Friends and neighbours have paid tribute to a man whose body was found in a water-filled pit. The body of Phillip Haines, 53, of Beech Avenue, Braintree, was spotted by a man walking his dog at Waterfield Pit, off the town's Convent Lane. He was formally
A postman has been cleared of murdering Clacton doorman Gary Chick. Father-of-one Paul Rowley, 28, walked free from court after a judge directed the jury to find him not guilty. He had been accused of murdering Mr Chick on November 17, 1996, near the
Ranger Jo Wilks is off to New Zealand in January after fellow Guides, Brownies and Cubs staged a gang show to help send her on her way. Jo, 15, of Holt Drive, Wickham Bishops, will be one of ten youngsters representing this country at a World Jamboree
An old peoples' home on Canvey will be knocked down within the next three years because its foundations are moving, it was revealed yesterday. Little Gypps Court will be demolished and its 25 elderly occupants moved to other homes across Castle Point.
Officers from an elite anti-crime unit wreaked havoc in a Chelmsford nightspot. Members of the National Crime Squad are thought to have been on a Christmas party when the trouble started at Chicago Rock Cafe. Chelmsford police were called to the Friday
A 16-year-old dad who has just seen his second child born has confessed that life as a teenage parent is a struggle. Dean Grey's son Declan was born six weeks ago - two years after his first-born, a daughter called Tegan-Leigh. But he yesterday admitted
Terrified residents were trapped inside their burning block of flats after a suspected arson attack. A young family were poised to make a daredevil escape from the top floor of the block of six flats - Laurel Court, Magnolia Drive, Greenstead, Colchester
Residents campaigning for speed restrictions on a road linking their villages have won the support of their MP. And now they are demanding a public meeting with Essex County Council's highways officials. Ramsey and Parkeston residents are calling for
Millennium celebrations are branching out in Castle Point with plans in the pipeline to plant two giant trees. The council is hoping to buy two Redwood trees for the borough, which could grow up to 200ft. Residents are being urged to write in with ideas
A 16-year-old dad planned his second baby, the young mother of his children said today. Lindsay Mumby today revealed how she and Dean Grey planned their second child. But Dean, now 17, walked out just weeks before Declan, now seven weeks old, was born
Primary schools in Basildon are finally beating off their bad reputation - and steadily climbing up the league tables. Staff and pupils around the town were today celebrating the news their results are rising along with both county and national trends
Chelmsford City have signed former stadium favourite Mark Kane to bring experience into midfield. And promising Tottenham Hotspur reserve goalkeeper Gavin Kelly has joined on a month's loan as cover for regular custodian Paul Catley, now out for a month
Opposition strikers will no longer be rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of meeting Billericay Town. The New Lodge side had picked up the unenviable reputation of having one of the most generous defences in the Ryman League Premier Division
Simon Brown had another chance to stake a claim for a new Colchester United contract in last night's Auto Windscreens Shield first round tie against Swansea. The former Tottenham Hotspur keeper, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Friday, has experienced
Essex Police are 35 constables short of the manpower they can afford - but new moves in using civilian labour aim to make better use of trained officers. The head of personnel and training for Essex Police, John Rhimes, said that a shortfall in the number
A verdict of accidental death has been recorded, after a man from Ulting died in a car accident. Kevin Samuels, 35, from Little Mill Cottages, died after he lost control of his Toyota car on a sweeping bend on the Goldhanger Road, Heybridge towards Maldon
The high winds and general wintry conditions have deterred many coarse anglers over the past week, but those braving the elements at Basildon's Gloucester Park continue to find fish. Sunday's open match started cold and frosty, with even the eventual
Youngsters from all over north Essex descended on Essex University for this year's Schools Cross-Country Championships. This year's competition was more open than usual with a different winner in nearly every category. The overall winners in both boys
A doctor who gave a clean bill of health to cab drivers without checking their full medical history has apologised. The GP, who has not been named, was investigated after it was noted a number of Hackney Carriage and private hire drivers in the Braintree
Bad tackling late in the game allowed Woodbridge to comfortably pull away from Westcliff to win by a less convincing margin that the score suggests. Westcliff's forwards had their usual inspiring display and gave the home side plenty to think about as
Ramblers returned to winning ways with a league victory that really should have been by a greater margin on Saturday. After going 3-0 up within half an hour, they looked good at that point for half a dozen, but disappointment failed to press their advantage
The statue of Maldon's famous Saxon warrior looks set to be placed in the town's Promenade Park. Councillors at the district council's community and leisure services committee last night agreed the statue of Bryhtnoth should be placed in the park's extension
Fraudsters in Colchester are being targeted by council officials through a major crackdown. During the past six months Colchester Council has stopped £233,000 of attempted and actual fraud and recovered £37,000 of illegal housing benefit claims. Benefit
A widow was close to suicide after being harassed by her neighbour, a court heard. Pamela Horsfall, of St Austell Road, St John's estate, Colchester, struggled to hold back tears as she told magistrates at Harwich how John Henson had sworn and spat at
A teenage girl had to be cut free from a car by fire crews after being involved in a road smash. Five people were travelling in a Renault Clio along Thorpe Road, Kirby Cross, when it left the road and ended up in a field at about 8.30pm on Monday night
Three cheers for budding Basildon artists. Hundreds of the district's schoolchildren put paint to paper to put a police spin on the Christmas story. They were asked by police to come up with Christmas card designs featuring the boys in blue. Remi Stuart
Representatives from one of the UK's largest mobile phone companies failed to turn up at a presentation specially held to waylay fears of radio masts. A representative from Orange was due to address members of Rayleigh Town Council's planning and highways
Two men who plotted to flood the streets of Southend with top-quality cocaine are each starting ten-year jail sentences. They were part of an international cloak and dagger gang that smuggled about £20,000 worth of the drug from Holland. Undercover police
Action is being demanded to start work on a link road between Witham and Hatfield Peverel - two years after permission was first granted. Braintree MP Alan Hurst and a host of angry councillors want to get a link road between Witham and Hatfield Peverel
Police are hunting a gunman who fired an airgun pellet through the front window of a Colchester house. The woman at the house in Magnolia Drive, Greenstead, was uninjured in the attack. She was upstairs on Saturday afternoon when she heard a bang and
Shoppers had a lucky escape when a car was rammed across a pavement on a busy shopping day and through the front window of a wine bar. A motorist was waiting for a parking space at Crouch Street, Colchester, on Saturday when her automatic Rover leapt
A teenager has been praised after helping to put out a fire in his Jaywick home. Colbayns High School pupil Sean Humberstone, 15, was at home in Glebe Way when fire broke out at noon on Monday. Sean's sister Mandie, 24 and friend Alan Newcombe were also
Outraged mum Alexandra Hipsey has urged motorists to look out for cyclists after her son was almost run down. Quick-thinking Matthew Hipsey jumped from his bike as he was cut up by a motorist turning a corner in front of him. The driver - who drove over
Witham and Braintree are gearing up for their late-night shopping extravaganzas on Friday. In Witham, the Cockney Nite winter festival celebration is preparing to light up the town for its largest ever East End bash. Festoon lights will brighten the Grove
Rotten tomatoes, mouldy bread, stale cheese and black bananas will be the centrepieces of a new art exhibition opening in Leigh. The bizarre exhibits are the work of artist and writer Michael Smietana, who says he wants to highlight how mankind wastes
A village primary school has triumphed in the success stakes - by coming third in Essex's league table. Engaines County Primary in Little Clacton achieved the outstanding position after its pupils excelled in tests for 11-year-olds. The assessments, carried
It took Lua Lua just seven minutes to make his mark after coming on as a half-time substitute for the injured Duguid against Chesterfield. He came within a couple of inches of scoring with his first touch before thrilling the Layer Road crowd with a jinking
A woman who reported her husband missing found him three hours later in a car park waiting to pick her up from a shopping trip. Police started to search for the 74-year-old Rayleigh man as his wife was concerned for his safety. The mishap unfolded after
The mud race may be off but Maldon Little Ship Club's annual sponsored row for the RNLI is taking place on Boxing Day. The event attracts hundreds of spectators and competitors and over the past five years has raised more than £38,000 for the Royal National
Witham Town's first team did not have a game on Saturday as their intended Ryman League Division Two opponents, Hemel Hempstead, were engaged in a FA Vase game. Hemel played a match against Great Wakering which the Essex side won 1-0, the same scoreline
Although Burnham just missed out on victory it was probably the best performance of the season from the side and provided excellent preparation for this week's away league local derby fixture against Old Brentwoods. However it was Southend who were to
A fire broke out in a Colchester barracks while soldiers were out training. The blaze left the accommodation block's ground floor 50 per cent damaged by smoke. About four soldiers had to be moved to other accommodation at the Hyderabad Barracks, off Mersea
Anglian Water today announced it was cutting up to 400 posts over the next two years, the company said the redundancies were part of group restructuring in response to tougher competition and calls by the water regulator for cuts in bills. The reorganisation
Youngsters at Woodham Ley Primary School, Rushbottom Lane, Benfleet, took part in a non-uniform day to raise cash for the charity Crossroads. The charity helps young people who care for disabled or sick relatives. The children each paid 25p for the luxury
A generous firm has stumped up cash to buy a new set of Christmas lights for Braintree. Kind-hearted bosses at Electronic Packaging Systems (UK) chose to buy the yuletide decorations for the town's Christmas tree after reading an article in This Is Essex
Vandals destroyed a millennium dome built by pupils. They left broken glass strewn over the playground, ripped down goalposts and tried to uproot trees at Sible Hedingham Primary School. The next day vandals attacked toilets at the village recreation
It's panto time again! It simply wouldn't be Christmas without the panto and the Queens Theatre, Hornchurch are making sure they're part of it all when they say "Open Sesame" and put on their own version of Aladdin. Children and adults are invited to
Academic standards at the majority of south Essex primary schools are rising, new performance league tables revealed today. Key stage two tests for ten and 11-year-olds show the county's youngsters are thriving. Darlinghurst School in Pavilion Drive,
A gunman blasted three rounds into a car left parked on a residential Colchester street. Police believe a Jaguar XJ6 pulled up next to a white Suzuki on New Kiln Road, Lexden, at 11.13pm on Monday night and opened fire. The Jaguar then drove away at high
The death of keen swimmer Robert Wass was a tragic accident, said coroner Dr Malcolm Weir at a Chelmsford inquest. Mr Wass, 76, of Park Drive, Braintree, was a member of Black Notley Community Association and regularly used its outdoor pool with friends
A rare bumble bee has been found living next door to a Canvey superstore - and could halt development of a large swathe of land. The shrill carder bee is under threat of extinction, but the elusive insect has now been sighted on the former Occidental
Finance news is frightening The latest cash figures coming out of Roots Hall are frightening to say the least - a real nightmare. There were losses of nearly £1 million for the financial year ending July 1998 and that is projected to double by February
Tony Mowbray was relying on adrenaline to carry Ipswich Town through last night's match at Selhurst Park against crisis club Crystal Palace. The Ipswich player-coach, who played a key role in the 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest on Sunday, believed two games
It was the biggest relaunch in Southend's theatrical history. The Palace Theatre, consigned to the past tense by most theatre-goers, dark for more than a year, last night lifted the curtain on an action-packed future. The dustsheets and the safety curtain
Art and sporting projects are being developed into the future for young people in the Maldon district. In order to develop the youth arts classes and make them sustainable beyond the life of the three-year funding from Essex County Council, 6,000 promotional
Even though having to make still more changes, including a first appearance for defender Colin Wall, Braintree journeyed to Leatherhead on Saturday, with every hope of putting an end to their recent run of disappointing results. If Iron had problems the
Alan Little was left trying to explain his side's latest disastrous performance following Southend United's Auto Windscreens Shield defeat against Cheltenham Town. The Shrimpers were sent spinning out of the competition at the first stage at Roots Hall
Unfortunate is not normally a word associated with Ipswich Town defender Tony Mowbray. Town's player/coach has been on a memorable journey during a career which has spanned a remarkable 18-year period and taken him to just three clubs. Middlesbrough and
Current Swifts' caretaker managers Liam Cutbush and Tony Adcock have now officially applied for the joint post as a permanent partnership and with the full support of the players, after four wins in four games, including last week's Essex Senior Cup match
Lonely hearts rapist Sean Walker was starting four life sentences today. Walker, who wooed young women after contacting them through newspaper columns, will not be eligible for parole for at least five years. Some of his angry victims sat in the public
An animal-loving millionairess has left a share of her £59 million will to her handyman and housekeeper for caring for her pets. Tony Scillitoe, of London Road, Maldon, inherited £100,000 from Christina Foyle, owner of Foyle's Bookshops in Charing Cross
Visitors to a derelict Vange church's cemetery have been reassured about its future. Those looking after graves at All Saints, in London Road, Vange, were concerned plans were afoot for building works - without the consideration of their feelings. The
