A blaze which killed 15 cats and kittens and destroyed a stable block is being investigated by police and fire teams. The fire ripped through the single storey building in Durham Road, Hawkwell, late on Monday night. A spokesman for Essex Fire and Rescue
Businesses in Colchester town centre closed their doors to the public during a power cut. The half-hour failure on Monday afternoon affected offices, businesses and the traffic lights at the top of North Hill, Head Street and parts of the High Street.
The trees of the ancient lost continent of Gondwanaland will be celebrated in the new walled garden at Marks Hall Estate near Coggeshall. Gondwanaland is the name given to the super continent that joined Australia, Antarctica, New Zealand, Africa, India
Saturday's journey was Witham's first ever visit to Rowley Park and they found the pitch in perfect condition. Witham took the lead after seven minutes when captain Justin Pearce forced the ball over the line following their first corner. Witham were
Hundreds of new jobs could be created in Castle Point after the borough was earmarked as a new enterprise grant area, it has emerged. The Government has designated Castle Point Council as an authority which will get special help. Only nine areas in England
Following hot on the heels of their Ladies recent divisional win, Braintree Tennis Club's Mixed B team also have cause for celebration after they travelled to Castle Hedingham to play their last fixture of the season -- a postponement from the night that
Heybridge Swifts are to play Stamford or Congleton Town in the third qualifying round of the FA Cup - if they beat Romford on September 18. The area's other surviving non-league side, Witham Town, face a trip to Chesham United or Baldock Town, if they
Restoration work on Canvey's seafront may grind to a halt because of a shortage of funds, it emerged today. Canvey 2000, the group behind a major transformation of the area, is now down to its last £5,000. Nearly £100,000 has already been pumped into
A group of Billericay archaeologists hopes to shed new light on the town's past - thanks to an anonymous £10,000 donation. Finds from digs more than 20 years ago are due for expert analysis - the results should reveal the extent of the Roman occupation
A ambitious scheme to turn methane gas at Pitsea's landfill site into enough power to supply 12,000 homes is close to getting off the ground. Plans are afoot to turn the pongs from the tip into electricity that will be routed directly into the national
Police were today hunting a knifeman who violently stabbed a man in Colchester's Castle Park. The victim, a 27-year-old Colchester man, was today recovering in hospital with serious head injuries. Police sealed off an area of the park near the bandstand
Braintree and District Athletic Club's Senior Men's team completed their season of six fixtures in Southern League division three with their final match, at High Wycombe. There was a season's record turnout of 17 athletes for this fixture in which success
Stuart Law is still in talks with Essex that will hopefully lead to him parading his rich talents with the county again next summer. "I want to return but nothing is signed and sealed yet," said the Aussie run machine on Tuesday. "We are still in discussions
He has been hailed the pride of Castle Point and has even had a pub named after him. EMMA THOMAS catches up with Canvey decathlete and World Champion silver medallist Dean Macey to see how he is coping with his new-found fame Since winning a silver medal
A teacher has been jailed for a series of indecent assaults on two girl pupils. Chelmsford Crown Court was told yesterday that Paul Hilton's behaviour left the teenagers devastated. They have both tried to kill themselves. Hilton, 54, was head of art
The family of a car crash victim spoke out today after a man was fined £500 for careless driving. Stephen Pluck, 45, of Maldon Road, Great Totham, died from his injuries in a road smash on the A120 at Broad Green, Little Tey, in February. The accident
A woman plagued by a catalogue of disasters has now lost her passport - days before she was due to go on holiday. Sue Robertson, 32, of Burdett Avenue, Westcliff, may not be able to take her children away on a holiday of a lifetime. It is just the latest
A student who claims he was attacked by Southend publican Kevin Chinnery as he DJ-ed in a seafront club has said he was left crying, shaking and bleeding. Robert Watson, who was one of three DJs at the private farewell party, admits he played one record
Confused council chiefs still do not know why a lottery cash bid for the Cliffs Pavilion was refused - two months after the controversial decision. The Arts Council has still not given any reasons for refusing to even consider granting matchfunding to
Twelve-year-old Basildon youngster Dean Strutt has a spring in his step after winning the Basildon Junior Angler of the Year competition by a huge margin. Dean weighed in three carp totalling 15lb 8oz, more than doubling the runner up weight! The popular
It would be easy to write-off this Ryman League Premier Division derby affair at New Lodge as a bit of a damp squib. Admittedly, Billericay and Canvey failed to find a goal between them in front of a near 900-strong crowd last night. It is also fair to
Pace bowler Jamie Grove, released by Essex two weeks ago, has been snapped up by Somerset. The 20-year-old former England Under-19 and Colchester and East Essex right-armer has signed a new two-year contract with the West Country club, starting from next
Dean Macey was the perfect surprise guest - when he turned up at a come-and-try-it day for budding athletes. Who better to inspire the youngsters of Castle Point - as they tasted a full range of track and field events - than British athletics' greatest
A policeman has lost his job after he made obscene telephone calls to his neighbours. Eric Doherty, 40, terrorised his Langdon Hills neighbour with calls which were of an explicit sexual nature. Victim Gill Hazlewood, who did not know who was making the
Drivers racing through Wickford are being targeted by police in a tough month-long speeding crackdown. The town's police officers have launched a campaign to catch motorists breaking speed limits - and have warned they will prosecute. Officers plan to
A new state-of-the-art £850,000 environmental information centre is to be built at Wat Tyler Country Park. The Pitsea project would provide a new conference, exhibition and lecture centre, purpose-built facilities for the young, old and families with
A single fingerprint helped police catch 18-year-old burglar Barry Williams. The print, discovered after Williams raided a house near his home in Victoria Road, Laindon, led to him being sent to a young offenders' institution for six months. Williams
Gangsters and their molls were on hand to serve diners in Basildon - and even encouraged gambling on the roulette wheel. Staff at TGI Friday's, on Basildon's Festival Leisure Park, donned their best suits and Charleston dresses for a night of pretend
Uproar broke out when up to 100 rowdy teenagers went on the rampage at Pitsea railway station. They charged off a late-night train after visiting a Southend disco, Basildon Crown Court heard. At one point only a handful of police confronted the angry
Derelict fire-ravaged maltings at Mistley have been sold at last. After weeks of rumours, Jonathan Frank, has confirmed Lexden Restorations have bought the School Lane maltings for an undisclosed sum. A director of the Colchester-based company, Mr Frank
An early kick off on Saturday, when the conditions were more suited to cricket rather than football. Manager Robbie Nihill was back from holiday and was forced to make changes with both Nicky Simpson and Tony Adcock injured, whilst Alex Fiddes & Ross
Ramblers manager Colin Wallington described as 'unspectacular but workmanlike,' Saturday's performance which took Burnham to the top of the table. Due to injury he was down to a bare squad but said afterwards: "Given the players that were missing, I thought
It proved quite a day for Amy Blackwell in the Colchester and District Individual Tennis finals held at Frinton. She won four of the titles at stake on Saturday including a walkover in the girls under 16 singles against her doubles partner Lauren Thompson
With the end of Burnham Week and many of the Burnham players committed to sailing it was decided to field a mixed side for the remaining players on Saturday and although the players came from the three sides of last season they seemed to gel well. From
Braintree's first team opened the new season with an impressive victory at sun baked Colchester on Saturday. With temperatures touching the 90s and a rock hard ground beneath their feet the new Braintree first string looked to have their work cut out
At the Essex County Championship Marathon in Basildon on Sunday, Tiptree Road Runners' Alan Fisher ran through midday heat which hit the 80s to win the race with a fantastic time of 2.44.22 on a testing course. The two-lap course took runners over the
News that a new NHS dental surgery may open in Billericay has prompted a flood of calls from would-be patients. Staff at the Billericay Health Centre have been swamped with requests since we revealed the chronic shortage of NHS dentists at Billericay
Volunteers from Basildon Youth Council will be playing their part in helping youngsters from across the county get the most out of a once in a lifetime experience. Eight members of the youth council will be playing a key role in the Essex Experience at
Determined council leader Graham Longley has refused to be put off by bookies' odds on Southend being awarded city status to mark the millennium. Betting shop chain William Hill has given the town - the largest urban area in Essex - odds of just 28/1
Four German teenagers were injured when they were shot at with airguns on Frinton seafront. The students, who are staying with host families in the town, were sitting in a shelter at the bottom of Connaught Avenue when the attack took place at about 9.30pm
An Essex student was airlifted to hospital with a broken leg and back injuries after she and her boyfriend fell 20ft while rock climbing. Giulia Vincenzi, 19, of Broome Grove, Wivenhoe, was climbing at Edale in the Peak District when the accident happened
Two families have been made homeless after a massive fire ripped through a row of historic cottages on Canvey. More than 55 firefighters battled for almost three hours to control the blaze as it threatened to engulf the homes, more than a century old.
The much-changed Braintree line-up still seems unable to fulfil the potential expected of it and after several below par performances the biggest disappointment so far came with Saturday's surprise dismissal from the FA Cup. Just when the club could have
Investigations were today under way into a possible carbon monoxide leak at a caravan park. Four people from Orchards Holiday Village, Point Clear, were taken to Colchester General Hospital feeling unwell on Monday night. Ambulance crews and firefighters
New;y-weds Phil and Jill Wyndham were stunned to find a surprise guest mingling at their wedding - their horse Ned. The horse-lovers were stunned when the 18-year-old animal arrived at the church to see the pair tie the knot. The wedding surprise had
The new boss of Essex Rivers NHS Trust today told of his plans to guarantee the future of services at Clacton and Harwich hospitals. And he revealed that if the Trust's board accepts his proposals, to be put forward next week, no services would be removed
Leeds United's England Under-21 defender Paul Shepherd could be on his way to Colchester United. And there was a reserve team trial today for former Spurs, Portsmouth and England Youth striker Robbie Simpson and ex-Norwich City and West Ham full-back
Southend United striker Neil Campbell was set to make his comeback in Blues' reserve team clash against Second Division Bournemouth at Roots Hall tonight. The Shrimpers' second string coach Mick Gooding confirmed that the injury-jinxed hitman, who has
Whitehall Bowling Club held its finals at the weekend amid Mediterranean conditions. Spectators at the event in Clatterfield Gardens, Westcliff, were treated to some exciting games. Ladies' results: Club championship - C Tomkins, 4321 - P Orange, three
Teenager Mark Auty missed being locked up "by a whisker" after beating up an elderly stranger. Instead, Auty, 19, was put on probation for 18 months and ordered to work 70 hours' community service. He was told by Judge Daniel Worsely he just escaped custody
