Thurrock paid tribute to its unsung heroes and heroines on Friday night. The inaugural Civic Awards saw four top prizes presented and five other nominees celebrated. Perhaps the most shocked of all the people in a packed Civic Hall at Blackshots was 18
An innovative scheme aimed at helping young mums in Thurrock has won a huge injection of European funding. The Thurrock Community Mothers and breast feeding supporters programme, based in Calcutta Road, Tilbury, is receiving £163,000 from the European
Tendring councillors are to go public again. Two meetings of the new cabinet set-up have been held behind closed doors, but following a campaign spearheaded by the Evening Gazette and its sister papers, the meetings are now to be open to the public. Neal
Only one of Ipswich Town's 35 professional playing staff has failed to back the impending players' strike. Another two are undecided while the rest are in favour of industrial action over the PFA's share of TV revenues. The news will come as a blow to
Canvey-based Concord picked up a great 1-1 draw at Jewson League Diss Town, former Vase winners, in the FA Carlsberg Vase and host them in a replay tonight (Tuesday) at Thames Road (7.45pm). If they win, Steve Knott's Concord will then have to travel
Rob Newman will begin his managerial career by leading Southend United into battle at Scunthorpe. The 37-year-old has been officially crowned as the Shrimpers' new boss - as predicted in the Evening Echo - and said he can't wait to get started at Glanford
A new scheme has been launched in a bid to improve the quality of tourist accommodation in Tendring - and reduce the number of complaints from visitors. The project - initiated by the Tendring Tourism Group - is aimed at driving up quality in serviced
Former health service manager Lin Hall has been able to combine her experience and interests to launch a new Centre of Natural Health in Chelmsford. Lin, from Writtle, has taken over what used to be Glen's health food shop in New London Road and has developed
Somewhere in Laindon, there's a big black cat on the prowl and it's getting hungry. The startling news comes after a motorist caught the creature in his headlights last Thursday as he drove along Mandeville Way in Laindon. Richard Howarth, 32 and his
The widow of a decorator who developed a fatal deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after falling off a ladder will get £42,836 damages from a hospital trust. Christine McKenzie, of Crusader Way, Braintree, claimed £140,000 compensation after West Suffolk NHS Trust
The funeral of a former Leigh sailor, who died after tumbling from the balcony of a house, was being held yesterday (Monday). More than 400 mourners were expected at Highlands Methodist Church, Leigh, to pay their last respects to father-of-four Peter
An insulin blunder has led to a Pitsea nurse being struck off after she was found guilty of misconduct. Margaret Silver, 54, who worked at Orsett Hospital in Thurrock was dismissed from her job with the South Essex Mental Health and Community Care NHS
Evening Gazette weatherman Terry Mayes said weekend rainfall around Colchester was a whopping 47.1 mm - and near Braintree, it rose to up to 70mm. The A12 and A120 were under 5cm (two inches) of water, but both re-opened yesterday Colchester fire crews
A bungalow resident was left with sewage in his garden after the heavy weekend rain. Harry Jones, of Western Lane, Silver End, is now waiting for cleaners from Braintree council to clear the mess. The flood water was two inches high on Sunday, but it
Halstead High Street was completely closed yesterday (Monday) after the River Colne burst its banks. Flood water up to 3ft deep shut off the High Street and the lower section of Market Hill, and has flooded many shops and businesses. The River Colne burst
A warning of imminent danger to life and property was yesterday (Monday) issued by the Environment Agency. A severe flood warning for the Rivers Brain and Blackwater means people and homes in Braintree, Kelvedon and Witham are at risk. There is imminent
Southend's main arterial road was shut for five hours as emergency crews tackled a five-car smash. The accident left debris and oil strewn across the A127 near the Progress Road traffic lights at 7.10pm on Saturday. Drivers heading for Southend were left
Rail company c2c was branded "arrogant", "appalling" and "inadequate" by long-suffering commuters who vented their fury at a public meeting. They gathered in Basildon's Towngate Theatre at an event staged by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT
Hundreds of children were sent home from school yesterday (Monday) after a suspected chemical leak. Glebe Junior School, in Creswick Avenue, Rayleigh, was closed after an "unpleasant, chemical-like smell" was detected. One teacher was sick because of
Firefighters saved a young man's life in a daring midnight rescue which saw one officer dive into chilly waters. During one of the busiest nights ever, crews from Colchester fire station were kept busy helping people caught up in torrential floods across
Ambitious new plans for a monorail system and pavilion on Southend pierhead have been revealed by leading seafront traders. Fran McGinty and partner Kerry Doyland unveiled their blueprint to a task force of councillors set up to spearhead the revival
People affected by a court case which saw a former care home manager given a suspended sentence after two patients died of neglect yesterday (Monday) called for a social services inquiry. Angela Postill was given a 15 month prison sentence, suspended
What do you get when you cross a runaway bull with a vicar and several burly police officers? Answer - chaos! The fugitive beast was first spotted taking a stroll along the A127 but evaded capture as police officers gave chase. He was later spotted having
Lifesaving equipment is on hand at a moment's notice inside a Shoebury store - which also has trained staff to use it. The defibrilator equipment, which delivers lifesaving shocks in the event of a heart attack, will be stored at Asda in North Road. Twelve
Detectives are investigating the cause of a blaze which ripped through a popular pub and hotel. More than 50 firefighters tackled the blaze at the Old Windmill in Rettendon after reports that people were trapped. Crews were called to the 100ft by 70ft
Before Andy Douglas' season came to such a cruel end he was leading the Premier Division's goal-scoring lists. How then do you replace someone like that? Quite simple really, certainly as far as Grays are concerned, you just find another prolific scorer
Fulham 1-1 Ipswich Town (Barclaycard FA Premiership) When things aren't going your way a bit of luck helps. And Ipswich had a huge dose as they attempt to kickstart their Premiership season. The Blues were searching for their second away league win but
Essex artists will get the chance to exhibit their work next month when the Red Cross will be holding its very popular, annual art exhibition. This will be held at the Red Cross headquarters in Chelmsford on Saturday and Sunday, November 24 & 25 and
A planning inspector has explained why she turned down a bid for a phone mast which was to be disguised as a tree. One2One wanted to put a 26.8m high tower at Laundry Wood, Church Lane, Mistley. The Evening Gazette revealed recently how the company had
Fobbing teenager Redland Sanders will be living every teenager's dream next month when filming starts for the next Harry Potter sequel. The 17-year-old, from High Road, Fobbing, has been chosen to be a stunt man in the film after getting involved though
A coffee and cards shop which helps provide valuable skills and assists the long-term unemployed is now open. Impact Coffee and Cards, on North Hill, will give people who work there all sorts of training, including customer care, hospitality and retail
Buzzers to beat bogus callers could be introduced in the Braintree district and if the scheme is successful could be run county-wide. Essex Police, Trading Standards, Help the Aged and other organisations have joined forces to get the £25,000 scheme off
Brentwood Library is set to become one of five pilot information points for young people. The library in New Road has been chosen as the location for the scheme by Essex Youth Service and Essex Libraries. The other information points will be based in
There will be a three tonne weight limit and 6'-6" width restriction affecting all lorries and some vans, on the old A12 Widford Viaduct. The restriction will be imposed in November on the A1114 between the Miami Roundabout and Alenia Marconi Roundabout
Reckless drivers caused damage to property by speeding through flood water, it has been claimed. Eight houses along Colneford Hill, White Colne, were hit by the weekend flooding, but residents say the damage was made worse by drivers who caused waves
George Burley has been rocked by the news Ipswich Town winger Finidi George will be out for at least two months with a fractured cheekbone. The Nigerian winger was injured in an aerial collision with Fulham's Alain Goma in the 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage
Firefighters saved a young man's life in a daring midnight rescue which saw one officer dive into chilly waters. During one of the busiest nights ever, crews from Colchester fire station were kept busy helping people caught up in torrential floods across
Thurrock paid tribute to its unsung heroes and heroines on Friday night. The inaugural Civic Awards saw four top prizes presented and five other nominees celebrated. Perhaps the most shocked of all the people in a packed Civic Hall at Blackshots was 18
Martial arts enthusiasts from across Europe flocked to the seaside as Clacton Judo Club staged their second international festival. More than 400 juniors, seniors and veterans took part in the showpiece event at the town's leisure centre. Fighting talk
Chelmsford City 6-1 Ilkeston Town (Dr Martens League Premier Division) Chelmsford City hit a magnificent six past hapless Ilkeston Town at the weekend as Paul Parker's men turned in a five-star display for the watching City fans. It was the best response
A stuntman has swapped daredevil action sequences for a pair of scissors after training to become a barber. Daniel Lindeman, 32, of Cunningham Close, Shoebury, who appeared in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, now works at Farringdon's Barber Shop
A senior member of the National Lottery's Awards For All scheme is coming to Thurrock to talk about how to win funding. Barry Griffiths, the senior awards officer, will be giving a presentation at Palmer's College in Chadwell Road, Grays, on the evening
More investigations need to be carried out before town councillors can consider plans to provide electricity and water supplies to two seafront wharves. The plan could see the supplies installed at Bell and Victoria wharves in Leigh Old Town. A working
From Sun Hill to Pier Hill. This is a scene from ITV's hit series The Bill, shot in Southend, which is due to hit the screen later this year. With the town's famous Golden Mile in the background, PCs Reg Hollis and Des Taviner can be seen pounding the
Residents and traders in Halstead were today (Tuesday) piecing together their lives as floodwaters receded. Businesses in Bridge Street were flooded by two feet of water including the Halstead Day Care Centre and Scenarios. Bridge Street resident Brian
Dunmow Town Council sent out its parish emergency volunteers for the first time this week as wide-spread flooding hit the Uttlesford district. The town council offices acted as a control room as members of the parish emergency committee reported from
Harwich's economy is crying out for Bathside Bay. Since the early 1900s, the town has pinned its hopes on getting a new container terminal, and when Hutchison Ports (UK), owner of Harwich International Port, announced it was bidding to get a major expansion
A husband who killed his wife in a frenzied knife attack has been found hanged in his prison cell, it has been revealed. Derek Ive, jailed for life last November for murdering wealthy Westcliff woman Jean Parry, was discovered by warders at Chelmsford
Essex should brace itself for more floods, the Environment Agency has warned. As the county mopped up and water levels fell today (Tuesday), an agency spokeswoman said: "If there is any more rain things could get bad again. It isn't forecast to rain,
Somewhere in Laindon, there's a big black cat on the prowl and it's getting hungry. The startling news comes after a motorist caught the creature in his headlights last Thursday as he drove along Mandeville Way in Laindon. Richard Howarth, 32 and his
Former health service manager Lin Hall has been able to combine her experience and interests to launch a new Centre of Natural Health in Chelmsford. Lin, from Writtle, has taken over what used to be Glen's health food shop in New London Road and has developed
Staff at Wickford's Gemini Kennels are celebrating the arrival of five healthy puppies - but their mother is fighting for her life following a road accident prior to the birth. Jessie, a four-year-old crossbreed, was hit by a car in Purfleet Road, Aveley
West Chelmsford MP Simon Burns has hit out at the shortage of residential care home beds in the town and Mid Essex. The recently appointed shadow health minister took part in a House of Commons debate on long term care. Afterwards he spoke of a crisis
Young motorists should face a longer probationary period before being granted a full driving licence to cut the roads death toll David Amess told the Commons. The Southend West Tory MP spoke out in Parliament following an accident on the A127 in August
Despite missing a couple of key players, the Essex Under 16 Boys hockey team rose to the challenge in their first matches in the East Region County Championship. In the first game against Hertfordshire, they created numerous opportunities putting a lot
Great Wakering Rovers will have home advantage as they bid for a place in the last 64 of this season's FA Carlsberg Vase on Saturday November 10. For they came out of the hat first when the draw for the second round proper, where winning clubs will collect
Ipswich Town boss George Burley has been left counting the cost of Sunday's drawn game with Fulham in the Barclaycard Premiership. For Burley and the Blues are going to be without the services of their £3m Nigerian winger Finidi George for some time,
Pitsea's Wayne Chambers enjoyed a hectic evening session at his local Northlands Park Lake landing nine big bream and a number of smaller fish. Wayne fished from the middle spit, casting into the road lake. Within minutes of starting his waggler tactics
Steve Whitton will be encouraging his players to have a go at goal against top-eight rivals Wycombe Wanderers at Layer Road tonight. The U's boss said: "Goals are coming from all over the pitch and that's how I want it to continue. "Scott McGleish and
Harold members of the Havering Volunteers Police Cadets are to receive training into checking car tyres for safety. The scheme is sponsored and supported by Kwik-Fit who will be welcoming the group to its workshop in London Road, Romford where they will
A man is today (Tuesday) fighting for his life after turning himself into a human fireball inside a Pitsea house. He poured a flammable liquid - believed to be methanol or white spirit - over himself before setting it alight, suffering about 80 per cent
Police are warning people in Brentwood to remain calm following a series of sinister messages being given by people of Muslim appearance. Sgt Piers Quinnell said there had been incidents all over the country and several had been reported in different
Rob Newman is expected to be officially named as Southend United's new manager this week. The 37-year-old has taken control of the Roots Hall reins for the past two weeks, following David Webb's decision to quit the Shrimpers. And Blues owner Ron Martin
Traffic in north Essex came to a standstill as flood waters cut off villages and closed both carriageways of the A12. Heavy rain on Saturday night flooded the northbound lane of the A12 at Kelvedon and Essex County Council engineers took the decision
Food and produce was ruined by floodwater at the Solar supermarket in Halstead as the River Colne burst its banks. Rising floodwaters overflowed and washed in to the supermarket and department store at Weaver's Court. A fire engine from Halstead, one
Police urged motorists to take care after people were trapped in their cars during a day of widespread flooding. Martin Cable, fire station officer at Maldon, said they had a "hectic" day on Sunday with about 15 calls to incidents in areas including Little
Parts of mid- and north Essex remained underwater yesterday (Monday) after heavy rain caused severe flooding. The town of Halstead was particularly badly hit and the High Street was yesterday still impassable following the torrential rain overnight on
A sailing crew was airlifted to safety after their yacht started to sink. Lifeboats and a rescue helicopter were called out to the struggling vessel, which had run into trouble about four miles off Jaywick at 1.45pm on Sunday. The 44ft yacht, named Acis
Southend social services has been named and shamed as one of the worst in the country. Health Secretary Alan Milburn has warned the department to improve significantly by next summer or face being taken over by a top-performing council. The move came
Work at Canvey's new cemetery has ground to a halt once again in the wake of rumours Safeway could pull out of a land deal. Castle Point Council, in partnership with Willows Funeral Services, had planned to create the cemetery on ten acres of its own
Frinton residents are upset at plans for a cycle route across the famous greensward and the possible introduction of car parking charges for the seafront and town centre. A proposed seaside cycle route from Walton to Jaywick crossing Frinton's greensward
Buzzers to beat bogus callers could be introduced in the Braintree district and if the scheme is successful could be run county-wide. Essex Police, Trading Standards, Help the Aged and other organisations have joined forces to get the £25,000 scheme off
Plans for traffic-calming measures along Molrams Lane, Great Baddow, have been put on hold while Essex County Council reviews policy in the light of complaints from bus companies on similar schemes elsewhere in the county. County councillor for Great
Thorpe Hall's bid to reach the final of the Essex Scratch League competition ended when they were beaten at Ilford by Channels in the semis. Channels now go on to meet West Essex in the final, being staged at Thorpe Hall on Sunday. Thorpe went down 3-
Halfway through a long gruelling cross-country run, Pamela Knocker realised she had been entered in the wrong race - but still went on to win. Pamela, 15, a pupil at the Stanway School, in Stanway, Colchester, was entered in the senior race at the North
A web designer has called for a town to get online to boost trade. James Wilson, of Dovercourt, thinks a website dedicated to the town would attract more visitors. Last week, it was revealed how a Civic Pride scheme had been launched by the Harwich town
Hundreds of mourners packed into Highlands Methodist Church to celebrate the life of a former Leigh sailor who "lived life in the fast lane". Peter Matthews, 41, was found dead under the balcony of a house while visiting America earlier this month. It
Rob Newman is expected to be officially named as Southend United's new manager this week. The 37-year-old has taken control of the Roots Hall reins for the past two weeks, following David Webb's decision to quit the Shrimpers. And Blues owner Ron Martin
The widow of a decorator who developed a fatal deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after falling off a ladder will get £42,836 damages from a hospital trust. Christine McKenzie, of Crusader Way, Braintree, claimed £140,000 compensation after West Suffolk NHS Trust
Forrester Park Golf Club veterans enjoyed the warmth of the Indian summer for their October stableford, especially Ken Gibson who won the gold division with 40 points. Ron Ketley with 37 points took second place beating Mike Angel by one point. Dave Reynolds
On this showing together with other recent form Gravesend must be one of the main contenders for promotion to the Conference next season. They have a big club set up at Stonebridge Road with good support and a team to match. It was a tough assignment
Southend social services has been named and shamed as one of the worst in the country. Health Secretary Alan Milburn has warned the department to improve significantly by next summer or face being taken over by a top-performing council. The move came
Peter Taylor described his decision to snub a return to management with Southend United in favour of seaside rivals Brighton as "one of the toughest of my life." The 48-year-old, who still lives in Thorpe Bay, was offered the chance to take over the Roots
Teenage French wizard Thomas Pinault has followed Joe Keith and signed a new contract with Colchester United. Former AS Cannes midfielder Pinault has agreed a new deal that will keep him at Layer Road until July 31, 2004. The 19-year-old said: "I have
Council chiefs are holding crisis talks after the Tilbury to Gravesend Ferry management closed down its operation for good on Tuesday. The move followed strikes by six employees from Saturday to Tuesday, in protest at not being paid wages and redundancy
An historic restaurant had to be evacuated due to flooding and is expected to be closed for several weeks. The 500-year-old White Hart in High Street, Great Yeldham, which has a wooden floor, was flooded when the River Colne burst its banks as diners
Swept into a cold and swollen river, Dave Pickett knew he was in trouble. But his cries for help were heard and by chance a Colchester fire crew was driving past. And today (Tuesday) he thanked the brave fireman who saved his life and spoke of his ordeal
A 94-year-old woman has become a victim of bogus callers for the third time in two years. The pensioner, who hasn't slept for two nights out of fear, had £51 of her pension stolen from her home. Det Con Claire Bailey, of Chelmsford police, said two men
A contract cleaner has been left counting the cost after thieves smashed their way into his car and made off with three vacuum cleaners. Perry Cantle, who runs his own business, Housewives Choice, from his home in Green Road, Benfleet, attacked the thieves
