a narrow victory over East London on Saturday, the team they beat in last year's final and it saw Billericay stretch their winning run to 16 games. Without first team regulars
Crucial talks aimed at slashing £8m from the county's social services budget are already under way after a decision not to privatise 33 old folks' homes. The meetings will find ways of saving money after the county decision to sell off the homes - one
Christmas has been cancelled in one Harold Hill church - it is closing its doors on one of the most important days in the Christian calendar. Although the church is packed on Christmas Eve, plummeting attendance on Christmas morning at St Paul's in Redcar
Former Maldon mayor Keith Munnion has escaped a prison sentence for benefit fraud. Munnion had been jailed by magistrates but his appeal against the sentence was upheld when he appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday. Instead of an eight-week prison
A rail maintenance firm has admitted breaching safety regulations which led to a freight train derailment and the destruction of nearly 500 metres of track. Balfour Beatty Rail Maintenance admitted its violation of health and safety laws led to the derailment
Cleared TV star Billy Murray kissed his smiling wife Elaine and said: "Thank God our nightmare is over." The tough-guy actor had just been found not guilty at Basildon Crown Court of affray and common assault against two heroin junkies who turned their
Angry Blackpool boss Nigel Worthington labelled his team's performance as "pathetic" even though they snatched a point with a last-ditch equaliser via a maiden league goal from fullback Ian Hughes. But it was frustrated Colchester chief Steve Wignall
Cinderella Cliffs Pavilion, Southend Stars: Bobby Davro, Bella Emberg, Bob Carolgees Date: Dec 18-Jan 16 Box Office: 01702 351135 Snow White . . .The True Story Theatre Upstairs, New Empire Theatre, Southend Strictly for adults only. Live music by The
A bus driver wearing fancy dress will become a hero of the small screen when he stars in a television news feature. Colchester-based Ernie Rutter underwent the VIP treatment as he was filmed for Anglia TV's Helen's Heroes - in which those making outstanding
