As another day goes by without any positive sighting of missing schoolgirl Danielle Jones the strain is beginning to show on the man leading the investigation. Det Supt Peter Coltman told yesterday (Tuesday) how the search for the 15-year-old from East
A naked man pursued a female horserider as she made her way along a country road close to Wickford at around 1pm on Saturday. The woman was riding her horse along Hawks Wood Road when the man approached her and then ran after her as she tried to make
Colchester Council has hired a new chief executive. At a meeting of its Cabinet on Monday night, borough council leader Bill Frame announced the new top officer will be Andrea Hill. Mrs Hill, 37, will take on her new job after working as deputy chief
A bid to boost funding at Colchester Sixth Form College will today (Tuesday) be made in Parliament. The move to hold a special debate in the House of Commons follows revelations that the amount of cash per pupil given to the town's four sixth form providers
Chester City striker Mark Beesley is the latest name being linked with Ipswich Town. The 19-year-old scored 17 goals last season and has a year left on his contract at the Deva Stadium. Town, Notts County and Oxford United are reportedly linked with the
Cricketer Paul Prichard will quit Essex at the end of the season. News of the former skipper's decision hardly comes as a great surprise but the timing represents another blow to the county, who are still recovering from the shock waves of Stuart Law's
Southend United boss David Webb is set to tie up two more signings as he continues his summer rebuilding at the Third Division club. Webb has agreed one-year contracts with highly-rated Millwall youngster Leon Cort and former Leyton Orient frontman Jason
Essex bowlers are giving Somerset a tough time in the early stages of their county championship clash in Taunton. Essex captain Ronnie Irani claimed two wickets in the first session of play, snatching the wickets of opener Cox and number three man Burns
The Ladies Captains Day at Chelmsford Golf Club saw 90 of its members out for the morning stableford and afternoon threesomes. This year the Ladies Captain, Maureen Quinn chose as the theme for her prizes, Royal Worcester, and items produced by that company
The skipper of a yacht sailing off the Essex coast had to be airlifted to hospital after he was hit on the head by part of the boat. The man in his 50s was leading a sailing trip with a crew of four holidaymakers when the heavy boom of the vessel swung
A car sharing scheme aimed at cutting commuter traffic has been launched under a project supported by Essex County Council, Chelmsford Borough Council, and local businesses. The Chelmsford Travel Share scheme, designed and run by Chelmsford Environmental
A lecturer has toasted a £57,000 payout after claiming the Lady McAdden breast screening unit failed to spot her cancer. The money was paid in an out-of-court settlement to Lindsey Mendoza, of Eastwood, after a four-year legal battle. The unit has not
West Chelmsford MP Simon Burns says he will back Haltemprice MP, David Davis, in the Conservative Party leadership contest. Tory MPs will ballot for a short list of two candidates - of the present total of five - which will then be put to party members
The thunder of tiny feet will be heard after Colchester Zoo's Tanya the African elephant gives birth. Twenty-year-old Tanya was artificially inseminated on March 1. The father is the zoo's bull elephant Tembo. Curator Anthony Tropeano said yesterday (
The vicar of a cash-starved Chelmsford church may have to put up her own money for vital work to be done there. After Moulsham Lodge's St Luke's pays its annual quota of around £28,000 for clergy and running costs through the collection plate, there is
Police are appealing for witnesses following an arson attack that caused £30,000 in damage to the Bayleaf Indian takeaway restaurant in Ongar High Street. The incident, which took place between 11pm on Thursday and 3.45am the next morning, resulted in
Police have appealed for help after a man suffered a punctured lung in a suspected stabbing at a Clacton nightclub. The 20-year-old man from Clacton suffered two puncture wounds to his lower back at the Rumours Two nightclub in Rosemary Road, Clacton,
Essex is one of the first county councils in the country to make it easier for sight-impaired students and their families to claim government funding for college and university higher education courses. Staff from the county's student and pupil financial
A volunteer trying to save a Colchester charity money has led to a recall of all electrical products. The helper at the town's Oxfam shop added insulating paint to points of plugs on goods before they went on sale in the belief he was making them safer
West Chelmsford MP Simon Burns has become a founder sponsoring member of the All Party Parliamentary Hospice Group. A fervent supporter of the hospice movement, Mr Burns said he was delighted to have been asked to become a member of the new group. "Chelmsford
Estate agents have predicted that house prices in south Essex could be about to level out, despite UK figures forecasting a continued upward trend. According to the Nationwide Building Society, house prices rose by 1.9 per cent during June, meaning the
Children from a Black Notley nursery have been learning what it is like to work in a fish and chip shop. Youngsters from Mannadale Nursery have been learning all there is to know about the ocean. And as part of their studies they have been learning about
Maldon mum Wendy Garside has lost her appeal against Essex education authority's refusal of a place for her son at Maldon Primary School. Now she is asking parents whose children have been granted places whether they still need them - and if not, could
Savers in Harold's own credit union are soon to reap the rewards of an easy-access saving and collection point being set up on their own doorsteps. The credit union, set to be fully active by next year, is being formed by the Citizens Advice Bureau and
Rochford Bowling Club battled to a 102-89 draw against South Benfleet BC in a friendly match involving three rinks for the men and two for the ladies. Club Captain John Horrex's rink had a four-shot success and the rink skipped by Joyce Edwards put up
Westwood Karate Club returned with four first places, a second and two thirds when they sent a team to Ferrara in Italy to take on worldwide opposition in an under-15 kata event sponsored by the Disney Corporation. Opponents came from Israel, Cyprus,
All credit to the visitors who produced a gutsy, hard-fought display to pluck the points from the Hammers who never led Friday's Premier League contest at any stage. Second place in the league table was the incentive on offer for both sides at the start
In the County Double Fours, Falcon 'B' met Chelmsford 'A' and just lost out by a 34-32 overall score. At home Mike Bickers rink were up for all but one end and finished four shots up. At the Chelmsford end Falcon held sway until the 16th end when Alan
Almost £1m of European cash is set to help Essex manufacturers prepare workers for the challenges of an increasingly global marketplace. Around £900,000 of European Social Fund money is being pumped into the Skills for Change project, developed by Essex
Cheap housing could be a damaging factor when it comes to placing asylum seekers, according to a report. The Royal Institute for International Affairs said the Government's policy of putting asylum seekers in towns where cheap accommodation is available
Leading councillor Dennis Williams has announced his resignation as chairman of Castle Point Council's planning committee. Mr Williams - a borough councillor for 25 years and planning chairman for two years - said he no longer had confidence in his committee
The children of Chernobyl stepped out for a unique and moving concert in Brentwood last week. The youngsters, who live in the shadow of the greatest disaster of modern times, took to the stage in their colourful traditional costumes at St. Thomas' Church
An elderly Witham couple woke up to noises in the middle of the night and found their home had been burgled. Nothing was taken from the couple's home but Chelmsford Crown Court heard how £600 worth of damage was caused during the break-in on February
Union leaders have been seeking assurances about jobs as shares in Essex company Marconi were suspended today (Wednesday) following a multi-million pound sell-off of its medical systems business. The communications company's medical systems unit was bought
Controversial lessons where pupils learn swear words in a bid to cut out bad language, could be taught in Essex. The so-called "curse classes" would be at the discretion of individual schools and could be introduced in secondary schools across the UK
Teams wanting to play on Armada Sports five-a-side football tournament had better get their skates on. The club still has a couple of places open for the event on July 15 at the Post Office Sports and Social Club in Gardiners Way, Basildon. Armada are
Richard Branson had better look out-the entrepreneurial skills of Chelmsford student Adam Clarke have been recognised with a regional award. Adam, 16, a student at the Thriftwood School, has been named as the student in the Eastern Region who made the
Care home bills must remain exempt from VAT, West Chelmsford MP Simon Burns is telling Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown. Mr Burns told the Chancellor that a recent decision by the London VAT Tribunal that VAT should be charged on care home bills
Witnesses are needed to a vicious robbery in which a 36-year-old man was left with a punctured lung. The man was stabbed in the back in Springfield Drive, Westcliff, by robbers who stole his £150 mobile phone. Police have only just released details of
It's been a mixed week at Basildon's Aquatels with fish of most species making a showing. Carl Tuffin enjoyed variety fishing from the Oaks to take a 20lb mixed bag of bream, tench and roach using pellets and sweetcorn. Ten-year-old Charlie Outen took
A perfect illustration of the widespread fame of the Southend Men's Open Bowls Tournament came yesterday (Tuesday) when duos from Barnsley and Luton were among those winning through to Thursday's quarter-finals of the men's pairs competition. Two more
Forrester Park Golf Club Veterans Section have had a busy and successful week. They played two home friendly matches against Rochford, won by five and a half matches to two and a half, and Burnham, won by five matches to three. Sandwiched between these
A salvage expert from Brightlingsea is today (Wednesday) heading for the icy waters of the Barents Sea to help recover a world-famous Russian wreck. The Russian nuclear submarine Kursk sank there in August last year, killing its crew of 106. Failed attempts
Threerobbers jumped a man strolling in St Botolph's Priory and held a knife to his eye. The 23-year-old was taking a short cut through the priory grounds, off Priory Street in Colchester town centre yesterday afternoon (Wednesday), when three men sitting
A top diver was today (Wednesday) heading to the site of the sunken Kursk nuclear submarine to take part in a £60m operation to salvage it. Mark Girdlestone, 42, is flying out to the site where the Russian submarine sank following a mystery explosion
Essex education authority has launched an action plan aimed at tackling 11 recommendations for improvements made by education watchdog Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education. After a three-week inspection last autumn, Ofsted concluded that "Essex
Two men were robbed and beaten in a sustained attack at Frinton beach. The 24-year-old victims were approached as they sat on the seafront at the bottom of Connaught Avenue. Det Con Mark Youngs, of Clacton CID, said the pair were robbed of £60, cigarettes
A company has been fined £6,000 after a sulphur dioxide leak meant four workers were sent to hospital. Bairds Malt Limited, of Station Road, Witham, which malts barley, admitted three charges brought by the Health and Safety Executive at Witham Magistrates
Maldon Promotions Group is offering £100 to any organisation which would promote it in a float in the town's carnival next month. Town centre manager, Marion Wells said they are interested in any voluntary group, school or pre-school who would include
Two separate homes in north Essex have been damaged after runaway cars crashed into them. In Colchester, a High Woods house faces partial demolition after an automatic car crashed into it. The elderly home owners, who were just feet away from the impact
Two separate homes in north Essex have been damaged after runaway cars crashed into them. In Colchester, a High Woods house faces partial demolition after an automatic car crashed into it. The elderly home owners, who were just feet away from the impact
Essex captain Ronnie Irani has claimed two wickets in the first session of play against Somerset in Taunton. Irani took the wickets of opener Cox and number three man Burns this morning (Wednesday) and at lunch Somerset's total stood at 92 for 3, with
Flower power will be the order of the day when the final judging for this year's Brentwood in Bloom competition takes place next week. Around 60 entries have been received, and the judges have been busy shortlisting the candidates this week. Categories
Leisure facilities for elderly people living on a Colchester estate have come under fire amid pensioners' calls for better activities for the "young at heart". A special meeting targeting the needs of the elderly in the Greenstead area of Colchester has
Billericay's Andy D'Urso is to become one of the first of English soccer's new breed of professional referees. Bank official D'Urso, who joined the Premiership list of officials two years ago, was on Friday among the 24 elite refs named to be full-time
Stuart Law launched an astonishing attack on the Essex management and his team-mates to fuel speculation that this might be his last season with the county. The overseas player hinted on Friday that he might not be playing for Essex once his contract
Mark Pettini, a 17-year-old right-handed batsman, is on standby to make his First Class debut for Essex at Taunton today (Wednesday). Pettini will get his chance in the Championship clash against Somerset if Stephen Peters fails to recover in time from
Wickford Bowls Club tasted victory in the Basildon Association Sports Trophy at Ford Sports Club, Gardiners Lane. More than 24 teams from the Basildon area entered and the squad of Pam Putler, Kit West, Kit Tillett, Dot Archer, Iris Hasler and Ann Johnstone
Rochford Bowls Club powered into the next round of the County Double Fours with a 62-28 victory against Thorpe Bay. The rinks of John Horrex and Bill Collins both enjoyed great wins. Scores: John Horrex 37 J Adams 9; Bill Collins 25 P Boxall 19. Rochford
Colchester cop shop boasts some of the best athletes in the country as Karen Wilson and Derek Walker proved at the Police Athletics Association National Track and Field Championships in Solihull, Birmingham. Wilson, a civilian worker at the station, almost
Chelmsford U16 192-5 Camul U16 183 all out (Chelmsford won by nine runs) (Matchplay League) A fifth wicket partnership of 132 and some inspired out fielding were the main factors in seeing Chelmsford scrape home by nine runs in an enthralling contest.
A date has finally been set for inner city youngsters to enjoy a fun-packed day out in Southend. The London Taxi Drivers' Rally for Under-Privileged Children, which has been visiting Southend for the past 18 years, was jeopardised after it emerged the
A new Neighbourhood Watch group is to be launched -- thanks partly to the Evening Gazette. We revealed last month how a man had tried to abduct a 12-year-old girl in Carrs Road, Clacton. As a result of the story residents in nearby Wargrave Road rallied
Delighted teachers and pupils at a Harold Hill school for children with learning difficulties have received the perfect present as the school celebrates its 30th birthday. As the final plans were being made for Ravensbourne School's reunion party marking
A distinctive Ford van used in Wickford to raise money for charity has been stolen. The blue 1922 Model TT Ford truck is worth around £9,000. In immaculate condition and part of a private collection, the vintage vehicle was parked in School Road, Billericay
Two mobile phones revealed the incredible amount of business two drug dealers were doing. The phones were discovered in a car after the two men were arrested in Stacey's Corner, Basildon - a drugs hotspot. As police drove them in a patrol car to Basildon
Motorists faced long delays and a detour after a crack appeared across the full width of a slip road from the A12. The section of the Spring Lane slip road leading to the Colne Bank roundabout in Colchester began collapsing yesterday afternoon (Tuesday
A £10m affordable housing scheme could be coming to Harwich, it has been revealed. Negotiations are currently taking place with possible financial backers to develop Stanton Europark. If successful, the deal would mean 166 homes would be built on the
A woman jailed for life collapsed in the dock after a judge told her she was dangerous and the public needed protecting from her. Jennifer Millar was being sentenced for setting fire to a Colchester flat when the incident happened at Chelmsford Crown
A "nasty and degrading" attack on two men on Frinton beach is being treated as a homophobic assault. The men were on the beach at about 4am on Monday when they were robbed and assaulted. One of the victims, who are both 24, was forced to hand over his
Thousands of people poured into Stanford-le-Hope over the weekend to take part in an annual festival of fun. The three-day Stanford festival, which started on Friday, has been hailed a complete success. One of the organisers, the Rev John Guest, told
Landscape gardner Gregory Corcoran has escaped a jail sentence for drug dealing - on his 21st birthday. Corcoran was given a last chance by a judge after he admitted charges of possessing cocaine and possessing cannabis with intent to supply. Chelmsford
