A widow has suffered further heartbreak after vandals damaged the first new car her husband bought eight weeks before he died. Karen Halls had parked the V-registered Nissan Primera in the driveway of her parents' home in Ambrose Avenue, Prettygate, Colchester
One of the most historic buildings in Southend - derelict since being ravaged by fire - could be in line for a cash handout to help revive its glory days. The 15th century Carlton Bakery in Prittlewell has already lost out on a grant bid from English
Fast food giant McDonald's hopes to have a drive-through restaurant open in Weeley by the summer - creating around 60 new jobs. The company has put in plans for the £1 million plus project on a site at the back of Tendring Services petrol filling station
Sibling rivalry has erupted out of a political row. Brothers Ivan and Steven Henderson have launched scathing attacks on each other over the issue of council housing in the Tendring district. Today, the Labour MP for Harwich, Ivan, said his brother's
A kind-hearted company has come to the aid of a man who's motorbility trike was damaged by vandals. Reg Bridger is awaiting a triple by-pass operation and relies on his trike to get around. Vandals tried to hotwire the trike outside his home in Western
A man who had his healthy leg amputated has told why he had the operation. Kevin Wright had his left leg surgically removed above the knee - even though there was nothing wrong with it. The operation took place three years ago at the Falkirk and District
Former Colchester United midfielder Brian Launders has finally lodged an appeal against a Football League tribunal decision to reject his claim for unfair dismissal by the club. The Irish Under-21 international, who made just eight first-team appearances
Colchester United contract rebel David Greene has been told to stay at home for the next two weeks. U's boss Steve Whitton revealed today he has ordered the former Republic of Ireland Under-21 international to rest and do light training at his Luton home
A pipe containing raw sewage has burst for the third time, covering a playing field used by children with foul-smelling waste. The sewage pipe belonging to Anglian Water broke, allowing untreated waste to escape and cover the Brook Road Playing Fields
Eco-protesters at Etheldore Woods in Hockley are under siege conditions imposed by developers, it was claimed today. It's claimed that security guards for developers Countryside Residential - which has full legal possession of the land on which it wants
New plans to evacuate Colchester town centre in the event of a disaster are to be unveiled. The emergency services, town centre management and Colchester Council's emergency planning services have been working together for at least six months to draw
Passersby looked on quizzically as the Mercury Theatre, Colchester, was lit up by a huge projection. The illumination of a woman plucking petals from a flower in a "he loves me, he loves me not" manner, was unveiled last night. It will continue to be
Upset pensioners arrived at their hotel for four nights of dining and dancing to find it was shut for repairs. The retired dancers arrived at the Waverley Hall Hotel, in Marine Parade West, in Clacton to be greeted by the caretaker. Bewildered, the group
Clacton has been chosen to host a high-profile European Commission conference for the East of England. The event, which will attract politicians, businesses and groups, will be staged at the Clacton campus of the Colchester Institute on April 1. It is
Another bidder has entered the fray for Southend's old gasworks and corporation jetty on the seafront. Details of all 15 bids will remain a closely-guarded secret while property consultants Donaldson assess which ones will go forward to a shortlist to
Billericay Town will be looking to continue their recent impressive form in knockout competitions at New Lodge tonight when the Ryman League Premier Division side host First Division Romford in the quarter-finals of the Essex Senior Cup (7.45pm). Waiting
Asylum lawyers were today hoping to meet the remaining 69 former hostages from the hijacked Afghan airliner that landed at Stansted Airport to begin the fight for them to stay in Britain. It comes as 13 men were remanded in custody by Southend magistrates
There were some outstanding performances from all three Southend line-ups when the Independent Schools' East Anglian regional cross-country championships were staged at Stoke College. A host of youngsters from Crowstone, Alleyn Court and Thorpe Hall won
Southend United's Third Division match at Darlington this Saturday has been made all ticket. Blues supporters wishing to attend the clash will need to purchase a ticket from Roots Hall this week, before making the long trip north to Feethams at the weekend
Southend's 1st Boys Brigade celebrated its 90th anniversary with a special planting. The group, which aims to teach life-skills and Christian learning, was visited by Southend mayor Tony North for the planting of a Boys Brigade rose. It's hoped the rose
Owners of the last piece of Commission for New Towns heritage are to go back to the drawing board after failing to find a buyer for the problem site. Gifford House, the old CNT office building, in London Road, Bowers Gifford, was left deserted in 1995
A garden for the community is being repeatedly vandalised. Anne Shaw, of Gwynne Road, Dovercourt, has watched in disbelief as a garden she created for her neighbours has been attacked by "a selfish few". She said: "I don't know if it's just kids on their
An elderly woman was taken to hospital after a fire at her home. The 75-year-old angina sufferer turned on her television at about 6pm yesterday and went out of the room. Moments later she found the set alight and called the fire brigade to the house
A schoolgirl was robbed in a Colchester street by a woman and a skinhead. The 15-year-old was walking along Hickory Avenue on the Greenstead Estate when a woman snatched her gold necklace. Following the attack, At 3.20pm on Saturday, the pair ran off
You should be ashamed of yourself! That was the message today from battered pensioner John Stevens to the young man who viciously attacked him on Basildon Golf Course. Sixty years ago the 74-year-old ex-merchant seaman was dodging mines as he risked life
Residents of Braintree face a steep council tax rise. Essex County Council was today poised to raise its share of the bill by nearly ten per cent - about four times the rate of inflation. And the district council seems set to agree an increase of almost
A hospital cancelled an operation because the building was too cold for the surgeon to operate. Jennifer Smith, 50, of Faraday Close, Braintree, was due to have a foot operation at the podiatry centre in Bridge Hospital, Witham, at 9.15am on Friday. But
Two men narrowly avoided being impaled on metal railings after their car overturned following a collision. Driver Robert Moore, 20, and passenger Marc Hines, 17, escaped life-threatening injuries after their car landed roof first on railings by The Swan
The boss of a popular car wash firm has vowed he will fight to stay in business despite council moves to shut him down. Mark Kinsman ignored Friday's deadline to leave the site by Kels Kitchen cafe on Nevendon Road, Wickford. He now faces legal action
Love was in the air when Nicholas Deighton got up on stage in front of 1,400 people and proposed to sweetheart Tracy Fulton. Mr Deighton of Silver End, Witham, asked the Cliffs Pavilion theatre, Southend, if his surprise could be worked into a Blues Brothers
Essex Police have been told to cut vehicle crime and burglary by ten per cent over five years, according to a new Government edict. Home Secretary Jack Straw yesterday announced crime-cutting targets for all police forces. Essex's targets are among the
Mystery surrounds a freak accident where a car smashed through the front of a house in Chelmsford. The car hit a lamppost, veered down a driveway and smashed into the hallway of the house in Falmouth Road. It is not clear why the driver lost control.
A school has banned aerosol sprays after two pupils were caught trying to set fire to their deodorants. Alec Hunter High School, Braintree, is taking a hard-line to stamp out dangerous behaviour in changing rooms. Headteacher Stephen Wyatt is urging parents
A man has been found dead in the River Chelmer in Maldon. Police yesterday identified the man as 50-year-old Danny Bright, of Hyacinth Close, Tollesbury. His body was discovered at 2.30pm on Saturday near the bridge on the A414 Maldon bypass. A post mortem
The mother of a man in a coma is appealing for more specialist treatment for her son. Aarron Todd suffered major head injuries after a road accident on January 8. Now his family are calling for more specialist treatment for him at Colchester General Hospital
A young man was threatened in his bed by armed robbers demanding cash. Two men burst in to the sleeping area next to the Way to the Raj Restaurant, in Coggeshall Road, Marks Tey, at around 5.30am on Sunday. They threatened the manager's nephew 18-year-old
A boy who suffered brain damage at birth won £1.8 million damages at London's High Court. Ryan Plummer, now 7, was starved of oxygen while he was being delivered at St John's Hospital in Chelmsford in April 1992. The court heard on Friday how Ryan suffers
Bailiffs have been working to break into tunnels which hold the last of the Rettendon eco-warriors campaigning against the new A130 road. Officials spent the weekend drilling into the entrance of the anti-A130 protesters tunnel complex - formed around
A new youth and community centre costing £108,000 is set to give Shoebury youngsters a place to chill out and relax. The centre, built by the Salvation Army, will open later this month and has been paid for from funds raised purely by the Army in just
Ice cream war broke out in Basildon when rival sellers clashed over working the same route. Roma Stock, 32, was so fed up with Mark Gentry cashing in on the Whitmore Way area that she continuously followed his van, a jury heard. In the end, Mr Gentry's
Thousands of commuters faced lengthy delays and a station had to be closed today after a rail power line was brought down. A passenger train is thought to have ripped down cables at 10pm yesterday. The rail chaos was expected to continue until lunchtime
A long-running feud between youths and a community of Kosovan refugees could be behind a spate of vicious attacks, it was today revealed. Extra patrols have been launched in Grays town centre by police who fear armed teenagers are taking to the streets
The family of a disabled rower who has spent more than 200 days at sea in his solo quest to cross the Pacific today gave him their full backing. Andrew Halsey, 42, set off from San Diego in July on his journey of about 7,000 miles to Sydney, Australia
Billericay MP Teresa Gorman has vowed to fight on - even if a decision is made to throw her out of the Commons. She was today releasing a dossier of rebuttals against the Parliamentary Standards and Privileges Committee, which is investigating her business
A man stabbed to death two drinking pals in a bid to win back his estranged wife's love, a court heard. Jason Prentice murdered Jane Phipps and her friend Steven Keys at a block of flats in London Road, Westcliff, in a late-night attack, a jury at Chelmsford
A store detective was attacked with a knife in broad daylight as he tackled two suspected shoplifters. The worker confronted the two men at about 4.30pm yesterday in Woolworths in High Street, Maldon. One of the men pulled a knife and the store detective
Most of us have a hobby we enjoy. Some people collect stamps, others like train sets, but South Woodham Ferrers' Melanie Thompson loves Southend United so much she has been to every Blues game for the last 20 years. Melanie has been following the Shrimpers
Colchester councillors are set to agree to a 4.5 per cent increase in council tax bills. This extra amount will mean residents will pay a total of £5.7 million towards Colchester Council services next year, an increase of £8.21 a year on Band D properties
A Brown Owl has said goodbye to her pack after 17 happy years. Tina Gentry, 51, of Halstead Road, Colchester, joined the 2nd Stanway Brownies as Brown Owl in 1983, but has decided to leave and allow someone else to have a go. She said: "I have a lot of
Government experts are taking part in a special global study - looking at sex changes in fish. Essex-based boffins are concerned that fish and other wildlife are becoming feminised. Experts at The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
Traders in South Woodham have joined together to fight for small business in the town. The South Woodham Alliance of Businesses (SWAB) has been established amidst fears traders could feel the pinch with supermarket giant Asda's impending buy-out of town
Southend had to endure a second-half fightback to come out on top in this exciting third-team clash. Some poor play from Southend's scrum almost let in Chelmsford, but good defence from the backs, especially Mark James, gave Southend a deserved win. Southend's
Nathan Braithwaite is a young man in a hurry. A pupil at Tiptree's Thurstable School, he is already making his mark on the moto-cross scene even though he is only 13. So far he has won three club championships and has already started out on his quest
Wivenhoe Town's season could rest upon a potentially exciting Vandanel Trophy quarter-final at Northwood tonight. The Dragons travel to their Ryman League division two rivals knowing that Saturday's defeat against Ford has probably ended their promotion
A rugby prospect from a Stanford-le-Hope school is celebrating after a double selection coup. Robert Anderson, 14 , of St Cleres School, has been called up to both the Essex Schools side and the Eastern Counties representative squad. Multi-talented Robert
Watford boss Graham Taylor has revealed how close he came to making ex-Blues striker Stan Collymore Southend United's first England international. The former national team coach has admitted he contemplated handing Collymore a sensational baptism of fire
Southend Borough Combination Veterans League: Groom's amazing display leaves Strollers speechless Ford Basildon booked themselves a date with Pegasus in the Southend Borough Combination Veterans League Premier Division League Cup final with a hard-fought
The future of a bowls club, which has been on the brink of closure for more than a decade, finally looks to have been secured. Crittall Bridge Bowls Club - based on the grounds of an old nursing home at Witham's Bridge Hospital - has faced uncertainty
Pupils at Leigh Infants School welcomed Southend West MP David Amess into their classrooms yesterday. Mr Amess spent more than an hour with teachers and children and spoke with headteacher Pauline Lucas to find out how the school was progressing throughout
The man behind controversial plans for Frinton's first town centre pub has struck a deal with Britain's oldest brewer. Millionaire entrepreneur developer Eamonn Ryan is set to sign a long-term lease with independent Kent family brewer Shepherd Neame Brewers
A number of jobs are to go at a Colchester insurance company as part of a strategic review. Crowe Syndicate Management (CSM), part of the Crowe Insurance Group, in Bergholt Road, Colchester, has announced the review as a move to "increase competitiveness
A leading businesswoman has died after a two-year battle with cancer. Business leaders today paid tribute to Georgina James, 48, the president of the Essex Chamber of Commerce. Miss James, who died on Friday after she finally lost her struggle against
Bradwell Power Station is laying on retraining for 60 employees to help them find work when the nuclear plant shuts in two years' time. Operations technicians will learn new skills as health monitors to ensure people follow correct procedures when working
