A hospital trust has been attacked for failing to meet its promised waiting list targets. Chelmsford West MP Simon Burns has hit out after Mid Essex Hospitals NHS Trust revealed it had 9,967 people waiting for operations at the end of March this year.
The last time Alexandra Gould saw her two daughters they were kicking and screaming and wanting their mum. That was five months ago in Ibiza. Now Kaili, nine, and Jasmine, three, are 3,000 miles away in Florida, USA, and their mum is fighting from her
TOM KING talks to Paul Ashurst, who plans to to be a deep-pan millionaire - and have an Aston Martin DB7 to prove it It is 6pm at a High Street pizza shop in Wickford. Homeward commuters are collecting their dinner, the order-phones are beginning to buzz
Furious parents and the shadow minister for transport Bernard Jenkin have joined in the fight against a decision for an early-morning train to bypass village railway stations. Village commuters are up in arms that Great Eastern's new timetable means trains
"There's daddy!" the blonde, pigtailed toddler squealed at the top of her tiny voice. "Where?" shouted her playmate, equally as loudly. "There, there, there. He's the one with the hat on." Before them, streams of soldiers - all in identical berets - lined
An engineer is recovering after his fingertips were lopped off by machinery at a Laindon firm. Trevor Windsor was believed to have been trying to repair the equipment when the ends of his ring and little fingers on his left hand were sliced off. Fellow
The parents of a woman killed in a car accident on Canvey has told how she touched the hearts of everyone she met. Jane Hyams, of Laburnum Grove, died on Friday after her car came into collision with a 16-ton lorry as she drove along Canvey Way. The 44
A scrapyard owner was fined £12,500 after a car plummeted from a faulty crane injuring a customer. Clive Blackwell, 58, of Ronald Road, Halstead, admitted seven charges of breaching health and safety regulations at Witham Magistrates' Court yesterday.
After the disappointment of losing their first League game the previous week, Rayne were eager to kickstart their season on Saturday. Having won the toss they elected to bat and made steady progress against a tight bowling attack. Mick Richardson (37)
Tennis legend Roy Emerson will top the bill at Frinton Tennis Club's annual exhibition event in July. Emerson, who holds the record for Grand Slam singles wins with 12, will appear as part of the Dudley Stationery veterans tournament. He will be joined
Six weeks of glorious cricket action get underway on Friday when England start the World Cup ball rolling with the opening match of the tournament at Lord's. Essex captain Nasser Hussain, who has boosted his hopes of a place in the starting line-up after
Jamie Moralee has become Colchester United manager Mick Wadsworth's first new signing for next season. And 28-year-old Moralee was quickly followed into Layer Road yesterday by West Ham teenager Joey Keith. Former Crystal Palace, Millwall, Watford and
Motorists were caught up in a rush-hour snarl up earlier today after the second accident at Rayleigh Weir this week. Four vehicles including a Ford Escort were involved in the minor crash at 8.10am. One person suffered from shock and another with a possible
Worried residents have vowed to have their say at a meeting about a proposed nursing home for patients with mental health problems. Moat Housing Group, which wants to develop the 12-bedroom home in Long Road, Canvey, has arranged for an open forum at
Residents reporting swarms of mysterious black flies in parts of Colchester were today told: "Don't be afraid". The black insects known as St Mark's flies have prompted residents to contact the council environmental health team. Colin Daines, Colchester
Ipswich chairman David Sheepshanks is to take a back-seat role next season. The day-to-day running of the Portman Road club will instead fall upon the shoulders of a new chief executive. The club will advertise this new position. By then Sheepshanks hopes
The girl's gymnastics team at Great Totham Primary School have won their second national final in six weeks. The girls took the national title of the under-11 floor and vault Championships held at the Riverside Centre in Chelmsford. The team competed
A new girls' football team have surprised even themselves with a truly magnificent debut season. Hawkwell Athletic under-11s, who play at Hockley Community Centre, won the Essex League by seven points - then beat runners-up Cobra 4-2 in the League Cup
Basildon angler Lee Willcocks has been making the most of the big fish at his local Pipps Hill Carp fishery. Lee wasted little time after setting up at the Cranes Farm Road lake to land common carp of 17lb 4oz, 12lb and 10lb plus a terrific mirror of
Three more Southend United players have been shown the exit door as Blues boss Alan Little starts to rebuild the Third Division strugglers. l Following his decision to let German midfielder Lars Unger return home, the Shrimpers chief has released centre-half
George Young is on the verge of quitting Witham Town. The flame-haired manager who has kept Witham in the Ryman Division Two was unhappy after being refused a bigger budget for next season. But after being told to make an instant decision on his future
Colchester Stars travelled to race East London CSC (West Ham) with high hopes of gaining their second ever away win, and they came mighty close finally going down 94-90. After heat eight Stars were trailing by four points but Dave Beeby and Rick Burling
Coaches from the area scooped some of the top accolades at the Essex Sports Coach of the Year awards. The ceremony, which took place at County Hall, Chelmsford, included a posthumous award for one of the county's leading figures in gymnastics, Frank Stevens
Ipswich chairman David Sheepshanks was yesterday expected to confirm he will stand for the Football Association chairmanship. If he is successful it is believed he will remain chairman at Portman Road but a chief executive will be appointed to run Town
This massive plate has been specially made to show just how much it's possible to eat in one visit to Runwell's new Toby Carvery! The three and a half foot dish is filled with much more than the average belly could cope with but staff at the Runwell Road
Fairytale dreams of becoming a princess have come true for these three Canvey youngsters after being crowned as the island's carnival court. Amyjane Foale, 15 and Zowie Tatham, 11 took over as the carnival princesses, while fifteen year old Amy Seaton
A Rayleigh woman has submitted a £400,000 bill to Essex social services, to reimburse her elderly parents for their care and devotion since she was paralysed in a car crash. Denise Smith, 52, of Daws Heath Road, broke her neck in the head-on smash 38
Solicitor Eva Akins was today celebrating after being crowned one of Cosmopolitan magazine's Women of Achievement. The 25-year-old from Leigh won the professions category of the award after the competition judges heard of her incredible determination
A workman was rushedto hospital after being trapped beneath a load of aluminium dropped from his crane. Joe McNally, a crane driver, was freed by fire crews with special rescue equipment after two containers of metal fell on him at his work at Seco Aluminium
Angry mothers will march on Southend Council offices tomorrow to protest over staff cuts at a popular family resource centre. Up to 150 placard-waving parents, many with their children in tow, will descend on the Civic Centre in Victoria Avenue at around
The son of a former Harwich mayor has been found dead at his home. David Brand, 38, of King George's Avenue, Dovercourt, was found by his wife Michelle just before midday on Monday, a police spokesman said. The father-of-two was the son of town and district
Thugs have attacked a group of French students living in Colchester. Windows were also smashed at their landlady's house in Wilson Marriage Road. The worried landlady said the four art and design students - all male and at Colchester Institute - had been
Police are seeking a motorist who punched a bus driver during rush hour in Chelmsford. Officers are also anxious to trace witnesses to the road rage incident which happened at about 6.30pm on April 19. An Eastern National bus driver received facial injuries
A pilot who parachuted from his crashing aircraft into icy waters might have survived if he had worn a life-jacket, concluded an accident report released yesterday. Father-of-two Nigel Paterson died after the Christmas Eve crash of his former RAF Jet
"Kill your speed!" That was the message yesterday at the launch of a new blitz on speeding drivers. A mobile covert camera will monitor the county's accident blackspots in a bid to snare motorists who breach speed limits - particularly in 30 and 40mph
The partner of a car crash victim whose body lay undiscovered in a 10ft-deep ditch for 33 hours told today how the police said he probably wandered off in shock from the scene. Young mum Kayleigh Brown, 21, of The Street, Little Totham, and boyfriend
Workers had a fright when they found an inch-long scorpion hiding inside a packing case. The black emperor scorpion - whose sting is six times stronger than a wasp - originates from the Far East. It was discovered by staff at ball valve firm Flow Control
Youngsters in Braintree have been urged to help make a new skate park become a reality. An action group has invited all the town's youths to a meeting in the Braintree Foyer to try to find out what equipment they would like to see in the park. The group
A couple from Dovercourt have proved you are never too old to fall in love. The pair are set to tie the knot - despite both being in their 80s. Win Norwood and John Ludlow will be taking their vows on June 12 after finding love and friendship at the care
A disc jockey carried out a string of sex attacks on women on their way home - including three in one night, an Old Bailey court heard. Richard Baker allegedly attempted to assault a 16-year-old girl in Southend - then carried out an attack on another
A woman has had a vital operation cancelled SIX times in three weeks. Sheila Stedman, 63, needed an operation on a hernia and colon at Colchester General Hospital. But the operation was repeatedly cancelled, a total of six times in three weeks. A health
Basildon pensioner Sid Chaney today boasted of how he fleeced credit card giant American Express out of £7,000 - and gave it all away. The campaigning pensioner spent £1,800 on the elderly and £1,500 on Laindon youngsters in a protest against "greedy"
A relentless stalker frightened a city worker so much she was forced to flee her Billericay home, a court heard. Marie Natusch claimed businessman Stephen Darby had stalked her after their relationship had ended. He bombarded her with telephone calls
Trustees of a charitable ferry service have vowed it will continue after thieves made off with the boat's outboard motor. Chairman of the Wivenhoe Ferry Trust Bill Hignell said the £900 engine had been on the boat for seven years without any problems
No more could have been done on the day by a goal-happy Ipswich side. They did their bit in the bid to reach automatic Premiership promotion with goals from Jim Magilton, James Scowcroft, Kieron Dyer and Richard Naylor. But 150 miles away at Wolves, Bradford
The owner of a listed cottage in St Osyth yesterday told how vandals had smashed up the property - just after the builders had moved in to carry out repairs. George Beckwith has been unable to live in his home in Church Square since a blaze broke out
Nasser Hussain must surely play in England's World Cup opener at Lord's on Friday. If the Essex skipper fails to make the side to face Sri Lanka, he and the 5,000 spectators who saw him in action at Chelmsford yesterday will demand to know why. Hussain
A congretation of nearly five thousand saw John and Marie Everitt's marriage blessed on the pitch of Roots Hall. The couple walked out through the players tunnel to the centre circle at half-time during the last game of the season between Southend United
Ecstasy and other drugs kept Justin Young and his girlfriend together, a court heard. Young, 28, claimed she was a junkie and he made it his business to supply her with drugs to keep their romance flourishing. In the end Young was caught by police after
Dedicated drinkers were out in force for the first night of Castle Point's Beer Festival. As the beer flowed at Runnymede Hall in Benfleet, the audience were treated to live music from cover band Slice. There was something for everyone to enjoy, with
These dancers took time out from exams to take part in the performance of their lives. Sally Jackson, 13, and Carly Payne,14, both of Tyrone Road, Billericay, collected 14 trophies in Latin American and ballroom dancing at a weekend festival at Camber
A Heartwatch team member has helped save a man's life - less than three days after qualifying. Margaret Jarvis joined Heartwatch on Saturday and was a last-minute replacement on the Mersea Island First Responders' night rota. Essex Ambulance control called
Rogue golfers caused an outcry when one of their balls crashed through the glass roof of a back garden conservatory. Homeowner Sheila Gosling, of Lister Road, Braintree, was furious after a practice shot flew off course, smashing a 6ft window and sending
Names to watch at the World Cup One of the great things about the forthcoming World Cup is that the competition is certain to throw up some new stars - players who at the moment are by no means household names. For my tips for players likely to make their
Glory-seeking Tiptree aim to end their season on a high by winning the Eastern Floodlight Cup tonight. The Jam-makers were pipped to promotion in Jewson Division One, but victory over Leyton Pennant tonight, kick-off 7.45pm at Chapel Road, would help
EKCO MONARCHS 197-7 HOCKLEY 128 (MONARCHS WON) Match-winner A Blunt grabbed 6-32 to back up his 69, while team-mate D Gilbert took 3-35, as a strong team performance led Monarchs to victory. Costly drops OLD WESTCLIFFIANS 208-7 SNARESBROOK 189-7 (DRAW
Saturday saw a group of Braintree & Bocking Swimming Club members compete in the first round of the Southern Counties Age Group Championships. All the competition was for 11/12 year olds and Women's Open categories. Clare Carter had an excellent weekend
There was sheer delight at Burnham Rugby Club when it was confirmed that Burnham third XV under their captain and manager Jim Kelly had not only won their League, the BL League Division Five, but had managed to do so with an impressive 100 per cent record
Sporty students were today putting the finishing touches to a fun day for everyone at SEEVIC College. It will take place at Canvey's Waterside Farm centre on Friday - after much effort from those working towards the Higher Sports Leaders' award. The course
A radical package of measures is needed to ease Southend's traffic crisis, it was claimed today. Transport operators, businesses and residents have drawn up a new wish-list aimed at reducing congestion on the borough's roads. The calls emerged after Southend
Plans for a bigger, lighter and better new library for Laindon have received a warm welcome from potential users. At a meeting held in the old library in the Laindon Centre regular library-goers said they were impressed by the project. It includes a £470,000
A successful performing arts school on Canvey today told how it was hoping to build on its impressive pedigree. Since opening in May 1994, Star Studios has gained 100 per cent pass rate in every set of exams held and has set many youngsters on the road
Motorists were forced to swerve as a drink driver drove the wrong way down the A127, a court heard. Michael Robertson, 44, then mounted the central reservation when he saw a police car heading towards him. Robertson, of Glanmire, Billericay, who tested
