In division Five of the Chelmsford & District Darts League the Bird in Hand won their first game of the season beating United Brethren 8-7. With leaders Two Saxons not playing, second in the table Three Stars got back to winning ways with a 9-6 victory
Data Europe, the Basildon-based credit card processor, has unveiled an injection of new blood for its senior management team. FDE is the leading independent third party transaction processor in Europe. It has appointed three new faces to its European
Karl Duguid believes playing in a settled position has helped him achieve the best form of his Colchester United career. The U's playmaker has spent the bulk of this season at right-back or right wing-back, in the absence of the injured Joe Dunne. And
Scrapping tickets at the railway station car park would solve the problems of nightmare parking for commuters and residents in a south Essex town. Angry - resident Melvin McHugh is fed up with train commuters parking their cars in his street. Picture:
Youngsters at the Warren Primary School in Gilbert Road on the Chafford Hundred Estate celebrated reaching 100 days into the academic year with a day of activities to do with the number 100. Normal lessons were cancelled and the children were put into
A website uniting the Southend community against the menace of crime has been given a 21st century makeover. The Southend Neighbourhood Watch site is now more up to date than ever and features new interactive options, such as the chance to ask a councillor
Colchester Free Festival has been denied charity status because the event is "too much fun" Charitable status was sought by event organisers because it makes getting funding easier and offers a range of benefits, including various tax concessions. But
Business leaders in Essex say the amount of red tape they have to deal with continues to "adversely affect" company performance. Said Geoff Slyfield, chairman of the Essex branch of the Institute of Directors, said: "It red tape is particularly difficult
Player-manager Rob Newman ended the Blues' run of two defeats at Whaddon Road last night. The centre-half cancelled out Lee Howell's second half strike for the Robins to give the Shrimpers a share of the spoils. And the point ground out in pouring rain
Southend United's player-manager Rob Newman praised his team for a disciplined display after grabbing a late equaliser during last night's 1-1 draw at Cheltenham Town. Shout to the top -- goalscorer Rob Newman shows his delight as he is congratulated
A distraught woman who was attacked and had her handbag snatched on Clacton seafront has appealed for her have-a-go hero rescuer to come forward. The 28-year-old, who is so traumatised by the daylight raid that she does not want to be identified, wants
Residents across Tendring face a rise in council tax bills of about 9.5 per cent. That's the increase Tendring Council has agreed on its share of the demand, with Essex County Council, the fire authority and town and parish figures to be added on. Terry
Determined staff and children at a Basildon school, which was almost destroyed by an arson attack just before Christmas, have not let it spoil their fun. In fact, leaders at Barstable School, in Timberlog Close, were so intent the show must go on the
A cycle path on the new Warley Hospital development left in ruins after a tanker drove down it looks set to get repaired after months of delay. Churned up - Warley councillor Michael Taylor wants the cycle path repaired as soon as possible The path, which
Jim Magilton has told his Ipswich Town team-mates to expect superb facilities during their mid-season training break in Cyprus. The Blues were due to fly out from Heathrow today for a five-day stay in the Mediterranean. Magilton has just returned from
A former supermarket is to be knocked down and apartments built in its place. Plans to demolish the former Co-op store and two houses in Cressing Road, Braintree, were given the thumbs-up at a meeting of Braintree Council's area committee last night.
A teenager was facing jail after admitting indecently assaulting a young girl with special needs. At Colchester Magistrates' Court yesterday, Richard Margam, 19, of Queen Street, Sible Hedingham, admitted two charges of forcing the girl to partake in
Three lions roared through Basildon's Eastgate shopping centre to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Warding off evil spirits - the lion brings good fortune. Picture: TERENCE BUNCH 7CKPA2 The lions - believed to bring good luck - played around with fire
The pike fishing continues to be productive at Rochford's Doggetts Lake with the back pool producing good jacks. But the bigger fish proved they did not want to be landed and the biggest pike was 15lb, falling to ledgered herring from the north bank.
A young mum has warned parents about a man who indecently exposed himself on Southend seafront and played a sick game of hide and seek as she called police. The 36-year-old mother-of-four from Hadleigh - who has asked not to be named - was shocked as
Neil Bangs' season has been curtailed by a sprained ankle, but he is making up for lost time. In his first Essex League Cross County meet in Colchester, Bangs finished runner-up to the in-form Adrian Muffett (Colchester) who had been 16th in the Inter
Potential risks to the future of a community stadium and major road junction in Colchester are set to be discussed. Tonight's move follows speculation that a new home for Colchester United at a community stadium and a new junction on the northern approaches
Great Wakering Rovers' stalwart Nobby Johnson was back on duty at the Ryman League Division Two outfit last night - only ten days after suffering a fractured skull when victim of a robbery at the club's Burroughs Park clubhouse. Nobby and fellow Wakering
Sarah Bridger's victory in the final Essex League Cross County meeting of the season has given the Thurrock Harrier the overall women's prize. This seemingly ageless athlete rarely runs a bad race, although did admit that the previous weekend's Inter
South Essex is the worst place in the country when it comes to delays in discharging patients from hospital, it has emerged. The region is bottom of the performance league table with nearly three times the national average of patients staying longer in
New research has revealed small businesses in Essex are failing to realise the benefits of e-commerce. The survey by Parcelforce Worldwide (PFW) covered small businesses from the Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk areas. All the companies questioned have websites
Small businesses in Essex are being told to get on with "housekeeping" - just in case there is a recession. Terry Tabor, the county's Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) regional organiser, said the experts in the business world are predicting the UK
Charged with the important mission of carrying the Queen's Jubilee baton, Beauchamps High School student Jenny Robinson will be Wickford's representative in the Commonwealth Games relay. Jenny Robinson, 13, preparing for the Commonwealth Games baton relay
It used to be a nightmare. Within two weeks of receiving the GP's referral letter, a patient had to be given an appointment date at an outpatients' clinic. Getting patients involved - Colchester General Hospital's outpatients' manager Pat Wood with her
North and mid-Essex hospitals show the striking disparity between health authorities across the country. Figures out today indicate patients in the Essex Rivers Healthcare Trust area are twice as likely to die within 30 days following emergency surgery
An education chief has warned a Braintree school will close if more improvements are not made in the next few months. Essex County Council has decided to delay a decision to shut Braintree's Chapel Hill Primary School to give it more time to show marked
Fears that star wing-back Chris Duffy would miss Canvey Island's big FA Trophy fifth-round date at Nationwide Conference giants Yeovil or Doncaster have proved unfounded. Club officials believed that the booking picked up in the 1-1 home draw with Ryman
Even before last night's 1-1 draw against Cheltenham Southend United boss Rob Newman had admitted his side's promotion hopes were more or less dead and buried. Despite having 13 games left to play, Blues are 13th in Division Three. "Obviously you have
Real ale and red wine feature among the main interests of two Chelmsford dignitaries who have found their way into the latest edition of Who's Who. His Honour Judge Darroch, a circuit judge, lists his hobbies as real ale, European travel and gardening
Thurrock's cabinet member for education has welcomed the news of a planned Government reform of the education service for 14 to 19-year-olds across Britain. The green paper called Extending Opportunities, Raising Standards, outlines the Governments plans
A 22-year-old Chelmsford man has been cleared of shoplifting in a case of mistaken identity. Barry Dove, of George Street, denied and was acquitted of theft by a jury at the end of a two day trial at Chelmsford Crown Court. The court heard that on August
Residents are being warned of calls from a company falsely claiming to work for a south Essex council. Callers saying they are from a company called Power Team Direct have approached council tenants in Grays claiming to be working in partnership with
Tragic Twin Towers widow Deena Gilbey hopes to plant an apple orchard at her New Jersey home in memory of husband Paul. Support for Deena - friend Kate Pagram. Picture: TERENCE BUNCH 7DKFC2 Paul, who moved from Hockley to New Jersey with Deena eight years
More people have been fined for dumping litter after council workers traced the culprits by rifling through bin bags. Last year Braintree Council revealed it was waging war against illegal dumping by searching through dumped bags to find clues to the
Colchester-based Wallis Shipping has just transfered a 40-foot long steel bridge to Dublin from Ely in Cambridgeshire. The journey - via the A10, A14, M6, M56, Port of Liverpool and Dublin Bay - was one of the firms "most ambitious undertakings yet".
There is still time for the county's businesses to get free entry in Essex Business Directory 2002. The directory is put together by Essex County Council's Essex Trade Centre. For more information contact the Essex Trade Centre on 01245 437617 Published
Engineers worked through the night to get to the root of the problem at Alresford station after the platform collapsed. Rail services were thrown into chaos yesterday after the platform was found to be buckling under pressure. Railtrack staff hoped the
A nurse escaped from her crashed car as it burst into flames in Abberton. Elizabeth Pearson, 35, was driving along Layer Road, Abberton, to work at Abberton Manor Nursing Home at 7am, when she lost control of the car on a bend. It skidded off the road
The Highways Agency is putting together what it calls an "innovative" 10-year plan to solve problems on the A13 and the Dock Approach Road (A1089). The Route Management Strategy (RMS) aims "to identify problems along the route and help find practical
Residents turned out to shun plans for a link road between Hatfield Peverel and Witham in favour of widening the A12 at an accident blackspot. Villagers have campaigned for safety measures to be put in place to reduce the number of accidents on the two
Fun and games were the name of the game for some lucky south Essex children and their parents. Families flocked to the Flagship Centre in Anchor Field, Tilbury, where an action-packed Step into Spring event was being held. Clowning around - three-year-olds
A Colchester family were this afternoon cheering on Olympic hopeful Alex Coomber. The RAF intelligence officer was today aiming to become the first Briton to win a Winter Olympics gold medal since Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean. Mrs Coomber is favourite
A countryside protest to put the brakes on speeding drivers has hit the road with a massive show of support. Around 40 people packed into their local public house last week to plan a campaign for speed reductions on the leafy lanes of South Weald. Horse
Canvey kept their two-point lead at the top ao the Ryman Premier with what proved to eventually be a fairly comfortable win over basement visitors Croydon. With heavy rain being accompanied by a strong wind which blew against them in the opening half,
One of Essex's biggest companies is set to expand even further. Frating-based Manheim Auctions Colchester - which has an annual turnover of £242m - is set to invest £150,000 into further development. Car world - Alan Crouch, general manager of Manheim
Young people in Southend have two new youth MPs representing them in the UK Youth Parliament. Sarah Fuller, 17, and Anish Amiani, 15, were voted for by youngsters at the UK Youth Parliament elections held at Focus Youth House, Southend. Louise Norman,
One of the biggest agricultural and construction dealer shows in the country attracted more than 10,000 visitors when it was held earlier this month. The 42nd Doe Show which took place at Ulting, near Chelmsford also pulled in Japanese manufacturer Kawasaki
Braintree BMX Club was amazed to have provided 21 of the 48 competitors at Norwich on Sunday for Round Five of the Winter series with no fewer than nine of their riders taking wins during the afternoon. In the youngest Formula 5, it was Coggeshall's Ryan
Ipswich Town keeper James Pullen - currently on loan at Blackpool - has spoken of his uncertain future after the end of this season. The former Heybridge Swifts shotstopper has been with the Tangerines for most of this campaign, and was on the bench for
Smelly gas is set to pour out over south Essex as major works are carried out on a dump site. People in parts of Basildon and Castle Point are being warned to brace themselves for an unsavoury five months due to the work starting at Pitsea landfill. Cleanaway
Despite another excellent performance, Colchester were defeated by a clinical Cambridge University outfit. As expected the students began the game a great pace, their initial onslaught generating two good chances. One effort was just off-target while
Dirty nappies may not carry the whiff of success for many of us - but one woman is so convinced of their green potential she has decided to build a business on them. Dirty nappy - Lisa Wood gets to grips with the problem every mum hates. Picture: ANDREW
Final work on a school's security fence should start at Easter. The Harwich School decided to put up the two-metre high steel fence after vandals caused thousands of pounds worth of damage there last year. Half the fence has already been put up along
Famous authors and their readers are set to come together in Colchester for a new television programme. The Readers and Writers Roadshow is being made by Lion TV for BBC4, the successor to the digital channel BBC Knowledge. Peter Ackroyd, the best-selling
The Highways Agency is putting together what it calls an "innovative" 10-year plan to solve problems on the A13 and the Dock Approach Road (A1089). The Route Management Strategy (RMS) aims "to identify problems along the route and help find practical
Katie Richardson is the U/13 Essex League champion. The Havering Mayesbrook athlete, who lives in South Ockendon, wasn't at the final event because of the Inter-County Schools championships where she finished a superb third and leading the Essex junior
Potential risks to the future of a community stadium and major road junction in Colchester are set to be discussed. Tonight's move follows speculation that a new home for Colchester United at a community stadium and a new junction on the northern approaches
Millions of pounds used on housing and training the county's handicapped residents will in future be spent on providing the facilities in Essex, county council chiefs have pledged. Previously residents were sent - sometimes for life - to live in Cornwall
Technology has moved on over the past 25 years - and sales assistant Maureen Grindley has had to keep pace. She joined the Dixons Group in 1976 and has just received a long service award for her time working in Currys electrical store in Chelmsford. Published
Two goals from Ken Charlery KO'd Billericay's Essex Senior Cup hopes on a windswept evening at New Lodge. A driving rain and fierce wind made it difficult for both sides to produce flowing football. But the former Football League star overcame the dour
Rock on - and raise cash! A guitar signed by Rolling Stone Mick Jagger is among the lots at a charity auction. The sale also includes framed boxing shorts and boxing gloves signed by nine world champion boxers plus a signed print of 1966 World Cup hero
Motorists escaped without serious injuries from this road smash in South Ockendon. Crash scene - police take measurements Picture: DAVE HENDERSON 7HK4C2 The accident happened in Daiglen Drive at around noon yesterday just a few hundred yards from the
A Braintree shopping centre could be put up for sale less than a year after a property company was ordered to pay £14m for it in a High Court case. Dawnay Day Properties paid £13.8m for George Yard, after a high court battle with previous owners P&
Some people would have you believe that Lewes are sure to win the Ryman Two championship - East Thurrock will beg to differ. And why not? Rocks went back to the top of the table following a sensational performance last night against opposition a long
Charity bosses are looking for new recruits to train as counsellors to help the bereaved. Cruse Bereavement Care, which covers Basildon, Billericay and Wickford, is hoping to find up to 20 new trainees to take part in its six-week training course. The
24Seven - one of Essex's electricity providers - has received a safety award from RoSPA. The company got the level four quality and safety award six months ahead of schedule and at a higher level Published Wednesday, February 20, 2002
A protest group has been resurrected in a united show of solidarity against any plans to build new homes on an exclusive golf club in Thorpe Bay. United - Greenkeeper treasurer Peter Blomfield, Margaret Black of Burges Estate Residents' Association and
Millennium Volunteers from Thurrock who took part in a sponsored 24-hour famine raised more than £500 for a hostel for the homeless. They used the cash to buy games and equipment to make life more pleasant for residents in the Southend Night Shelter and
The man who led Basildon United to their greatest ever glory days has admitted that he will be "heartbroken" if the new town club is allowed to die. Reports have suggested that a site in Courtauld Road where Basildon have been due to move to for many
Ben Embery's worst fears of fresh injuries were confirmed when key Braintree defender Gary Waters was stretchered off during their victory over Heybridge. Ex-Swifts centre-back Waters suffered knee ligament damage last night and is now doubtful for Braintree's
Uncertainty over funding for Basildon's St Luke's Hospice has prompted a cross-party plea to Health Secretary Alan Milburn. Billericay MP John Baron (Con) learned about the problem when he visited the hospice in Nethermayne. He said: "It is a tragedy
