Colchester moved a step closer to winning the Essex Inter-League Division One title with an emphatic 7-3 win at Ilford. Once again Rik James was Colchester's star, winning his three singles despite having made only three appearances in the Colchester
Six-week old Holly is looking for a nice warm home - after being left in a cardboard box to survive last Friday night's freezing temperatures. An anonymous telephone call to Gemini Kennels in Wickford led to them discovering the cross-breed puppy dumped
Famous celebrity Big Brother veteran and ex-Brookside star Claire Sweeney gave a big boost to a new underwear range at a south Essex store. Star attraction - Claire Sweeney at Lakeside M&S. Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL 5HFY72 The star, who recently replaced
Christmas came early for five members of Colchester Swimming Club. They were competing in Runneymead Swimming Club's annual Jingle Bells Open sprint meet. All five returned home to Colchester clutching a host of medals and trophies. Daniel Spiller, competing
Striker Leon Gutzmore has left Braintree Town to sign for Dr Martens League premier division side Cambridge City. A nominal fee was involved and Braintree boss Ben Embery said: "He hasn't been in the side recently and we decided the best thing for him
A drinker who beat up a Southend landlord has been barred from pubs in the evenings. Mark Raven, 26, was ordered to stay home between 6.30pm and 5am for the next two months. The curfew was imposed after Raven admitted causing actual bodily harm to Julian
A woman shop worker was left shocked and stunned when a thief snatched £40 from her till in broad daylight. Joy Goodbun was at work alone in the Crossways Stores, Station Road, Alresford, when the raider struck at about 3.15pm on Monday. Mrs Goodbun,
Essex accountants have warned proposals to force businesses to submit accounts on-line could have disastrous consequences for local small businesses. The Government-commissioned Carter review of payroll services suggests all small businesses will have
The owner of a care agency claims police were not interested in the plight of a 92-year-old woman who may have been the victim of attempted con. Mandy Williams, who runs All Care in Colchester with Dave Osbourne, said a man knocked on the back door of
Two creative shopkeepers have won plaudits for sprucing up their furniture store for Christmas. Well done - the Rotary club's Alan Campbell presents the certificate to shop boss Tina Joyce. Picture: DAVE HENDERSON 5HHD52 Tucked inside the Walk, next to
The Rotary Club of Southend did its annual mammoth shopping trip to feed the town's hungry and homeless at Christmas. Push start - Asda's Lesley Franks lends a hand as Rotarians Tony Hastings and Paul Goodacre leave the Shoebury store in North Shoebury
A fire alarm costing just £5 saved the lives of a young couple and their 18-month-old baby. The family were left homeless yesterday after a fire, which started from an electrical fault in their dishwasher, damaged their home in The Ryle, Writtle, just
She is completely blind, has few teeth left, and was found wandering along a street in the early hours of the morning. Plea for home - Holly seeks your help. Picture: TERENCE BUNCH 5JDW26 Now vets have christened her Holly in recognition of the time of
Telecoms group Thus - which runs a call centre in Southend - looks set to strike out on its own after announcing a series of measures designed to enable it to cut its ties with its parent company. The Glasgow-based company is to raise £275m through an
The owner of a historic farmhouse is counting the cost after a fire ripped through the 15th century building. The scene of the blaze Jones had been out with her two sons before they returned an hour and a half later to her home, which stands next to her
An unemployed man who admitted possessing £300 of heroin was given a community punishment order. Richard Brown, 30, of Salcott Creek Court, Braintree, was sentenced to carry out 60 hours unpaid community work by Chelmsford magistrates yesterday. Neil
One of the four men charged with smuggling cocaine worth £16m into Southend Airport spoke of his relief as the case against him was dropped. Nigerian national David Ogundipe, 45, was discharged by Southend magistrates yesterday. Speaking after the hearing
The Cleanaway Mardyke Trust is calling for the scheme which allows waste companies to contribute to the communities they operate in to be retained by the Government. The trust gives out grants to Thurrock projects, funded by 20 per cent of the Landfill
Firefighters are investigating a blaze in Grays which destroyed two cars and two caravans and led to around 40 homes being evacuated. The fire started at around 2pm on Sunday, when the vehicles were set alight at the rear of premises in Clarence Road.
Laura Myers had the outstanding swim for Rochford and District Swimming Club at the 2001 Gators Open meet at Waltham Forest. She won the 100m butterfly in 1.07.27 -- a club record. The time was also just .09 seconds outside the national age group qualifying
Fresh plans have been drawn up for a controversial homes and offices development at a former town centre car dealership. The new plans for the vacant Dovercourt Ford showroom at the junction of Spital Road and Fambridge Road in Maldon have been submitted
East Thurrock's hopes of a likely home tie against Canvey Island in the Essex Senior Cup have been dashed at Harlow. Rocks went down 2-1 to the Ryman One promotion-chasing side on Wednesday night, but it was an unkind result. Despite badly hit by player
Tees can go into the Christmas and New Year break well-pleased with their performance in Division Five of the Printwize League. If the season was to end now Thurrock would achieve a second consecutive promotion as they lie just behind leaders Brentwood
A team of police officers is to be based in flats in Tilbury in a bid to build better links with the community. Sgt Chris Mullin will lead a team of six constables, who will be based in one of the flats at Freemantle House. The initiative will be launched
A new Thames Gateway metro rail link from south Essex into north Kent and Canary Wharf is being drawn up as part of radical proposals. Members of the Gateway's partnership board, including leaders from all south Essex councils, are putting together the
Evil killer Stephen Sullivan was today jailed for life for the killing of a man he forced to live in a small box. Justin Chant died after he was tortured, starved and forced to live in a tiny cupboard by Sullivan. Police found his badly decomposed and
A brave care worker has been praised for pulling a blind and partially deaf pensioner from her burning bungalow. Lily Cann, 85, of Carrs Road, Clacton, hit her panic button when she was overcome with smoke in her kitchen. When Tendring Careline worker
Forgotten defender Gary Croft is hoping to seal a loan move away from Ipswich Town before Christmas. And the full-back, now fully recovered from a long-term groin injury, is aware of a number of Nationwide League First Division clubs keen to secure his
A bogus caller stole cash and cigarettes from the home of an 81-year-old woman. The man, claiming to be from Thurrock Council, called at the house in Peartree Close, South Ockendon, on Tuesday. He made off in a white van after stealing the items. Published
Dagenham and Redbridge face a third round tie against the big guns of Ipswich Town after they swept aside Exeter City in their second-round replay last night. The Daggers took the lead at Victoria Park on six minutes with a goal from Mark Janney. It wasn't
Motorists faced delays in Braintree after a water pipe burst, flooding one of the main roads into the town. Notley Road was flooded after a six-inch cast iron water main burst at about 4am yesterday. Although only about two inches deep, the water caused
Famous celebrity Big Brother veteran and ex-Brookside star Claire Sweeney gave a big boost to a new underwear range at a south Essex store. Star attraction - Claire Sweeney at Lakeside M&S. Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL 5HFY72 The star, who recently replaced
Cleared Mickala Wrenn gave a statement through her solicitor after Stephen Sullivan's life sentence. It stated: "Mickala Wrenn wishes to express her deepest sympathy for the family of Justin Chant, who was murdered so cruelly by Stephen Sullivan. "Needless
Workers at a Braintree electronics company were given a special Christmas present when their jobs were saved. Knopp Electronic Services, of Warner Drive, Braintree, was due to close on December 14 if a suitable buyer had not been found. Southern Circuit
A five-year-old boy received serious head injuries after a car crash on an icy stretch of road, which has recently been taken off a gritting route. The accident happened on Tuesday at 9.10am in Little Baddow Road, Woodham Walter, when a Nissan Terrano
Adrian Coote will make his Colchester United debut on Saturday - provided he passes his medical today. U's boss Steve Whitton has finally got his man after a season-long chase, and the big 23-year-old Northern Ireland international and Norwich City striker
Detectives probing a blaze which caused hundreds of thousands of pounds damage to a school have quizzed a man on suspicion of arson. Gutted - the classroom and headteacher June Amran. Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL 5KHFS1 The 20-year-old was arrested within
Asylum-seekers should be allowed to work in the UK, a refugee who fled terror in his homeland has said. Alex Geci, who recently won a top trainee award, spoke out after a report complained that Govern-ment policies were preventing refugees from working
Motorists faced delays in Braintree after a water pipe burst, flooding one of the main roads into the town. Notley Road was flooded after a six-inch cast iron water main burst at about 4am yesterday. Although only about two inches deep, the water caused
Canvey Island Boxing Club delighted a capacity crowd with eight home winners when they held their first show at Monico Leisure. Some terrific fights took place on the night, with youngsters Ryan Mahoney and Jon Denard producing another top bout. Both
A decision to cut the amount of fish that can be caught in a bid to boost stocks will have a disastrous effect on north Essex fishermen, it has been claimed. Fisherman John Jowers, a Mersea town councillor, said the news of further cuts by up to 28 per
An initiative aimed at cracking down on teenage boozers in Wickford officially ends on December 31 -with police declaring it a success. Vigilant - John Morris says he has seen a drop in the number of under-age drinkers. Picture: TERENCE BUNCH 5JERL5 However
A bereft widow has donated gifts in excess of £12,000 to a Benfleet organisation, in a bid to help the ill and disabled. The Castle Point Social Car Care Scheme, at the Tyrells Centre in Seamore Avenue, are delighted with their new manual wheelchair and
Burglaryand car thefts in Colchester are down, according to new figures. There has also been a fall in sexual offences and incidents of people stealing from vehicles, according to an audit carried out on crime in the area. But the figures also show there
Telecoms group Thus - which runs a call centre in Southend - looks set to strike out on its own after announcing a series of measures designed to enable it to cut its ties with its parent company. The Glasgow-based company is to raise £275m through an
Evil killer Stephen Sullivan was today jailed for life for the killing of a man he forced to live in a small box. Justin Chant died after he was tortured, starved and forced to live in a tiny cupboard by Sullivan. Police found his badly decomposed and
Tools worth £700 were stolen from a van in Billericay. The Renault Kango van was parked in Stockbrook Manor when it was broken into on Tuesday. The missing tools were all Makita brand and included a 14.4 volt battery drill, a 12 volt battery drill, a
He's made it! Cycling hero Dennis Warner has completed his epic charity ride to Timbuktu. Daring Dennis, 43, of Little Oakley, survived getting robbed, fierce rain and a broken wheel spoke. He now faces another slight headache - getting home for Christmas
Southend United boss Rob Newman is planning to extend West Ham winger Steven Clark's Roots Hall loan by another month. The teenager has made just one outing for the Shrimpers after picking up a knee injury during his Blues debut - a 1-0 home defeat against
Two creative shopkeepers have won plaudits for sprucing up their furniture store for Christmas. Well done - the Rotary club's Alan Campbell presents the certificate to shop boss Tina Joyce. Picture: DAVE HENDERSON 5HHD52 Tucked inside the Walk, next to
A man who stored 2,000 indecent images of children and babies on his computer will have to wait until the new year to learn his fate. Computer technician Michael Waters, 32, of Burdett Avenue, Westcliff, has pleaded guilty to storing the images and placing
Plans for eight floodlights at Essex County Cricket ground in New Writtle Street, Chelmsford, have been approved by the borough council's planning committee. Councillors were told on Monday that although the lights would be a "noticeable feature" across
Salesmen are preying on people's fear of crime to offload fire and burglar alarms door-to-door in Basildon, police have warned. Officers have received reports of sales people quoting out of context crime statistics and claiming to be registered with police
The mother of murdered Justin Chant has likened his killer, Stephen Sullivan, to mass murderer Ian Brady. Chelmsford Crown Court was filled with cheers as Sullivan was convicted of murdering Justin Chant yesterday. He today received a life sentence. The
Grays are the type of side that could go all the way to the final. However despite the win on Tuesday night, it won't be a game Blues will look back on with much affection. Not that lowly Division One outfit Staines caused them too many problems, but
Generous Essex people have proved their caring concern in the season of goodwill by sending an incredible total of 67,000 boxes of presents to needy children overseas through the Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Campaign. In a massive concerted effort
A pensioner died in a tragic accident as she checked the rear brake lights on a car. Daisy Martin, 80, of Woodberry Way, Walton, died of head injuries. But an inquest at Colchester Town Hall, yesterday, could not determine whether she had been hit by
A new Thames Gateway metro rail link from south Essex into north Kent and Canary Wharf is being drawn up as part of radical proposals. Members of the Gateway's partnership board, including leaders from all south Essex councils, are putting together the
Panto fairy godmother Donna Bluett insisted the show must go on - after her baby was rushed to hospital. Donna Bluett and Liam Mrs Bluett was determined she would go on stage as she knew the Colchester Arriva-arranged panto was to raise money for the
Parents today heaved a sigh of relief after Southend Council backtracked and vowed to fund nursery education for three-year-olds. The move came after families were told an earlier promise to fund the nursery places could not be honoured because enough
