Plans for a multi-million pound village bypass between Braintree and Chelmsford have moved a step nearer. Building work on the new A131 Great Leighs bypass, which will provide a loop between Braintree and Chelmsford, is due to start in October. Highways
A completely naked man leapt out on a woman exercising her dog on fields in Colchester. The woman was walking along Hilly Fields, Lexden, on Saturday afternoon when the naked man jumped out of bushes before running off. Although shocked by the indecent
Investigations are underway after a replica aircraft was damaged in an incident at Andrewsfield airfield, Stebbing. The replica Sopwith Dove came to a halt, nose down, on the runway on Sunday night. Other light aircraft were diverted to nearby airfields
Angry drivers had to endure hours of inching their cars along when traffic problems once again left a Colchester car park at a virtual standstill. Cars were backed up to the top floor of the NCP car park in Osborne Street on Saturday because of the volume
A charity campaigner was yesterday (Monday) seriously ill with malaria. Merlin Matthews, 27 - called Mr Bike because he runs charity Re-Cycle which sends old bicycles to poor countries - nearly died when he contracted the most deadly strain, cerebral
Former British Windsurfing Champion Guy Cribb passed on tips to members of West Mersea Windsurfers and Ardleigh Watersports Centre during a visit to Essex. Cribb runs coaching sessions across the UK and was on hand to put ten enthusiasts - ranging in
Memories of cricketing matches past were the order of the day last week as Harold Park Cricket Club staged a reunion of players who have represented the club over its 75 year history. Harold Park's Derek Fenton, who was born in the year that the club
Youngster Andrew McGarry could be set for a shock Essex debut in their crunch division two promotion clash with Worcestershire tomorrow (Wednesday). The 17-year-old has been drafted in to the squad as cover for Ashley Cowan, who is struggling with an
Ross and Gavin Johnson have been drafted into Colchester United's squad for tonight's pre-season friendly at Canvey Island. The pair were sidelined when the U's started their build-up with a 4-0 triumph at Cornard United on Saturday. But Andy Arnott,
Plans for a multi-million pound village bypass between Braintree and Chelmsford have moved a step nearer. Building work on the new A131 Great Leighs bypass, which will provide a loop between Braintree and Chelmsford, is due to start in October. Highways
A hole in the roof gang broke into a Canvey firm and made off with a £134,000 haul. The burglars entered the warehouse belonging to the Games and Prints Services in Sandhurst through the roof. They then used a forklift truck in the building to remove
A woman was evacuated from her home when a 19th century pavilion was destroyed by a fire. The home, in the lodge next to the building in Old Heath recreation ground, Colchester, sustained smoke and water damage. The well-known pavilion was well alight
A Colchester firm of solicitors could face a legal battle with the British Government as it represents five Serbian victims of a NATO bombing raid in Belgrade. Fisher Jones Greenwood, based in Southway, is acting for the relatives of four employees killed
A company taking over a derelict gasworks site in Southend has revealed its preliminary development plans. The prime patch of land along the seafront, in Eastern Esplanade, is currently contaminated and has remained unused for years. However, it could
The father of a missing backpacker feared dead in Central America said yesterday (Monday) he had not given up hope of finding his son alive. Brian Winder said his son Paul, and his travelling companion, could have been murdered or kidnapped by paramilitary
A controversial water treatment works has finally been given the go-ahead. Essex and Suffolk Water has been given the green light to operate the water recycling plant at Langford by Maldon District Council. The company will be discharging up to 40 million
Three men are starting jail sentences totalling 18 years after police smashed a drugs organisation. The village of Boxted was the base for the trade but a court heard how police broke the gang through a sophisticated undercover operation. Officers were
Thousands of people flocked to Hylands Park this weekend for the Essex leg of Elton John's Stately Homes Tour. The music legend, who was accompanied on stage by just his piano, played hits from throughout his career to an audience of about 12,000 people
Firefighters were called out to free a hapless hound whose head got wedged in a wine rack. Samantha Cook, 28, of Malvern Flats, Coleman Street, Southend returned from work last night to find her puppy Bonnie dragging the empty wire wine rack around the
The father of Ecstasy victim Leah Betts has slammed the hit film Essex Boys and urged cinemagoers to boycott the movie. Anti-drugs campaigner Paul Betts said yesterday (Monday) that the film glamorised drug-taking and glorified the dealers he holds responsible
A hairdresser got away with more than £300 by altering a customer's cheques before her forgeries were discovered. A court heard how 35-year-old Wendy Steward changed eight cheques from customer Diana Rowe before her husband noticed discrepancies. Steward
St Clare's Hospice at Heybridge is meeting its financial targets but is not complacent said chairman, Chris Thorby. He was speaking after Farleigh Hospice at Chelmsford announced it had been hit by a drop in general donations of about £6,000 a month.
Young athletes in Essex are a hop, skip and jump ahead of the rest of the country after clinching victory at the English Schools Athletics Championships for the seventh successive year. The contest, which was held in Sheffield last weekend, saw the Essex
Despite missing eight regulars due to injury and the clash with the English Schools' event, Southend AC returned to winning ways in their Southern Men's League Division Two meeting at Brighton. They totalled 128 points with Chelmsford second on 108.5
Jubilant Rayleigh clinched the Essex Area B title in the Travelsphere National Club Bowls Championship with a 3-1 home victory over Ingatestone, taking all but the triples. J Noakes carded a comfortable 22-6 success in the singles, with the duo of B Fletcher
School pupils were given the chance to run one of Colchester's top hotels for the day. The 25 catering and home economics students were in charge of a variety of key tasks, cleaning the rooms, waiting on tables, manning reception and overseeing banqueting
Voluntary and community groups across south Essex are celebrating after hitting the lottery jackpot. They scooped a total of £710,787 which includes a large slice to the Basildon Mediation Service. The organisation was awarded £150,621 by the National
Injury-plagued Essex paceman Ricky Anderson has pencilled in next month's annual Colchester festival to make his return to first class cricket. Speaking to the Gazette, the promising 23-year-old right-arm fast medium bowler said: "I'd love to play at
A boss of the Wethersfield-based Ministry of Defence Police went on armed patrol with the police constable who challenged him to "see how we do the job." Deputy Chief Constable Tony Comben answered the challenge from PC David Retallack, who later became
Thirty-two students have left for Sweden determined to carve the name of Colchester on the European soccer map. Colchester Sixth Form College have entered two teams for the Gothia World Youth Cup competition in Gothenburg where they will be up against
England star Mark Ramprakash has been confirmed to play in Hadleigh and Thundersley's 10th annual cricket match. The Middlesex batsman was not certain to take part in today's (Tuesday's) match at the John Burrows ground because he is under contract to
Old houses up for sale are not exceptional in south Essex, but Rochford's Kings Hill has a history - and a whipping post - all of its own, says TOM KING One of the oldest and most fascinating houses in south Essex has come on the market. The sale of King's
Steve Maish was on target for major honours at the Rochford Festival of Sport darts tournament. He won the men's singles, beating Chris Purvis by four legs to nil and then, in partnership with Richard Watering, triumphed 3-1 over Ken Pearson and Trevor
A teenager from Witham is taking her protest about the high price of UK petrol straight to the Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown. Chris Jaye, 17, of Saul's Avenue, Witham, has organised a petition in protest at fuel prices which, she says, are
Essex library users can now browse the web for books, audio tapes, videos, DVD or CDs any time of the day or night. The new service offers access to the complete ELAN (Essex Libraries Automated Network) catalogue with up to date information on three million
More tests have been ordered on the effect of explosions from a firing range on coastal homes. It follows talks between MPs, a Government minister and Ministry of Defence officials over blasts at the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency in Shoeburyness
Projects in Witham and Dunmow have been given prestigious Essex Environment Trust Awards in the millennium year. The Witham Lodge Greens community open space enhancement scheme and the restoration of the 17th century Dunmow Maltings for community uses
An armed robber has been jailed for six years for a terrifying raid on a Maldon holiday park. James Sheedy was part of a gang who armed themselves with machetes and a handgun when they burst into the Steeple Bay camp last summer. Staff were manhandled
Commuters in south Essex are waiting to see the effects of a takeover of Prism Rail, which runs the London-Fenchurch Street line. New owner National Express - which has paid £166 million for the company - has pledged to invest more cash into services
Crime in Essex has shot up by seven per cent in the past year - although it remains one of England's safest counties. According to Home Office figures released today (Tuesday), of the 39 English forces surveyed only five had a lower crime rate, even though
Eco-warriors who were at the centre of two protest camps now face another eviction after squatting on land in Hockley. Camper vans and caravans are currently being lived in on green belt land at Creek View in Beckney Avenue. A local resident, who wishes
A headteacher in charge of a school found to have series weaknesses in its last inspection is celebrating after pupils achieved a bumper crop of exam results. Mike Blant, headteacher of Winter Gardens Junior School on Canvey, vowed to turn around the
Plans a permanent church in Notley Village have moved one step further, with a 'personal beliefs' survey carried out on residents. Members of the Church in Great Notley, which currently meets in portacabins, questioned 500 people. The results included
Former pupils of Tabor High School's Panfield Lane site are being offered the chance to take their place in school history. For just £5 they can have their names inscribed on a brick in the new school building, further up Panfield Lane. The offer is open
Councillors are set for a cash boost if a proposed pay rise of more than 50 per cent goes ahead. Braintree Council wants to add £300 to each member's basic allowance over a six-month period. District councillors are currently given £1,000 a year as a
Two people were trapped after a bus and a car were in a collision in Wrabness today (Tuesday). The accident happened near the junction of Harwich Road and Spinnels Lane, close to the former Wheatsheaf pub. The Essex Air Ambulance was called to the scene
Police have issued an appeal for witnesses after a crash on the new bypass at Little Clacton in which two drivers were trapped. The drivers were injured in the accident which involved four vehicles and which blocked the A133. The drivers, an 18-year-old
A motorist escaped serious injury after his car hit the central reservation of the A12 and overturned. The Ford Sierra, travelling towards Colchester near Dedham, took out about 50 metres of barrier before coming to rest. The driver, a 30-year-old Ipswich
Robust action to tackle a car park gridlock has been called for to stop people being put off visiting Colchester. Politicians want the problems which have led to long jams at the NCP car park in Osborne Street solved urgently. The plea came at a a meeting
A man was robbed in the street as he walked home after a night out. The victim was approached from behind as he walked past the Drury Arms on Drury Road, Colchester, at 2.30am on Saturday. He told police he was assaulted by a man who scratched him and
Essex are hoping Stuart Law is fit enough to take his place in the side facing Second Division leaders Worcestershire at Chelmsford tomorrow. The Aussie star is still suffering from back trouble which forced him out of action earlier in the season. Law's
Colchester Sixth Form College suffered a 1-0 defeat in the opening match of their Gothia Cup campaign. But they produced an excellent performance against the professional Swedish premier league club side Frolunda - hot favourites to win the tournament
Lee Georgiou was unceremoniously brushed aside within a round at York Hall, Bethnal Green on Thursday. The Harold Hill flyweight succumbed to his first professional defeat at the hands of Chris Emmanuel, a last minute stand-in for original opponent Tommy
Athletics coach John Hyland has slammed the "foolhardiness" of having two athletics clubs in Colchester. The Colchester and Tendring Athletics Club coach says the sport would flourish in the area if his club joined forces with rivals Colchester Harriers
A controversial water treatment works has finally been given the go-ahead. Essex and Suffolk Water has been given the green light to operate the water recycling plant at Langford by Maldon District Council. The company will be discharging up to 40 million
A company taking over a derelict gasworks site in Southend has revealed its preliminary development plans. The prime patch of land along the seafront, in Eastern Esplanade, is currently contaminated and has remained unused for years. However, it could
A Colchester firm of solicitors could face a legal battle with the British Government as it represents five Serbian victims of a NATO bombing raid in Belgrade. Fisher Jones Greenwood, based in Southway, is acting for the relatives of four employees killed
A master burglar is being hunted by police for a frightening one-man crimewave spate of break-ins. He has been linked to up to 20 burglaries so far in Billericay and Wickford, but officers have warned the total could rise yet further. Police said he leaves
A doctor from Essex County Hospital in Colchester has urged parents to protect their children from the sun in holiday hotspots. Consultant dermatologist David Shuttelworth has advised parents to use powerful sun block on youngsters and make them wear
Ray Morton had his gating skills to thank as he scooped the annual Essex championship at the Purfleet Raceway. On an evening of high drama and one or two nasty crashes, the Isle of Wight rider soared through in the final ahead of Arena Essex's Troy Pratt
Mark Venus and Richard Naylor have been ruled out of Ipswich Town's pre-season tour to the Baltic States. The injury-plagued pair delayed surgery at the end of last season so they could star in Town's 4-2 play-off final triumph against Barnsley. Defender
Glenn McGrath, widely acknowledged as the world's best fast bowler, will provide Essex batsmen with a severe test at Chelmsford over the next few days. The 30-year-old Aussie is the major reason why Worcestershire will go into action tomorrow topping
Placard-carrying residents clashed verbally with asylum seekers at a public meeting at Clacton. The noisy meeting, which was attended by about 40 people, had been called to drum up support for refugees living in Tendring. Several hotels in Clacton and
He's played a few baddies in his time but none of them compares to the drug dealing, wife-beating character Sean Bean has to portray in his new movie. The Sheffield-born star plays the relentlessly evil Jason Locke in Essex Boys, which opens tonight,
A long trek to the loo will soon be a thing of the past for children at a pre-school. Elmwood Pre-school in Guys Farm Road, South Woodham, has been without toilet facilities since an outdoor toilet block, owned by Elmwood Primary, was condemned and removed
Elmwood Colts proved to be the mini-marvels when the soccer competition was the central attraction of Rochford Festival of Sports finals day at King George's Playing Field, Rayleigh. Elmwood won both the under-seven and under-eight events, beating Rayleigh
Traders and Chelmsford Borough Council officers got together to celebrate a prestigious award for the recent major facelift of the historic Baddow Road area. The council has been awarded Highly Commended in the Local Government News Street Design Awards
Every woman wants to say "yes" to a knight in shining armour. But Dawn Goodall was left speechless when boyfriend Jason George went down on one knee and proposed dressed as her medieval hero. Surrounded by bemused shoppers in Chelmsford High Street, Jason
Around £12,000 was taken in a wages snatch outside a Laindon store, police have revealed. The money was grabbed from the back of a car believed to be owned by the manager of Sanders store, Powell Road, Laindon, at 9pm on Sunday. Police have said two men
The £12.6 million raised from the sale of William Foyle's private library is a record. A spokeswoman for auctioneer's Christie's said the amount was the highest ever achieved for a library at auction in Europe. Christie's pre-sale estimate for the 4,000
Pupils at the Plume School in Maldon have raised about £1,000 for charity. In a week-long bid to get people to hand over their cash, the students did everything from eating cream cakes to auctioning their teachers. Head girl Rebecca Leach hopes the figure
He is top of the class as far as his pupils are concerned. Tom Darlow is off to the United States to teach. And pupils joined in the surprise This Is Your Life send-off. Mr Darlow, who teaches at Little Clacton's Engaines Primary School, was named top
Police are looking for a man who posed as a worker for the water board to try to get into a woman's house. The man visited the house in Pound Farm Drive, Dovercourt, and claimed he was checking to see if pipes needed replacing. He was not let in and the
The contribution of women who kept the agricultural life of Essex up and running during the Second World War has been recognised. Countless women worked in the fields, farms and orchards of Britain while the men of the country were away fighting. A diamond-shaped
Sports organisations in Witham are being invited to a 'summit meeting' to help boost facilities in the town. Invitations are being sent out over the next two weeks by town mayor Michael Jones, asking the clubs if they will get together and kick-start
Thieves grabbed more than £10,000 worth of cigarettes in a raid at Wickford's Somerfield superstore. Now managers have launched an investigation to find out why the store's alarm was not triggered by the thieves. The High Street store was targeted in
Essex are hoping Stuart Law is fit enough to take his place in the side facing Second Division leaders Worcestershire at Chelmsford today. The Aussie star is still suffering from back trouble which forced him out of action earlier in the season. Law's
Young sportsmen and women from Havering were in jubilant mood on Sunday as they celebrated victory over 32 other borough teams in the 23rd London Heathrow Youth Games. East London's finest, the most successful borough in the history of the Games, secured
Heybridge Swifts are staging a Charity Fun Day at their Scraley Road ground on Sunday. The event is in aid of the Essex Air Ambulance Appeal, and will feature a football match between a Heybridge veterans side - including former West Ham defender Julian
West Chelmsford Tory MP Simon Burns backed the government last Thursday in the vote on the planned new emergency powers to combat football hooliganism. The other Tory MPs, with the exception of Sir Norman Fowler who joined Mr Burns in voting with the
A Colchester postman has been suspended after more than 120 items went missing. A Royal Mail investigation has been launched after it emerged items addressed to residents in one area of Colchester had not been delivered. About 100 households will receive
Flyer Dan Holford, a former student at Colchester Royal Grammar School, has become the youngest navigator in the RAF. Dan, 21, joined the RAF in 1998 and has just graduated as a fully-qualified navigator from No 3 Flying Training School at RAF College
The "forgotten war" of Korea will be remembered this weekend on the 50th anniversary of a conflict which saw 1,200 British troops lose their lives. Members of the Southend and District Korean War Veterans' Association will march to the town's cenotaph
A bright new future is on the cards for a Billericay school which has drafted ambitious plans to take it into the 21st century. The plans for Brightside Infant and Junior schools will see more than £500,000 spent on a host of projects to improve the school's
Seafront traders and police have reacted angrily to a violent game - involving shooting "grasses" outside a fictitious Southend nightclub - which can be found on the Essex Boys film official website. At the official site - www.essexboysthemovie.com -
He should be so lucky! Kirby-le-Soken model James Gooding took celebrity girlfriend Kylie Minogue out. And the location for the romantic date - the bowling alley on Walton Pier. James, a former student at Tendring Technology College, is a successful model
Armed police officers were left red-faced when they set up a motorway road block only to find their gun-wielding villains were brandishing harmless toy laser guns. Rush-hour traffic on the M25 ground to a halt as seven teams of police officers in body
A plea from rugby club bosses for a last-ditch meeting with disgruntled residents to resolve its future have been rejected. Alan Moss, of Rayleigh Wyverns Rugby Club, warned plans to use derelict Table House in Wickford's Memorial Park will be "dead in
Clacton Town manager Steve Dowman has boosted his squad by signing AFC Sudbury centre-back Richard Codling. Codling started his career at Cornard United before moving to Sudbury where he played for 13 years. The 32-year-old said: "After seeing first hand
