Government ministers have come under fire for "flatly refusing" to attend a public meeting in south Essex about the proposed Cliffe airport. Bob Spink, Tory MP for Castle Point, claimed in the House of Commons that ministers had failed to answer his questions
Southend United forward Daniel Webb has finally completed his long expected move to Blues' Third Division rivals Hull City on a free transfer. The 19-year-old has been continually linked with the Humbersiders, who are managed by his mentor, former Shrimpers
Billericay Town must start picking up three-point tallies away from home if they are to get back to being serious contenders in the Ryman League Premier Division title race. The New Lodge side started brightly enough on opposition territory this term
Burglars made off with a collection of home cinema and electrical equipment worth £2,000 after smashing a glass panel in a door at a Shoebury house. It happened in Richmond Avenue and the culprits made off with a DVD player, a 32in widescreen television
A pet shop owner is over the moon his business is not to be swallowed up by a housing development. Tiptree Pet and Aquatic Centre was facing an end to its 30-year life in the village's Church Road if planning permission was granted to build 12 houses
A pair of tiny kittens were found abandoned among rubbish at a tip in freezing conditions. The two young cats, about eight weeks old, were found by a man at Dovercourt's civic amenity site in West End Lane. The rescued kittens which were found at Dovercourt's
Chelmsford retail bosses are optimistic of a bumper Christmas shopping spree, despite early fears that roadworks could scupper sales. Both of the county town's major shopping centres are reporting positive signs that this could be the third successful
Convicted killer Jeremy Bamber has vowed to continue to fight to clear his name. Bamber yesterday lost his appeal against his conviction. The bid was thrown out by the Court of Appeal and the appeal court judges said they felt the jury at the original
Great Wakering Rovers could hardly face a tougher task over the next four days as they bid to move away from the Ryman Division One North danger zone. Their next two fixtures are against promotion-chasers Harlow -- managed by ex Billericay boss John Kendall
A new £200,000 automated pay on exit car park system which caused chaos when it was launched at Broomfield Hospital has been halted after just one week. The new system was introduced last week and immediately caused major traffic problems, with queues
Defiant travellers in Billericay are mounting a campaign against council threats of eviction and also hope to scrap the MP's plans to change the law. Travellers at the site in Oak Lane in Crays Hill, are preparing a fight for their homes by trying to
Justine Stammers has been awarded her black belt at South Woodham Ferrers Kick-Boxing Club -- the first member to achieve the honour. Justine has been training for five years under instructor Gary Hogben (Fourth Dan) and the black belt examination took
Southend United boss Rob Newman appealed for positive backing from the terraces ahead of tomorrow's first ever Roots Hall clash with rock bottom Boston. The Pilgrims, last season's Football Conference champions, will be the 100th club Blues have faced
The future of the traditional Maldon hunt hangs in the balance following a Government Bill, due to be introduced before Christmas. The hunt has been held in the High Street on Boxing Day for nearly 100 years. But if the bill goes through the House of
The people of Basildon are keen to spice up their Christmas if the response to the new Ann Summers store in the town centre is anything to go by. Window wonder - live mannequin Cate Brick caused a sensation when she helped launch the new store Picture
Thousands of pounds worth of mountain bikes have been stolen from sheds and garages across Chelmsford in the run up to Christmas. Now police are warning householders to take extra care as the festive thieving season gets underway. Five bikes valued at
Canvey Island have parted company with former Football League striker Paul Cobb. The ex-Leyton Orient man, who has enjoyed a superb non league goal-scoring career with Purfleet and Dagenham & Redbridge, has joined Gulls' Premier Division rivals Braintree
Karl Duguid was celebrating today after he was named in the Colchester United squad for the first time in four months. Player-of-the-year Duguid could be set for a return to action against Luton Town at Kenilworth Road tomorrow. And if the play-anywhere
Essex Police have lost 31 officers to other forces since April this year. A report to the police authority sets out figures for the number of police men and women to leave the county. It also sets out how to stem the flow of staff, many of whom are attracted
Pupils from a Colchester school will be glued to the television on Boxing Day to see if a classmate wins a top title. Matthew Porter, 11, won his way through to the final of Britain's Brainiest Kids quiz on ITV. Although the programme is pre-recorded,
Callous thieves have stolen Christmas lights from the front of a home in Basildon for the second year running. Lisa Bell only puts the lights up on her Southcote Crescent home for her three children who have learning difficulties. James, 11, and Frazer
Chelmsford's Harvest for the Hungry (H4H) appeal is calling on generous residents to spend more than a penny and help raise £20,000 for new indoor toilets at a Bulgarian orphanage. The campaign will help change the lives of 120 Bulgarian orphans at an
Leave Southend's grammar schools alone - that was the stark message today as the Education Secretary signalled a new threat for their future. Charles Clarke has already met with campaigners who tried to close down grammar schools in Kent and plans further
Super-fit businessman Munir Deen has raised £2,500 for charity by climbing nearly 20,000ft to the top of one of Africa's toughest peaks. Mr Deen, 36, boss of Fastway Couriers in Moss Road, Witham, raised the cash for the Lupus Trust after two friends
Over 300 North Springfield residents from nine streets have signed a petition demanding Chelmsford Borough Council reconsider plans to site a £521,561 sports pavilion close to their homes. They claim that the proposed 350 square metre pavilion for Springfield
Aveley's improvement will be put to the test when entertaining Hemel Hempstead at Mill Field tomorrow. Steve Mosely's side haven't been beaten since they rather shot themselves in the foot during the FA Trophy tie against Weymouth when having two players
West Ham travel to Old Trafford hoping to continue their recent excellent run at the home of Manchester United. The Hammers have picked up two shock 1-0 wins at the "Theatre of Dreams" in their last two visits, and could complete an unprecedented hat-trick
A 16-year-old boy has been the victim of thieves who stole and destroyed the moped he had spent more than six months saving for. Scott Tyc, of Chelmsford Road, Holland-on-Sea, had owned the bike for just two months when it was taken while he played football
A new road has been revealed in Colchester. But it is not that new and it will not alleviate any traffic congestion or help to get public transport moving. The road is about 2,000 years old. Archaeologists from the Colchester Archaeological Trust have
A gang or copycat offenders are responsible for the spate of violent attacks on bus drivers, police have revealed. Supt Mick Thwaites has vowed to do all he can to bring a stop to the attacks on drivers working in the Shoebury area where four workers
Hilldene traders under siege from rampaging gangs of youths are banding together with police and the borough council in a bid to turn the tide in the run-up to Christmas and the New Year. Shops and businesses in Farnham Road have been issued with Citizens
A police officer today praised a "young heroine" who chased a robber after he snatched a woman's handbag outside a supermarket. The unsuspecting woman shopper, 62, left Safeways, in London Road, Hadleigh, via the main exit. She was loading her shopping
A village has become a life-sized advent calendar. On telegraph poles throughout the long, thin village of Great Horkesley, the days till Christmas are being counted down. As each day passes, a number is replaced with a picture of the message of Christmas
Christmas crowds braved the cold temperatures and hit Clacton's shops for the town's late-night shopping event. Shoppers flooded into the town centre for the festive fun as shops in the High Street opened late for the first time and Pier Avenue was closed
The unpaid bill for Basildon's glass belltower has soared past the £1million mark, it was revealed today. It means the cost of the infamous project has doubled since it emerged builders hadn't been paid for their work. The belltower, in St Martin's Square
Praise was today heaped upon a scheme to erect a town sign in Hadleigh - which was the first project to benefit from the new funding given to area forums. The meetings - which provide an opportunity for residents to voice their views to councillors face-to-face
Delighted health chiefs say residents are backing their prescription for a new community hospital in Brentwood. The results of a consultation exercise has found two-thirds of people are in favour of the £15 million scheme for a state-of-the-art medical
Purfleet gave further evidence of their commitment to winning the championship by last night signing a top scorer from another Ryman Premier Division club. Tresor Kandol has switched from Chesham, where he has hit seven goals, to give what manager Colin
A distraught mother has told how the car she uses to ferry her severely disabled son around was written-off outside her home. And she has made a desperate appeal for help to find those responsible. Jackie Bartlett had no idea another vehicle had smashed
Ipswich captain Matt Holland says only three points will be good enough when the Blues meet Watford tomorrow. Town take on the Hornets at Portman Road - only a month after beating them 2-0. But they have only won once in the league since and Holland said
A science teacher is today travelling to Buckingham Palace to receive her MBE from the Queen. Nirmal Gupta, who teaches at Shoeburyness High School in Caulfield Road, was selected for the prestigious award to reward her work in education. Royal honour
Former page three girl Minka Kokos today urged Southend Council to have a heart after she got a parking ticket while at a funeral. The 34-year-old former topless model, from Leigh, bought a ticket to cover her while she went to the service - but got it
Having suffered only their second London One defeat of the season when losing 30-21 at third-placed Hertford last weekend, top dogs Southend will be anxious to get back on the win trail tomorrow. They host mid-table Staines and expect a tough encounter
Confusion over a letter caused parents to think a primary school teacher had been sacked. David Brinded, the headteacher of North Crescent Primary School, North Crescent, Wickford, wrote to mums and dads explaining a teacher had left the school for good
Christmas has been ruined for a family whose home was gutted by a huge fire - thought to have been caused by tree fairy lights. Dean Croucher, 20, and his 16-year-old girlfriend Louise Hawkins, had to run through thick black smoke after the fire took
Shenfield protesters are preparing to continue their fight against on-street parking charges and have pledged to keep the council's finances under close scrutiny in the coming year. They claim they will demand the total repeal of the pay and display scheme
Colchester Swimming Club's celebrations started early this year when they hosted the McNeil Intersport Christmas gala. Two fine wins from Elliot Noble, in the U10 25m backstroke race, and Zoe McKenzie, in the U11 50m breaststroke race, got Colchester
The scent of roasting chestnuts filled the packed streets during the second of Maldon's celebrated Victorian evenings. The town was in party mood again yesterday following the first late-night shopping extravaganza a week ago. Fire jugglers, hand-bell
Fears are growing that traffic congestion in village streets would be made worse if a new housing development goes ahead. Residents in Parkeston have said the narrow roads would not be able to cope if 77 houses were built in Una Road. They are worried
One in four patients in the Tendring area faces a wait of at least six months for hospital treatment The figures published today reveal there were 3,817 patients waiting for Trust-funded admissions to hospitals in the area between June to October this
Talks are to be held to try to avert a new threat to vital services at Clacton and Harwich hospitals. Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust is facing a potential financial crisis in April and is considering cutting medical cover at Clacton Hospital's minor
Parents and teachers are joining forces to fight the possible closure of an "essential" special needs centre for children. A petition has been launched against plans to close the Fairways Observation Centre, in the Fairway, Leigh, which assesses children
Fears are growing that Government may block plans to link the new Colchester Northern Approach Road with the A12 at Cuckoo Farm. The news could mean an end to plans for a major development on the former Severalls Hospital and hopes of a new community
A car was left balancing in a precarious position over Clacton seafront following an accident. An elderly woman suffered minor injuries after her red Ford Escort was involved in a collision with a parked Toyota Corolla on Marine Parade East. Two fire
Major improvements to Braintree health services are on the cards after a boost of almost £113.5 million. Witham, Braintree and Halstead Care Trust chief Paul Zollinger-Read welcomed the 34 per cent boost, bringing the Trust's total spending money to almost
Southend High School for boys surpassed themselves when the final of this year's English Schools Cross-Country Cup was staged at the Hartford Campus in Northwich, Cheshire. For they won both junior and intermediate team titles in sensational style on
An attacker who held a girl at knifepoint in Lexden had a scar under his right eye. Detectives are hunting a man who approached his 17-year-old victim on a pathway off Park Road, alongside a Colchester Royal Grammar School playing field They believe he
A woman was taken to hospital following a three-vehicle smash in Basildon. The pile-up between a van, car and lorry caused traffic chaos as vehicles were stopped in both directions for 20 minutes while emergency crews attended the scene yesterday in Nevendon
Mum-to-be Sharon Theobald has won a court battle not to have her baby born in prison Theobald, who is nearly seven months' pregnant, was jailed for six months for stealing more than £6,000 from work. She appealed against the sentence as her health deteriorated
