Three South Essex clubs saw their big Boxing Day games wiped out due to frostbound pitches in yesterday's icy conditions. The Premier match between Purfleet and Gravesend and Northfleet, the Second Division affair between Great Wakering Rovers and Romford
A doctor arrested on suspicion of murdering up to 40 patients has been cleared after a police investigation. In the clear - Basildon Hospital consultant anaethetist Ann David No further action is being taken against Ann David, of Station Crescent, Rayleigh
A social club in the heart of Colchester has been sold off and is now earmarked for a prestigious 60-home development. Jaygate Homes has bought the 13-acre Paxman's Social Club site on Hythe Hill for an undisclosed sum from Marconi. The plans involve
Firefighters spent more than an hour at a house in Clacton after a blaze started in the chimney. One fire crew from the town's station went to The Green, off Rush Green Road, just after 8.30pm last night. The fire started in the chimney, which led from
A woman lost her engagement ring when she fell victim to an attempted robbery on Boxing Day. The 18-year-old woman was walking across the pedestrian bridge on the Witham River Walk at 9.15am when she was accosted by a man who attempted to snatch her purse
A social club in the heart of Colchester has been sold off and is now earmarked for a prestigious 60-home development. Jaygate Homes has bought the 13-acre Paxman's Social Club site on Hythe Hill for an undisclosed sum from Marconi. The plans involve
Juvenile Essex pranksters who make hoax 999 calls from phone boxes are to be left a vital message ... malicious calls cost lives. An initiative to combat the growing menace of false calls to the emergency services has been launched by BT Payphones and
A talented young pianist did his bit for others when he put on a private concert as a tribute to his sick grandmother. Charity champion - Joseph Zammit helped raise cash for Little Haven on behalf of his grandmother. Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL 5LCVE1 Little
A salesman has been intimidating people on their own doorsteps when they have turned him away. The man had called at several houses in Maldon and Heybridge and was selling items from a black bag, but turned nasty when people said they didn't want to buy
Bargain hunters have been braving the cold in Colchester and across Essex to set tills ringing at the first day of the sales. Shoppers out in force in search of bargains flood into Williams and Griffin in Colchester Doors opened at 6am at Next in Colchester
A giant storage warehouse is set to dominate a busy junction in north Colchester. Storage firm Big Yellow has won its battle to set up a 2,482 sq m building at the "teardrop" site in Turner Rise, Colchester, after a Government planning inspector overturned
Amateur astrologers can spot a bright star-like mass of light in south Essex skies until the new year. The effect has been caused by sunlight hitting the planet Jupiter which is then reflected back into the sky. Royston Dean, of the Astronomy Resource
Elderly residents in Jaywick faced a freezing Christmas after power failures left them without electricity over three consecutive days. Network operators 24seven said it was faced with a catalogue of incidents over the weekend and admitted it was a difficult
Exciting plans are being unveiled to mark the Queen's Jubilee in a most majestic manner in Brentwood. Brentwood Borough Council and town centre bosses are working hard behind the scenes on preparations for a series of glittering events. The historic occasion
Colchester United chief Steve Whitton is already making plans to extend two-goal hero Graham Barrett's loan from Premiership giants Arsenal. The exciting Republic of Ireland Under-21 international earned high praise from the U's boss after capping a man-of-the-match
Two second-half goals from Graham Barrett secured three points for Colchester United against the bottom side in the division. Yesterday's match gave the U's a fright, however, with the home side taking the lead on 36 minutes through Richard Hope. Only
The principal of a south Essex college has been called to 10 Downing Street to explain how he makes the most of his sports facilities in the community. Just days after Prime Minister Tony Blair visited Greensward College, in Greensward Lane, Hockley,
Dozens of young hedgehogs are dying due to the cold weather, it emerged today. Weather victim - one of the hedghogs held by Jenny Mears. Picture: LUAN MARSHALL HOG1 The Benfleet Wildlife Sanctuary, in Watlington Road, is looking after 16 of the tiny creatures
A councillor has complained of an "unacceptable" electricity supply to the west of Braintree in the wake of power cuts. Roger Walters, Conservative county councillor for Braintree West, is concerned about a lack of continuity in supply and believes blackouts
A man has died after his car veered off the road and hit a wall late last night. The 73-year-old driver was travelling along Ashingdon Road in Rochford when his Ford Fiesta left the road at the junction with Rectory Road and crashed into the wall. Emergency
It was chocs away at Chicago Rock Cafe, Chelmsford, when it donated 350 chocolate bars to the county's foster homes. Chicago's ran a campaign back in November, in conjunction with Cadbury's. At the end of November the bars were counted up and Cadbury's
A woman awoke in bed after her downstairs light was switched on by an intruder. The incident happened at a house in Butt Road, Colchester. A man, described as a white male, about 17 or 18 years old, with light brown hair and wearing dark clothes, smashed
An impressive fightback saw Southend United recover a two-goal deficit to run out convincing winners against Rushden and Diamonds at Roots Hall. This was a match which truly lived up to the cliche of football being a game of two halves. The visitors belied
Determined Darrel Gooch stormed to a crushing victory in the annual Boxing Day runner versus cyclists event. But even his brilliant individual performance could not prevent the runners from retaining the Markham Cup for the fifth successive time with
Essex birdwatchers fear that farmers are driving some breeds out of the county -- despite a Government announcement of a nationwide increase in numbers. A survey published by the Department of the Environment shows that, nationally, the success of rare
A fundraising group set up to support the Helen Rollason Cancer Care Centre Appeal raised more than £250 at Braintree Christmas Market. The group next meets at the Towerlands Centre, Deanery Hill, Braintree, on January 9, at 8pm. It is arranging a quiz
A former Thurrock councillor and lecturer at Palmer's College has won a posthumous doctorate. David Scully died in September 2001 at the age of 63 and for the last nine years of his life was working towards a PhD. His death occurred only days before he
Bargain hunters have been braving the cold in Colchester to set tills ringing at the first day of the sales. Shoppers out in force in search of bargains flood into Williams and Griffin in Colchester Doors opened at 6am at Next in Colchester, with customers
Three young Grays children - and their mum - spent a very uncomfortable Christmas Eve out in the cold. Mum Helen Williams and her children, 14-year-old David, 12-year-old Simon and Sarah, ten, spent the night outside St John's Church in Victoria Avenue
Two young Romanians confined to wheelchairs became celebrities for the evening when they visited a south Essex football club. Club date - Canvey FC's Steve Tilson with Romanian guests Veronica Petrovici and Christian Corodea. Picture: NICK ANSELL 5BEPK1
A second major award for teaching and learning on the internet has been granted to Essex County Council. The Essex Grid for Learning, web address below, was launched last year for pupils, teachers and parents. In March it won the MirandaNet award as the
Following the success of Lighting Up Brentwood, council chiefs are considering closing the High Street for more events. Brentwood Borough Council leader Cllr David Gottesmann said residents had approached him to close the street temporarily for community
George Burley must relish the prospect of playing Leicester City at Portman Road. The Ipswich Town boss has happy memories of facing the Foxes, even before yesterday's vital win which lifted his side off the bottom of the Premiership. His first three
Although Lee Patterson's East Thurrock are topping the Ryman League Second Division, mid-table Essex rivals Tilbury continue to hold the Indian sign over them. The Dockers more or less settled this affair at St Chad's with two goals in the opening 20
The National Blood Service will be holding the following sessions: January 3 - West Maldon community centre, Maldon, 2pm - 4.30pm and 5pm - 7.45 pm; January 7 - Maldon football club, Maldon, 2pm - 4.30pm and 5pm - 7.45 pm; January 13 - Wickford community
Police are searching for a man after a mugging in Chelmsford. The victim was walking along a footpath between Mace Walk and Ridderford Drive when he was pushed and punched three or four times. He also felt a blow to his forehead with an unknown object
Thurrock police are urging more people to report homophobic incidents as it paves the way in stamping out hate crime in the community. The division forms part of the Thames Corridor Focus Panel (TCFP), which also consists of Basildon, Rayleigh and Southend
Paratroopers in Colchester are on tenterhooks to see when they will be heading off to Afghanistan. Soldiers from Meeanee Barracks, in Mersea Road, have been recalled from leave after their Christmas break. A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said: "They
Proud mums from across Essex have taken delivery of extra special Christmas presents - bouncing newborn babies! Lisa Hawkins with baby Nathan 5MH6B2 Julie Hubbard of Wood Farm Close, Eastwood, was resting with husband Ian after their second child, baby
Young people across Southend can start the new year on a healthy note - thanks to a helping hand from the town's youth service. On Thursday youth workers will be giving out special New Year Survival Bags in an attempt to raise awareness of healthy living
Drivers will be able to give their cars a fresh sparkle, thanks to the installation of a new car wash at Ashingdon Service Station. Clean sweep - Nigel Playford of Car Wash UK congratulates Mark Robbins on delivery of the 100th car wash unit to the Ashingdon
Recalled striker Barrington Belgrave was full of festive cheer after inspiring Southend United to a remarkable 4-2 Boxing Day victory over Rushden and Diamonds at Roots Hall. Happy days - for two-goal Southend striker Barrington Belgrave. Picture: TERENCE
A giant storage warehouse is set to dominate a busy junction in north Colchester. Storage firm Big Yellow has won its battle to set up a 2,482 sq m building at the "teardrop" site in Turner Rise, Colchester, after a Government planning inspector overturned
Helen Filler's Christmas tree was too small for the unexpected present she received from home shopping company Kleeneze - a luxury hamper stuffed with festive goodies. Mrs Filler, of Brentwood, received a £300 Marks & Spencer Christmas hamper after
A Stanford-le-Hope teacher will be sharing her technology skills with colleagues across Essex after securing Government recognition. Rowena Rees - head of technology at Hassenbrook School in Hassenbrook Road - has been appointed an advanced skills teacher
Records are made to be broken and Colchester United's win at struggling Northampton finally laid to rest an unwanted Football League record they had suffered for 13 years. U's skipper Simon Clark salutes the Colchester faithful that watched his side win
Ingatestone Rail Users Association has received unanimous support from Brentwood Borough Council in its fight to stop Anglia Railways' plan to stop services calling at Ingatestone. The association has called a public meeting for residents at the United
Police have issued an urgent appeal for a witness after a man died after being seriously injured in a street fight. The 34-year-old Braintree man was involved in an altercation in Braintree High Street on Sunday, December 16, at 1.35am. He suffered a
Rochford residents are being urged to be environmentally-friendly during the festive period. Most households are left with huge piles of Christmas cards, wrapping paper, Christmas trees and tin cans at the start of the new year and environment bosses
An 85-year-old woman was seriously injured in an accident outside a parade of shops in Chelmsford. The incident happened in Kings Road just after 10am on Christmas Eve. The pedestrian was in collision with a Nissan Cherry driven by an 82-year-old woman
A man was punched in the stomach and had his wallet stolen in a late night robbery in Southend. The victim was walking in Candy Terrace on the Kursaal Estate in the early hours of the morning when he was approached by a man who asked for his wallet. The
There were angry exchanges as antihunt protesters shouted at riders as the annual Boxing Day hunt got under way. The hunt at Steeple gets under way. Picture: SEANA HUGHES (19005-f) For the first time in 60 years the hunt was not held in Maldon High Street
Billericay yesterday became the latest club to discover that, with the possible exception of Gravesend and Northfleet, Canvey are in a class of their own in the chase for the Ryman Premier title. Head first - Gulls' John Kennedy gets in ahead of Billericay
Repair work on homes on a troubled Billericay estate is still outstanding, despite a pledge by housing bosses it would be finished by Christmas. Builders moved on to the Queens Park estate in April when residents complained about the ailing state of the
A kitchen at a snooker club in Eastwood was partially destroyed by fire early today. The blaze broke out at the Green Baize Snooker Hall and Social Club in Rayleigh Road at around 1.30am. Firefighters from Southend and Leigh tackled the fire. Published
England soccer manager Sven Goran Eriksson's heroic efforts in turning round the fortunes of the national team have been rewarded with a prestigious title - thanks to a south Essex company. This year's UK Coach of the Year Award, sponsored by South Woodham
Forthcoming legislation could result in fleet operators finding themselves personally liable if staff are involved in fatal accidents while driving company cars, training experts have warned. Essex fleet risk management firm Driving Dynamics UK believes
To celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee in June next year, Brentwood Borough Council will present Jubilee branded events throughout the year. Brentwood council will put the Golden Jubilee stamp on its Fireworks Spectacular, Strawberry Fair, Day With Dogs
Grays suffered a miserable Boxing Day when they slumped to a 1-0 Ryman League Premier Division defeat at third from bottom Croydon, who ended a run of four successive defeats with this victory. A 65th minute goal from Dominic Barclay means that Grays
Former boxing champion Georgie Smith could face a murder charge after a 72-year-old man he beat up died. John Wilmott, who suffered from Alzheimers, never recovered from the beating he received eight months ago and died in hospital on Saturday. Smith,
A unique programme designed to help youngsters who are underachieving at schools in Colchester will be launched in the New Year. The Eagles Extra Time Club will use sport to help pupils bridge the gap between primary and secondary school, in what is thought
There will be no strategy to provide affordable housing for key workers in Colchester for the near future. Members of Colchester Council's housing, community safety and health policy panel heard how research had been carried out into the matter. Council
