Evidence of Roman central heating has been found by archaeologists digging at the site of the old Head Street Post Office. The heating system, called a "channelled hypercaust", was unearthed by diggers working on the site for the Colchester Archaeological
Safety fears have prompted town councillors to go it alone and install a pedestrian crossing on a busy road without county council backing Witham Town Council has agreed to take the unusual step of paying £9,000 for a zebra crossing to be put on Maldon
Experts have been sifting through the charred remains of a Southend cash and carry warehouse gutted in a massive blaze. Police set up roadblocks and diversions around the busy Southchurch Road roundabout on Wednesday as fire swept through the building
Visitors to Ongar could soon be treated to the spectacle of buildings flying specially-designed flags bearing the town emblem. Under proposals by the Ongar Consultative Group the flags would be displayed as widely as possible around the town in an effort
Southend United's players couldn't help lift the gloom hanging above the crisis club at Roots Hall as they crashed to a friendly defeat against Gillingham. However, Seasiders boss Alan Little said his men were trying to shut-out the off the field problems
A new green team that aims to make Harold Hill a better place for everyone to live is calling upon residents to help restore the area's open spaces. The new environmental steering group is part of the New Horizons project and follows on from the launch
Talented young dancers have been floored by plans which mean they will have to leave the hall where they meet. More than 160 members of Billericay Dance were devastated to learn the Mayflower Hall in the town's Chapel Street is having a new floor which
A staffing crisis in Essex's schools has prompted the county's education chiefs to beg ex-teachers to abandon their retirement and return to the classroom. Across the county, more than 500 teaching vacancies have been advertised for the September term
A loving husband has donated one of his kidneys to help his sick wife. Fireman Adrian Wallis gave up his kidney after his wife, Michele, became ill. Mrs Wallis, 41, of Southcliff Park, Clacton, has now fully recovered thanks to Adrian's sacrifice. She
Prince Charles visited Essex on Thursday to officially open a restored Victorian kitchen garden. The walled garden, at Audley End, the home of the Lord Lieutenant of Essex, Lord Braybrooke, has been restored by English Heritage and the Henry Doubleday
Sweeping schedule changes and the axing of top presenters are being lined up for the two Southend-based independent radio stations, it emerged today. Two of Breeze AM's most popular shows are being scrapped while the entire programme line-up of both Breeze
A partially-sighted 61-year-old man suffered a fractured skull after being attacked in an attempted robbery. The man was working in the cycle repair workshop near the edge of the car park at Alton Park Road near the junction of St Osyth Road, Clacton,
A young man was left black and blue by a gang of masked thugs who punched and kicked him to the floor. The terrifying attack is being linked to a spate of similar incidents - some of which have involved victims being beaten with a wheel brace. Each has
Kirby-le-Soken women's team have been crowned as Essex bowls champions after seeing off Falcon in the regional finals of the Travelsphere National Club Championship. They romped to victory with an impressive 3-1 away win - taking all but the pairs which
Helen Crook from Basildon won the ladies doubles and was the runner up in the ladies singles when at the latest LTA Womens Satellite tournament was played at Frinton. The ladies singles final was a unique affair with two Essex players in action. Sam Smith
Gary Croft scored his second goal of Ipswich's pre-season tour of the Baltic during Town's 3-0 win against FC Riga. Matt Holland and Marcus Stewart were also on the mark. Meanwhile, Ipswich have confirmed a friendly at Portman Road against Italian giants
Gavin Colby and Mike Coburn made the longest journey of any pair in the history of the 13th East Coast Piers Race, around 10,000 miles, but on Sunday it paid off with a stunning victory in the annual catamaran championship organised by Marconi Sailing
Central defender John Bishop has signed for Chelmsford City despite recent unfounded speculation that he might return to his former club, Braintree Town. City manager Gary Bellamy confirmed that the player would be staying with the club and he said he
The first of the group of 31 Afghans who claimed asylum after arriving in Britain on a hijacked plane has lost his appeal against deportation. The 21-year-old former medical student, who has not been named, had told immigration officials he would rather
Fears that plans for a multi-million pound development in Colchester had been put back have been allayed. The important and complex project includes a new stadium for Colchester United, northern approaches link road, housing and a business park. Town
A quick-thinking pensioner closed the door on a bogus woman caller who started to share her marriage problems and then said the house needed new guttering. The incident happened at Lawns Close, East Mersea, Colchester, Thursday morning . The elderly householder
AN ESCAPED remand prisoner was today back behind bars after he was found by police. The 31-year-old went missing from a secure unit in Basildon Hospital at around 11.10am on Sunday. Officers searching the hospital grounds saw him at around 4.30pm and
A THIRD motorcylist has died on Essex's road in a week. The 40-year-old man died after his bike was in collision with a van on the A131 near Pennypots Corner, Halstead. The 26-year-old van driver was uninjured in the crash at 8.30pm last night (Friday
POLICE were today appealing for witnesses after a teenager was killed in a traffic collision in Queens Park Avenue, Billericay. The accident occurred at around 1.45am on Sunday when a grey Ford Fiesta and a green Ford Granada collided. Bradley Pitcher
INVESTIGATIONS were underway today after a derelict Colchester hospital went up in flames for the second time in six months. Four fire crews attended the blaze at St Mary's Hospital and Balkerne Hill had to be shut for a time as the flames took hold at
Members of Five Lakes Golf and Country Club near Maldon, Club Kingswood in Basildon and Fitness First in Ilford will be getting active during August to raise money for the British Olympic Appeal - a scheme dedicated to helping Olympic hopefuls. Roger
Make Colchester town centre streets a 24-hour alcohol-free zone. That is the radical solution put forward by some people living and working in the heart of the town who want the streets cleaned of drunken louts, alcohol-related crime and cans and bottles
Former Essex and England captain Graham Gooch reached his 47th birthday on Sunday but would not have been celebrating his return to first-class cricket last week. He captained an MCC team against New Zealand A at The Parks, Oxford and although his side
Former junior international cyclist, Barry Elcome, from Kingswood in Surrey, burst back to prominence in Essex on Sunday when he scored a particularly impressive victory in the Glendene Cycling Club's premier annual promotion, the "Hell of the Ends."
A Battlesbridge man is set to make his way into the Guinness World Records book after recently rowing the width of Britain. Roy Hart, 54, who rowed for up to 11 hours a day for around two weeks, is believed to be the first person to row his way across
Railway lines act as "a magnet for bored children", rail operator c2c has said. However the firm, which operates the line linking Shoebury and Fenchurch Street, is playing a vital role in deterring young people from playing on the tracks. Every year bored
Paramedics could soon be given new training in an attempt to reduce deaths caused by heart attacks. Plans have been made to look into the possibility of issuing the front line emergency response crews with a life-saving, blood-clot-busting drug called
Simon Bonham proved he is in a class of his own in Southend and District tennis when he claimed the men's singles title in straight sets. Bonham defeated Simon Chesher 6-1 6-2 at Southend Lawn before travelling with the Essex team to County Week in Nottingham
Southend schools are toasting a £197,000 budget boost to bolster pupils' skills. Staff are gearing up to launch an exciting package of after-school projects, thanks to the latest round of handouts from the New Opportunities Fund. The biggest winner was
The final major phase of housing has been agreed for the former Notley Hospital site. Braintree area committee has approved 52 more houses on a 2.94 hectare piece of land. Nearly 300 homes have already been granted permission on the land in Black Notley
A father whose young daughter was saved by an ambulance crew has told how she may not be alive now if it wasn't for their quick response. His story emerged as proposals to site the Canvey ambulance off the island during the day fuelled further protests
South Woodham GP, Dr John Cormack, came to the rescue when one of his patients was admitted to hospital just days before his diamond wedding celebration. Fred Cooling was rushed to Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford with a suspected blood clot just three
A lethal mix of heroin and alcohol killed a 32-year-old Basildon man, an inquest heard. Meanwhile, police have said they are satisfied Stephen Siddall's death was the result of a tragic accident. Coroner's officer PC Roy Kebbell told the hearing an ambulance
The mother of a two-year-old boy who fell in to a garden pond has praised the quick-thinking youngster who dragged him out. Jack Titmas was playing with friends during a barbecue when he fell into the 2ft-deep pond. His mum, Adele, was on the scene in
A search was launched by police after a child's clothes were found in woodland. A member of the public alerted police at 6.50pm on Thursday evening after finding a top, some trousers and a sock in Chalkney Wood, near Earls Colne. Police confirmed the
The grieving daughter of a man who died in a motorbike accident has paid tribute to her father. Paul Devlin, 46, of Highfields Road, Witham, a self-employed painter and decorator, died after being thrown from his Honda 900cc bike on the A414 near High
A woman is getting on her bike to raise money for Mencap, the charity which helps handicapped children. Janet Head, 46, of Queensway, Lawford, is among 110 riders nationwide planning to cycle 500k -- about 310 miles -- beside the River Nile in February
SOUTHEND IV 248-7 BENFLEET 85-9 (Match drawn) Southend made the most of Benfleet's attack by hitting 248-7 off their 52 overs. Kevin Salt (69) hit his first half-century for Southend and was helped by Rob Norman (41) and Roger Walcott (49 not out). Benfleet
Premier Division: Arnold a Waltham winner Bottom of the table Old Chelmsfordians dismissed visitors Little Waltham for 175 with Phil Arnold (31) top-scoring. Dave Grainger took four for 45 and Simon Trowell two for 37. With Arnold in form with ball as
Bluehouse 185-9 Canvey Island 186-7 (Canvey won by three wickets) Canvey pulled off a remarkable victory over Bluehouse in a game they simply never looked like winning. Even though Dave Shroder claimed the club's first five-wicket haul of the season with
Children weren't the only evacuees from Essex in the last war - employees of Marconi too were shifted to safety to carry on their vital work, discovers TOM KING The name Marconi remains one to be reckoned with in south Essex, in the 21st as much in the
City may have collected their first silverware of the coming season after beating their Jewson League Premier Division hosts in a pre-season friendly on Saturday but manager Gary Bellamy was more satisfied with the way the side played. Deliberately leaving
Braintree Town gave their pre-season campaign a boost with a 1-0 win over Grays Athletic. New signing Tommy Noble scored the winner in the 75th minute of a tight contest. He picked up a cross from Bradley Quinton before sidestepping a defender and unleashing
Canvey could have played a leading part in relaunching the Nationwide League career of midfielder Kevin James. Once on Charlton's books, James was with Gulls' Ryman League Premier Division rivals Farnborough Town on loan last season. He was hugely impressive
Local pride will be at stake when East Anglian rivals Colchester United and Ipswich Town do battle at Layer Road tonight (Friday). The pre-season clash - which is set to draw a crowd of 3,500 - sees the return of Town manager and former U's boss George
Colne Valley golf club owner Paul Curry is currently on course to win a US tournament after taking a first round lead. Curry is heading the leaderboard of the $2.6m John Deere Classic tournament in Illinois by two shots. The 39-year-old professional,
A businessman watched in horror as his new £17,000 lorry was driven past him by a brazen thief. The Essex Police helicopter was even dispatched to look for the vehicle - without success. Howard Newport, director of Wickford-based Newport Building Services
A freight train container holding 31 tonnes of the highly corrosive substance benzol chloride started to leak at Harwich International Port. Fire crews from Dovercourt were sent to the scene of the spill at about 2.30pm on Thursday but found only a small
A POLICE sweep of ancient woodland was called off on Friday afternoon after the owners of discarded children's clothes were traced and found safe and well. A child's top, trousers and a sock were discovered by a member of the public in Chalkney Woods,
SHOCKED RSPCA officers were today appealing for witnesses after cruel thugs left a dog hanging from a tree to die. The black and tan Alsatian was discovered by a woman over the weekend. It was lying on the ground, choked to death in Brannett Wood, off
A 95-year-old woman was today still in shock after a callous burglar robbed her of her engagement ring, her cash box and her pension - on her wedding anniversary. The elderly mum was in her Leigh home when the thief called claiming to be a plain clothed
