A Chelmsford man has sold his family home for £180,000 to finance his vision of Europe's first American-style Cannonball Run. Thirty-five-year-old car enthusiast Ian Whitehorn, who has moved into his wife's parents' home with their child, believes that
The sun shone on Walton as thousands of people lined the streets in the heat to cheer on the carnival procession. In all about 30 floats took part in the procession, which started at the Naze car park, moved along the seafront into the town and back to
Basildon golfers added more to this year's triumphs by lifting the public golf courses national team championships. The team of Darren Turner (two under), David Wilkin (one under), Daniel Brooks (one over) and James Dennison (five over) took the Bourne
A pregnant woman who surprised two burglars at her home in Malyons, Pitsea, said today the trauma has forced her to move out. Tina Harvey, 24, said she has been targeted three times in two weeks. She is living with her mother because she fears the raiders
Police are concerned for the welfare of a 42-year-old man who was reported missing a week ago. Stephen Chipperfield, of Gilders Way, Clacton, was suffering from depression and was last seen on Monday, August 12, after he left his home. He was described
A girl was subjected to death threats and abuse after she ended a relationship with her boyfriend. Southend magistrates heard that 21-year-old John Pearson subjected former girlfriend Lisa Khan to abusive phone calls and text messages and also harassed
First year infants could be split from their friends - because of a delay over permission for a new classroom. The decision to divide the class of new starters - at least for a few weeks - was forced on staff at Hilltop Infants School, Wickford, because
Hadleigh jazzman Terry Taylor today told how he was longing to meet up with old buddy Ronnie Knight to show him he can still tinkle the ivories. Ronnie, a once rumoured member of the gangland underworld in London, hired Terry, a former painter and decorator
Bishop's Stortford secured a well deserved point in their first match back in the Ryman Premier. After last season's successful promotion campaign, hopes are high for the Essex side, and they gave a good account of themselves against a strong Bedford
The newly organised Ryman league set-up saw Aveley get their season off to a winning start with a 1-0 success at Hemel Hempstead. The Essex side, plying their trade in Division Three last term, rode their luck for long spells, but were grateful to Tommy
Youngsters and firefighters battled it out to see who could stay the driest during a fun water fight at a Canvey sports centre. Staff at the island's Waterside Farm in Somnes Avenue invited crews from Canvey fire station to join in the fun after hearing
Two robbers attacked a 30-year-old man and stole his sports bag full of clothes. The Chelmsford man was in the town's Central Park when one of the robbers ran at him and hit him on the back of the head. A police spokesman said the victim saw a man appear
Fun school holiday activities have hit a south Essex time for the first time. Impulse Leisure Centres have been running an Activkids programme every summer for some time, but this year was the first summer the company has held activities in all three
Chelmsford Borough Council has pledged to help a "nomadic" church find a new home in the town. Cllr Andy Johnson, chairman of planning told his meeting on Tuesday that the council had "moved heaven and earth" to find a site for Chelmsford City Football
The Colchester Street Festival is set to take place next month and plans for a carnival street procession are well under way. Planned for Saturday, September 7, the street festival will be officially opened by Colchester town mayor Nigel Chapman. A variety
Ir points were awarded for pretty football and passing Colchester United would have won this disappointing Second Division encounter by a country mile. Sadly, the game is more about results and goals and, on that score, Crewe Alexandra taught the U's
Vandals who strike at Kelvedon Hatch Village Hall in the future could find themselves caught on camera. The village hall trust has applied to Brentwood Borough Council for permission to have CCTV cameras outside the building in School Road. It is hoped
Police today appealed for information after an assault at a nightclub, which left three men injured. A spokeswoman for Essex Police said a number of men were involved in the assault, which took place at the Reflections nightclub in Marine Parade, Dovercourt
New signing Wayne Vaughan bagged the only goal of the game as Purfleet began the season with victory over Alan Devonshire's Maidenhead United. Vaughan, who moved from Canvey Island in pre-season, was on hand in the 20th minute to convert Mark Goodfellow's
Detectives are linking two brutal robberies in Billericay in which a man was assaulted and a woman punched in the head and pushed to the ground. The first incident happened in Alyssum Walk at 6.20pm on Friday when a 40-year-old woman was approached by
Title favourites Canvey suffered an opening day defeat, losing 2-1 at Church Road to Hayes. The hosts, freshly relegated from the Conference, were out-played for much of the first half, frequently succumming to the many attacking options the Gulls had
Nearly 70 per cent more homeless people in Colchester were put in bed and breakfast accommodation in the past year than in the previous one Colchester Council has been given £120,000 in Government funding to try and reduce the number of people living
The Essex Air Ambulance fund has been given a £500 boost thanks to generous firefighters. The cash was raised at a charity ball organised by Leigh firefighters, which was attended by former Eastenders star Martine McCutcheon and more than 200 other guests
India and Essex have drawn their match at the County Ground, Chelmsford. The tourists decided to use the match as a work out ahead of their next Test encounter with England. India eventually declared their second innings on 327-6 with the high score coming
Police were today hunting a man who tried to rape an eight-year-old girl at a Colchester play area. The "particularly nasty" attack happened in broad daylight yesterday. The girl was at a play area at Salary Brook, a beauty spot next to the Greenstead
A fierce backlash was today promised after a Government watchdog "absolutely and categorically" denied insisting on a futuristic entrance to Southend Pier. Councillors may have been "misled or cajoled" into accepting the modern design because they were
The Shrimpers are still searching for their first win of the new campaign after going down to their second Roots Hall defeat in four days. On Tuesday night Carlisle United took all the points with a 1-0 win, and this time it was the Shropshire outfit
Nuisance youths terrorising a Colchester estate could get their names recorded on a special police database. Gangs of youngsters on the Barnhall estate are being monitored to see if their actions warrant inclusion on the Colchester police nuisance register
An Essex farmer is backing the NFU's campaign to highlight the threat posed by illegal imports. Roy Threadgold was badly hit by the foot-and-mouth disease at his sheep dairy farm, being the ninth confirmed case in Essex in March last year. To help make
Youngster John Francis turned in his best ever one-day performance as he helped take Hampshire Hawks to a five wicket win over Essex Eagles at the Rose Bowl. Early on Essex's openers Darren Robinson and Will Jefferson set the foundations for a strong
Plans for a major new housing development in Rayleigh, turned down by Rochford District Coun-cil, could be decided by a Government inspector. An appeal has been lodged by Countryside Properties over its plans for more than 120 homes on the Reads Nursery
Brentwood and Ongar is among the top 50 wealthiest areas in the country - a new study published by Barclays Bank reveals. The research, based on a survey of the bank's eight million current account customers, shows that those earning £60,000 a year or
Essex's successful A- level students have been urged not to follow the crowd on the university trail and to consider alternative routes into a career in business. Offering its congratulations to the record number of students to achieve passes in this
A four-year-old boy was taken to hospital after suffering burns at a barbecue. Two fire crews rushed to a house in Orchard Road, Maldon, when petrol or lighter fluid that had been spilled on the child's leg caught alight. When the fuel had burnt itself
Residents are demanding urgent action to repair what they claim are poorly maintained roads and pavements after an elderly woman fell and broke her collar bone. The woman, in her 60s, was walking along Bruce Grove, Shotgate, when she tripped on a bump
Chelmsford were second best for long periods against newly-promoted Chippenham, beginning the season with a 3-1 defeat. Chip, making their debut in the Dr Martens Premier, were off to a flying start as polished link-up work between Steve Tweedle and Martin
Police today vowed to take action against people caught with drugs at a pro-cannabis party in Priory Park, Southend. Publicity for the Smoky Bears' Picnic on September 1 urges people to "bring flags, banners, musical instruments and anything else you
Billericay were well worth the points at New Lodge on Saturday despite only scoring once against Harrow. In truth, the hosts should have registered more than Paul Fewings' solitary strike, dominating play for long periods and keeping shotstopper Andy
A frightened stray cat driven from Brentwood to Romford under the bonnet of a car decided its home town was best - so it set out and walked back. A Brentwoood woman, who does not wish to be named, couldn't believe it when she spotted the feline who sleeps
A fire at a house in Walton is being investigated by police. Two fire crews were called to the fire at Crescent Road, Walton, which began at around 4pm on Sunday. The male occupant was taken to Colchester General Hospital suffering from smoke inhalation
Police are warning people to be on the look-out for a batch of strong painkillers which were in a car stolen in Thurrock. The packet of 60 dihydrocodeine painkillers was in a blue Corsa, which thieves stole from South Ockendon. An Essex Police spokesman
Essex County Bowls Club were narrowly edged out in the county triples finals at the President's St Chads club. The side lost 21-17 to Havering's Liberty Club after a tremendous battle went down to the final end. The teams were all square on the fifth,
Tearful family and friends packed a church to say a final farewell to a Southend solicitor who was married in the same building just three weeks before. Many mourners had to stand at St Peter and St Paul's in Church Road, Hockley, because so many turned
The V2002 concert in Chelmsford was today hailed a success. An estimated 60,000 people a day attended on Saturday and Sunday in Hylands Park. As temperatures soared, about 800 concert-goers received treatment from St John Ambulance, most for dehydration
Fishing isn't just a sport for your dad and grandad. It's just one of the activities Southend council have organised for over-tens this summer. Forget football and swimming, kids in search of something different have been angling over the summer holidays
Workers in Chelmsford with a drive for fundraising have helped buy an ambulance. Staff at insurance company M&G handed over the keys to the town's branch of the British Red Cross. The M&G staff charity fund raised £25,000 for the ambulance, and
A Leigh school is set to launch a bid for £600,000 to become a specialist college for media and the arts. Belfairs High School, in Highlands Boulevard, is hoping to take advantage of a Government scheme which encourages schools to specialise in key areas
Billed as an early test of their character, Ipswich Town survived the first examination of their promotion credentials with almost embarrassing ease. George Burley's side were as utterly rampant as the 6-1 outcome suggests. And the amazing reality is
Southend United winger Neil Jenkins admitted the Shrimpers had thrown away Saturday's Roots Hall encounter with Shrewsbury Town, which ended in a 3-2 defeat. The 20-year-old fired Blues into an early lead, before the Seasiders were undone by a brilliant
Frustrated and crestfallen Colchester United midfielder Kemal Izzet summed up his team's perfortmance by saying 'we weren't brave enough'. The U's fell to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Crewe Alexandra at Gresty Road, their first of the season. Izzet said
Police today issued an urgent warning to children who play near railway lines after two trains were pelted with missiles near Wickford. The First Great Eastern trains were hit with stones, smashing windows and forcing one out of service for repairs. Today
Braintree and Grays registered a point each in an even contest on the opening day of the season. Grays, one of the title favourites after a flurry of summer transfer activity, might have been disappointed not to have claimed all three points against pennyless
A disabled teenager had a lucky escape when a car smashed through two gardens and ended up in the front of her home in the early hours of the morning. Lynn and George Poullai and their two daughters, Jade 14, and Penny 15, were away from their house when
A 16-year-old student was robbed of his mobile phone by a youth who may have been armed with a knife. The student was in Queensway, Southend, when he was approached in a bus shelter. A spokesman for Southend police said: "The suspect began to engage the
A man has died of a heart attack after hitting his head diving into a popular swimming lake. The 47-year-old, of Shoeburyness, was said by police to have dived into the Marine Lake in Maldon's Promenade Park at about 5.30pm on Saturday. He surfaced, complaining
Essex suffered a major setback on and off the field in yesterday's Norwich Union League confrontation against Hampshire. Ronnie Irani did not play in the Division Two clash due to a troublesome knee, which is also expected to keep him out of the Championship
A Shoebury man has died of a heart attack after hitting his head diving into a popular swimming lake. The 47-year-old dived into the lake in Maldon's Promenade Park. He surfaced, complaining of having hit his head on the bottom and went into cardiac arrest
Tens of thousands of revellers basked in the heat as Southend was gripped by carnival fever in one of the most spectacular events the town has ever seen. With temperatures during the day reaching a high of nearly 28 degrees, the seafront was a kaleidoscope
Electricity company TXU Energi has defended itself after a number of customers had their supplier switched without their knowledge. TXU Energi claims there is little it can do about other suppliers muscling in on its customers, whether it is done accidentally
Jetskiers are putting lives at risk by using a Canvey beach, it was warned today. Coastguards spoke after being inundated with calls from swimmers worried about jetskiers just off Shell Beach. Coastguards claim the riders are travelling too close to the
Mobile phone bosses have revealed plans to put up another mast in Runwell - just two weeks after erecting a deeply unpopular one half a mile away. Orange disclosed plans to erect a 15-metre mast at Southlands Farm in the wake of a residents' campaign
A woman stole cheese from a Southend supermarket for a prank when she was seen by store workers. Southend magistrates heard how Nina Stebbeds, 44, from Rochford, put a lump of cheese, worth just £2.15, down her trousers for a joke when she and her partner
A controversial rave, which the police and council tried to prevent, went ahead at the weekend. But the late night party on Saturday petered out after a couple of hours because police had warned those en-route to stay away. Last week, Colchester Council
Darren Bent today cursed himself for missing out on Ipswich Town's goal glut against rivals Leicester. The Blues humbled one of the sides tipped to challenge them for honours this term, trouncing the Foxes 6-1 at Portman Road. Matt Holland and Pablo Counago
