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 on Monday and went out of the room. Moments later she found the set alight and called the fire brigade to the house
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 yesterday 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
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. Yesterday, the Labour MP for Harwich, Ivan, said his brother's
Thousands of commuters faced lengthy delays and a station had to be closed yesterday after a rail power line was brought down. A passenger train is thought to have ripped down cables at 10pm on Monday. The rail chaos was expected to continue until lunchtime
Danbury's professional lady snooker player June Mead recently returned from competing in the ladies Regal Welsh tournament with great success by reaching the last 16 of the event. June (pictured), knocked out Sue Selby, a seeded player ranked 18 in the
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
Asylum lawyers were yesterday 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
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
Manager Steve Whitton wants any new player joining Colchester United to move within an hour's travelling time of the town. Whitton is keen to lay down the law and the same terms will apply to existing professionals looking to sign new contracts. Defender
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 on Monday in Woolworths in High Street, Maldon. One of the men pulled a knife and the store detective
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
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 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
Residents of Braintree face a steep council tax rise. Essex County Council was yesterday 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
Eco-protesters at Etheldore Woods in Hockley are under siege conditions imposed by developers, it was claimed yesterday. It's claimed that security guards for developers Countryside Residential - which has full legal possession of the land on which it
A Little Oakley golfer scored his first hole-in-one - at one of Europe's top golf courses. Tony Dumper, 52, of Aspen Way, Little Oakley, was playing with some friends on the San Lorenzo Championship course in the Algarve. He said: "It is a beautiful course
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
