Archive

  • Ashingdon: Demo over homes bid

    Eco-warriors joined forces with concerned residents on a march through Ashingdon to protest against a major new housing development. The 40-strong group took to the streets in a bid to muster up support for their campaign against plans to build 73 houses

  • Colchester: Candidates take to campaign trail

    The campaign trail has started. The deadline for anyone wanting to put themselves forward for next month's Colchester Council elections passed at noon yesterday. Three high-profile Liberal Democrats - former council leader Steve Cawley (Shrub End), and

  • Snooker: Tiptree ace claims another top scalp

    Tiptree's Ali Carter added another big-name scalp to his ever growing list as he knocked John Parrott out of the Regal Scottish Masters. Carter triumphed 5-3 against the former world champion to progress to the fourth round of the competition. He said

  • Soccer: Canvey watching promotion slip away

    Canvey Island's superb first season at Ryman League Premier Division level has gone badly off the boil at precisely the wrong time. Just ten days ago, Gulls' fans were still cherishing outside hopes of catching runaway leaders Dagenham and Redbridge for

  • Soccer: Sky time for Ipswich win

    Ipswich Town are back on the box for their First Division clash at West Bromwich Albion tonight. Town - who were without a game at the weekend - are hoping to make up some ground on Barnsley and Manchester City in front of the Sky television cameras.

  • Southend: Plan to stop illegal asylum hostels

    Court action could be threatened against property owners who flout planning laws by acting as hostels for asylum seekers. Properties classed as hotels and guest houses but used as hostels could be targeted for enforcement notices, as the change in use

  • Billericay: Businessman Tony dies at 70

    Wealthy Billericay businessman Tony Mudd, who locked horns with MP Teresa Gorman in a famous libel case, has died. The funeral of Mr Mudd, 70, was held at St Mary the Virgin Church, Little Burstead, on Friday. Mr Mudd clashed with the outspoken Billericay

  • Witham: Town leads recycling bid

    Witham is set to become more eco-friendly thanks to a ground-breaking new recycling scheme. The four-year project - expected to cost several hundred thousand pounds - is part of a major drive to reduce levels of waste. The initiative involves Essex County

  • Colchester: A burger too many for hungry worker

    A worker at fast-food giant McDonald's claimed he was forced to resign because he was not allowed enough food during his shift. Eighteen-year-old Kristin Saddington agreed to work extra hours and felt he was entitled to more food, which he ate. But Mr

  • Little Tey: Vandals hit sewage plant

    Vandals broke in to a sewage treatment plant and released sludge into a river. They caused £1,000 damage at Anglian Water's sewage works in Great Tey Road, Little Tey, and sludge overflowed from tanks on to the ground. Alarms were set off at about 5.35pm

  • Canvey: Police concern over nightclub

    Police have revealed they have "grave concerns" over the way in which a Canvey nightclub is run. The club's director, however, said it had always worked closely with police and Castle Point Council. Officers yesterday voiced their fears about King's Club

  • Linford, Tilbury: Warm welcome back for meningitis teacher

    Oh what a beautiful morning! The day popular teacher Shawn Cullen walked back into school was one that few had dared hope would ever arrive. Only four months ago, Shawn, of High Ash Close, Linford, was battling against the odds on a life support machine

  • Rayleigh: Our son's flowers heartbreak

    A grieving mother was horrified to find that floral tributes to her dead son were mistakenly dumped just hours after his cremation. Steven Sellers was just 23 when he died from cancer. His beloved West Ham United football club gave a floral tribute to

  • Chelmsford: Fluid sprayed on man

    A man is recovering today after he was hit on the head and had fluid sprayed in his face in a vicious robbery. Police were called just after 5.30pm yesterday after reports that an Esso service station staff member had been attacked in his car while leaving

  • Colchester: Youth shot in face with airgun pellet

    A young boy has been shot in the face by an airgun pellet. Police say the Colchester 12-year-old was fortunate to escape serious injury. The youngster was riding his bike along Villa Road, Stanway, looking for his friends at about 7.15pm yesterday when

  • Leigh: New homes plan sparks protests

    Two care homes axed as part of a social services shake-up could be demolished to make way for new houses, it has been revealed. London and Quadrant Housing Trust has lodged its proposals for Blenheim House in Leigh and Friars House in Shoebury with Southend

  • Basildon: Alert over faulty diabetic testing kits

    A national alert has been issued after revelations that 5,000 wrongly labelled packs of diabetic testing strips have been sent out by a Basildon firm. Patients who use the strips to check blood glucose level have been asked to check the packaging by company

  • Tollesbury: Conservation project launched

    A Government minister has visited Tollesbury to launch a national conservation project. Elliot Morley, Flood Defence Minister, was at Tollesbury Fleet, one of three sites in East Anglia that will benefit from new guidelines which will see internationally

  • Maldon: Historic house gets new lease of life

    A neglected house in Maldon is set to get a new lease of life thank to its new owners. Evelyn House on Market Hill has been declared a building at risk by Essex County Council because of its poor state of repair. But now the Maldon Conservation Area Partnership

  • Soccer: Reprieve for Southend ground

    Amateur footballers breathed a sigh of relief today as the Southend Borough Combination League's Eastwoodbury Lane ground was granted a brand new 21-year lease of life. The league has been based at its present home since 1981, but had genuine fears for

  • Maldon: Jackpot winner thanks to mum

    A 21-year-old woman who took her mum to play bingo as a Mother's Day treat won more than £82,000. The Maldon woman - who has asked not to be named - took her mother to the Mecca Club in Southend and ended up scooping the big money jackpot. Now the kind-hearted

  • Colchester: Bowler takes a slide

    A bowler ended up among the tenpins after a stunt at Colchester Superbowl. The man, who is in his thirties, slid along one of the alleys during his evening game, and was pulled free from under the sweep bar by staff. Manager Mike Tinston said: "This gentleman

  • Langdon Hills: Give back my gran's antique ring

    A distraught grandmother today urged burglars to return an antique engagement ring which had been in her family for almost a century. The heirloom originally belonged to Ann Pittman's grandmother and had been passed from mother to daughter through the

  • Thundersley: Cheers! Yvonne drinks to pub contest success

    Yvonne Jack was serving top tipples today as she celebrated coming runner-up in a national competition. The assistant manager at the White Hart pub, in Hart Road, Thundersley, was nominated bar person of the year in The Publican newspaper's ninth annual

  • Southend: Marathon gesture to repay hospital staff

    Marathon man Andrew Baker is going to put himself through 26 miles of torture to repay hospital staff for saving his father's life. Andrew, 44, of Keith Way, Southend, is running the London Marathon on April 16 to raise money for the London Chest Hospital

  • Colchester: Surfing up portion of bytes and chips

    Hungry web-surfers can now plaice their fish and chips orders online at a Colchester chippie. Hicks Fish and Chip Shop in the High Street has launched its own website, complete with e-mail ordering facility. Linking silicon chips with their potato namesakes

  • Essex: Ambulance stations axed

    South Essex ambulance stations are in the firing line under radical proposals which could leave just a handful open, it has been revealed. Health chiefs at the Essex Ambulance Service NHS Trust have earmarked 22 stations for closure, leaving nine "resource

  • Benfleet: Gas blast home horror was no joke

    A thankful woman has been counting her blessings after her parents had a miraculous escape from a gas explosion which blew their home to pieces. Linda Gunter, 47, of Malwood Drive, Benfleet, received a call from police on April Fool's Day and first thought

  • Colchester, Clacton: Why was he free to rape again?

    A Colchester man raped a teenager within hours of being released from prison for another brutal attack. Vicious sex beast Kevin Chambers was today (Tuesday) starting a life sentence for raping a 19-year-old woman less than a day after completing a six-year

  • Thurrock: Airgun shooting

    Police today warned parents that they would take tough action against children found misusing potentially dangerous airguns. The warning follows the shock shooting of a nine-year-old boy in Thurrock. He was today still recovering at home from the ordeal

  • Colchester: Bid to ease traffic chaos

    Transport chiefs are bidding for £15 million to unlock Colchester's congested roads. They have drawn up a five-year plan to make significant steps towards a long-term solution to the traffic problems in the town and rural areas. The long-term strategy

  • Great Wakering: Why Frodo will always be my top dog...

    Top dog Frodo has proved he is definitely woman's best friend. For the clever hound is always ready to lend a helping hand to his disabled owner, Stephanie Pengelly. The two-year old Labrador can pick up the telephone, unload the washing machine, help

  • Maldon: Blackwater barrage idea set to be rejected

    A proposal for a barrage to be installed across the River Blackwater looks set to be rejected by Maldon district councillors. Details of the scheme have only just been made public after weeks of private discussion. The idea was for a "tidal bar" to be

  • Thundersley: Virgin decision

    Virgin boss Richard Branson will soon learn if councillors are to give the go-ahead to his multi-million pound leisure centre in Thundersley Members of Castle Point's town planning committee discuss the proposals tonight Over 300 people have written to

  • Rugby: Ken quits game - aged 72

    Nothing has surprised Southend's 72-year-old rugby star Ken Light during a playing career which has lasted 60 years - until now. To recognise his forthcoming retirement, the club organised a special match between a Southend team and a Ken Light XV, made

  • South Essex: United efforts to boost trade

    Businesses and local councils have joined forces to shape the future prosperity of south Essex - six months after they formed an economic partnership to spruce up trade in the region. The South East Essex Economic Group, consisting of members from Southend

  • Cricket: Torrential rain? It must be the cricket season...

    It's nice weather for ducks out there, so the cricket season must be about to start. But the only ducks at the County Ground were of the feathered variety as Essex's friendly two-day match against Kent was cancelled because of, wait for it, the weather

  • Halstead, Earls Colne: Spitfire in collision with helicopter

    The only known female Spitfire pilot in the world escaped injury when her 56-year-old aircraft was in a collision with a parked helicopter. Carolyn Grace, 47, of Halstead, was taxiing at low speed following a practice flight when the collision occurred

  • Colchester: Mum and seven kids escape blaze

    A mother led her seven children to safety after a smoke alarm alerted her to a fire in their home. When firefighters arrived at the house in Layer Road, Colchester, at about noon on Sunday, they found the woman and her children already outside. Two firefighters

  • Harwich: Man hurt in incident

    A man was in intensive care today after being attacked outside a Harwich pub. The man, in his 50s, who is from the town, was pushed over and fractured his skull on the pavement. Police today appealed for any witnesses to the incident to come forward.

  • Mid-Essex: Traffic chaos after pile-up

    Motorists faced traffic chaos after a four-car accident on the A12. Part of the road was closed after the pile-up on the north-bound carriageway between Hatfield Peverel and Witham at around 8.10am today (Tuesday). Commuters faced major delays throughout

  • Soccer: Main lashes out at Blues

    Southend United chairman John Main today launched a scathing attack on the struggling Third Division club's highly-paid team of underachievers. In an exclusive interview the Roots Hall supremo lashed out at the Seasiders' players, angrily blaming them

  • Pitsea: Police fury at well trap hoax

    An April Fool's Day prank in which a caller claimed a young boy was stuck down a well has been branded "dangerous and foolish" by police. Thousands of pounds were wasted as emergency services rushed to the Wat Tyler Country Park in Pitsea on Saturday

  • Sible Hedingham: 250mph rocket stolen from car

    A model space rocket stolen from a car in north Essex could cause serious burns, warn police. The rocket, known as The Outlaw and sold in kit form, contains three small motors filled with solid fuel chemical propellant. The rocket kit and three empty

  • Braintree: £5m to be spent on council homes

    A cash pot of more than £5 million is to be spent upgrading council housing in the Braintree district. The investment is part of a drive to ensure everyone has access to decent, affordable property and to reduce short-term repair costs. Eileen Davidson

  • South Essex: Elections kick off...

    The nominations are in and the campaign is under way - Southend Council is now gearing up for one of the most crucial election tests in its history. On Thursday, May 4, voters will go to the polls to elect candidates to stand in 14 of the authority's

  • Silver End, Witham: Jobs boost

    One of the largest employers in the Witham area has announced it is to create 60 new jobs. Bosses at CEGO Frameware planned to transfer staff from their Brighton plant to the premises in Western Road, Silver End. But workers on the south coast are reluctant