Picking up free advice about the how to deal with retirement at a special session being held at Brentwood Town Hall on Friday, February 14. The event is aimed at those about to reach retirement or already retired and representatives have been invited
Adrian Coote is hoping the New Year will bring him more good fortune after enjoying another rare League start for Colchester United. The £50,000 joint record-signing from Norwich City made only his ninth full appearance in 12 months for the U's since
A court has banned a man from keeping animals for five years after his dog suffered a serious ear infection. Kemel Hassan, 41, of St Paul's Way, Jaywick, had denied causing unnecessary suffering to Dixie, a cocker spaniel bitch. However, the case was
Four teenagers were lucky to be alive today after scrambling through a bathroom window to escape a devastating blaze which completely destroyed their home. Firefighters from Southend and Shoebury arrived at the mid-terrace house in Chinchilla Road, Southchurch
A new weapon in the war against bogus callers has been set up in Colchester. A number of groups have joined forces to form Colchester Community Alert - a new forum dedicated to defeating scam artists in the Colchester area. The new forum includes the
A grandmother suffered horrendous injuries when she was attacked by a man she believes mistook her for a prostitute. Mary Brooks, 45, was punched, kicked and needed stitches in a head wound. Her eyes were blackened and two front teeth were knocked out
Lee Kersey's injury time winner gained Chelmsford their first victory in seven attempts on Saturday. City's poor run of form has taken them to the brink of the relegation zone, and the full three points were vital against bottom club Ilkeston Town on
Patients in Essex may find it more difficult to complain about their NHS treatment after CHCs, Community Health Councils, are abolished, according to a Chelmsford lawyer who specialises in clinical negligence. Gillian Gadsby, a partner in the Chelmsford
A fearful Canvey mum has blasted Anglia Water for not cleaning up a street she labelled a "health hazard". Maxine Beach, 42, of New Road, said her street became an open sewer after heavy rain caused a drain to overflow. The street was littered with toilet
Leigh couple George and Lisa Henry are to fly to Malaysia in April to see the new independence of the conjoined twins they helped separate. Mr and Mrs Henry, of Leighview Drive, run the children's charity Happy World and brought Ahmad and Mohammad bin
A 43-year-old man found bleeding from stab wound in a Southend phonebox has admitted to police the injuries were self-inflicted. Initially, the man - who has not been named by police - told officers he was attacked by three men, but after interviews at
Marcia Fuller is Tendring Council's student of the year - and that's official! Marcia, a projects manager in personnel and management services, has picked up the coveted title for 2002 among council staff. She was presented with a chalice, certificate
A fundraising exercise in aid of sick children went far more smoothly than most. Pub regular Brian Willison, 45, of Vicarage Avenue, White Notley, made good on his promise to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children in London by
Open surgeries are being held by Paul Zollinger-Read, chief executive of Witham, Braintree and Halstead care trust, to give people the chance to question him about any aspects of health and social care in the district. He is hosting a series of open surgeries
Legal action may be taken to get the owners of an eyesore site in Clacton to tidy it up. Tendring Council has received a number of complaints about the land in Jaywick Lane next to Wick Lodge pub. The site, which is next to the new Bishops Park College
An experimental scheme could soon be introduced to try to stop some of the major traffic snarl ups in Southend town centre. The traffic and parking committee on Thursday will be asked to consider proposals to make Alexandra Street, one of the town's major
A cash windfall of £25,000 is to be used to improve pedestrian safety in and around Clacton. The money has been given to Tendring Council, via Essex County Council, from the Government and is to be splashed out on three schemes. Work will start on them
A village garage has reopened after being closed for about eight months. Father and son, Peter and Dick Barnard, have bought the former Thorpe Cross Garage in Frinton Road, Thorpe. The pair already have a similar operation in Wix, which they have run
The future of a flagship youth project was due to come under the spotlight tonight. The proposal to build a new youth centre in Benfleet was to go before a meeting of the full council at the council offices Thundersley. As landowner, the council has to
Vandals hacked away at a Colchester sports pavilion, causing thousands of pounds of damage. Taxpayers will end up footing the bill for the "mindless" attack on the council-owned changing rooms on Shrub End Sports Ground in Boadicea Way. Windows were smashed
The mobile phone expert who helped put Danielle Jones's killer behind bars could help free the Rettendon Range Rover murderers. David Bristowe, whose evidence proved Stuart Campbell lied about his alibi, has handed new evidence to the Criminal Cases Review
House prices in Tendring need to level out to stop costs spiralling out of control, analysts have warned. A national survey said the district was a property hotspot last year with house prices rising by 49 per cent. But while some predict the housing
Rovers roared back into second place in the division with a solid, if unspectacular display at Thetford. Another shut-out meant that Steve Ball's men have not conceded a goal in their last six league outings, while rattling in 17 at the other end, and
Estate agents - and the governor of the Bank of England - have poured cold water on suggestions that Thurrock house prices are set to tumble. A report from the Nationwide Building Society last week warned towns such as Thurrock could become "property
Southend United made a sluggish start to life at an icy cold Brunton Park, instantly surrendering the initiative to their struggling hosts Carlisle. With three minutes played Cumbrians winger Jon McCarthy drove a long-range effort into Shrimpers goalkeeper
Two people have been arrested by police probing a suspicious fire in Braintree. Firefighters from Braintree and Coggeshall were called to a house in Rana Drive at about 6pm last night. The house was well alight and was believed to be badly damaged. The
Southend United's co-owner Ron Martin revealed today he was gearing up for big changes in the wake of Saturday's grim 1-0 defeat at Carlisle. The Shrimpers supremo threatened a shake up just before Christmas unless Blues brought a halt to their continuing
Rules for renting out council homes in Rochford district are likely to be made easier for members of the Armed Forces who want to return to the area. Under proposals which are due to come into force at the end of next month, service personnel would be
Plans for a major multi-million scheme to protect the Clacton and Holland-on-Sea coastline from the sea are nearing completion. The project, which will start later this year provided it gets the final go-ahead, will take more than 20 years to finish.
A group is hoping to get support to make sure anyone can get anywhere in and around Colchester. The Colchester Access Group (CAG) wants to encourage people to join so they can ensure that disabled people are not prevented from using buildings in the town
Adventurous teams of 13-16 year olds from Essex, with or without disabilities, to go head to head with 120 other UK schools in the nineteenth 2003 Kielder Challenge. The Kielder Challenge is supported by the HSBC Education Trust and organised by the UK's
Billericay Town are confident that tomorrow night's home Ryman Premier clash with Boreham Wood will go ahead (7.45pm). Town suffered their third postponement in four games when Saturday's trip to Hendon was washed out. The match was scheduled for New
A wealth of well-known faces will be popping up at the Mercury this year as part of the Colchester theatre's new spring and summer season. As reported in the Evening Gazette a few weeks ago, the Mercury has already announced the three company productions
A surprisingly large number of Ryman Division One North matches survived the weather at the weekend, though results were mixed for our Essex representatives. Harlow slipped up, losing 2-0 at home to Hemel Hempstead Town to swap places with their opponents
Parents of children who play truant from school face fast-track prosecution from this month. Thurrock has been chosen by the Government as one of eight councils in England to launch the scheme. Starting later in January, parents will be given one term
It's 2003 and the limits of human understanding are expanding all the time. But, of course there's a lot we still don't understand, including a whole wealth of knowledge that is right under our noses, or - more precisely - under our feet. You might have
A teenager who had a miracle escape when he was catapulted off a motorbike and hit a crash barrier at 60mph is back in the saddle, making a name for himself in the world of road racing. Lee Chisnall, of Marlowe Road, Clacton, was 13 when he came off the
Two young hoodlums were today blamed for leaving Deanes School in Benfleet with a bill of almost £250. A witness told police he saw two youths, both wearing grey hooded tops, crack three windows at the school in Daws Heath Road. It is believed they threw
A public inquiry into a proposed change of use for green belt land in Billericay, by travellers who want to make it their permanent home, is set to go ahead next week. Oak Lane in Crays Hill could be the permanent home for more than 20 caravans if the
The future of a planned memorial garden along Canvey seafront will be decided by councillors on Tuesday night. A proposal to turn an area of Eastern Esplanade, into a remembrance garden has been put forward by Canvey 2000, the regeneration project. If
Families were evacuated and firefighters stood by after a high-pressure gas leak in Bulphan yesterday morning. A spokesman for Essex Fire and Rescue Service said it was believed a car had "backed into an exposed gas pipe leading to a home" in Old Brentwood
A man whose son was tragically killed in a car crash just before Christmas has appealed for help in finding a vital lost mobile phone. Rod Skeet's 15-year-old son Andrew died when a car in which he was a passenger collided with an electricity pole and
Essex Police is launching a new initiative in the hope of driving bogus callers from the county. Operation Grizzlybear, launched today, will target the callous thieves who con elderly residents out of thousands of pounds. The move comes as figures show
Essex player Nasser Hussein had reason to smile today when his England team completed a rare win over Australia to prevent an Ashes whitewash. Andrew Caddick used the rapidly deteriorating surface at the Sydney Cricket Ground to finish with figures of
A diver is preparing to take the plunge and stay there for as long as possible to break a world record and raise money for charity. Mick Brown, 50, will be diving under the water at Walton swimming pool on February 1, with only one 12-litre high-pressure
Police are appealing for witnesses after callous conmen struck twice in the space of an hour. The incidents, which police believe may be linked, happened in Colchester on Saturday, when a man called at the homes of pensioners claiming to be a gas official
The Lions Club of Grays Thurrock is changing its name. In future it is to be known as the Lions Club of Thurrock after directors decided that this change was necessary to reflect the way in which the club operates. Since its inception in February 1974
Hairstylist Terence Towns faced the final cut when he retired from his Kirby business after 41 years. Mr Towns, 61, was Kirby's longest-serving businessman and finally closed his Frinton Road salon on Saturday. He said it had been a difficult decision
A drivers' toll at Tarpots could be the answer to daily traffic chaos in Castle Point, according to the borough's mayor. Charles Smith feels the idea deserves some serious consideration and should not be ignored. He said: "I am probably going to get some
Bottom-placed Harwich started the New Year in style as chairman Tony Armstrong took the helm for the second time this season. Michael Brothers scored the only goal of the game 20 minutes from time, and the three points leaves the Shrimpers just a point
Brothers George and Thomas Bushnell, 13 and 16, fell victim within days of each other to thieves on trains. British Transport Police warned people they should use "common sense" when using the c2c line. In separate thefts, gangs of older youths took the
A family have been left homeless by a house fire in Witham. Mother-of-four Lisa Pepper was washing her young daughter's hair in the kitchen sink of their Cressing Road home on Saturday. It was whilst doing this that she smelt smoke coming from the cupboard
A recently married mother and her baby daughter have died after she collapsed at a New Year's Eve party. Former Colchester St Helena School pupil Sarah Mead, 29, was more than seven months pregnant when she was rushed to hospital by ambulance with internal
A 26-year-old from Colchester was today fighting for his life after an accident in West Mersea. The man suffered serious head and back injuries after his Vauxhall Astra was in a head-on collision with a Ford Escort at about 11.45pm on Saturday in Colchester
There was no mistaking Glenn Roeder's relief after his West Ham side finally won a home game this season. There had been 12 failures at Upton Park since Ian Pearce's last-minute header earned a 2-1 win over Bolton on the final day of the 2001-2 campaign
This game had the potential to become a famous giant-killing for approximately 120 seconds. After that early landmark, when Ipswich nosed in front, the writing was always on the wall for plucky Morecambe. In theory, as long as the game stayed 1-0, Morecambe
It had to happen one day -- and West Ham have finally won a home match. It may only have been against First Division opposition, and it may have needed a linesman's flag in the dying seconds to spare them yet another afternoon of frustration, but at last
A hat-trick from Jean-Marie Okita saw Tilbury continue their return to form in the Ryman First Division North with a 3-1 home success over Barton. Stuart Lockhead put the Bedfordshire visitors ahead after 61 minutes, but that stung the Dockers into immediate
A man took a £20,000 Mercedes for a test drive and never returned. The car's owner, a woman in her 40s from Feering, had gone with the thief on the test drive thinking he was a prospective buyer. But when he pulled up outside Prested Hall, Feering, and
There are no guesses as to who was sporting the widest smile as Colchester snatched a richly-deserved point from this hard-fought draw with promotion-chasers Tranmere. Joint record-signing Adrian Coote, a rare starter in the U's line-up since his arrival
A group set up to combat drug abuse in Colchester is hoping to get half of the town's schools involved in its education programme. The next meeting of the Colchester Drug and Alcohol Reference Group's education in schools project is planned for the autumn
Fundraisers are looking to the New Year in a bright frame of mind at one of Essex's best-known charities. In October the Evening Gazette reported that St Helena Hospice was facing difficulties after a sharp drop in income it had been bequeathed by people
Matt Richards was dreaming of a league debut today after making his latest cup sojourn for Ipswich Town. The defender caught the eye during his fourth appearance for the Blues in Saturday's 4-0 FA Cup demolition of Morecambe. And, having previously played
A chef was left stranded in a field in the dead of night after his car was hijacked by two abusive thugs in what police have described as "terrifying" and "cruel" ordeal. The 26-year-old cook who works at an Indian restaurant and takeaway in West Hanningfield
Smokers in Colchester could soon get the chance to dispose of their cigarette butts in an environmentally conscious way. Colchester Council's waste department has pledged its support for new personal ashtrays which it hopes to start promoting soon. Loads
Provisional fixtures have been announced for the upcoming American football season -- and the campaign will start with a cracker. Southend Sabres travel to local rivals Essex Spartans on April 13 to raise the curtain on their Southern Conference Division
The biggest ladies' gym in the county has officially opened its doors on Canvey. Bosses at the Island Gym based in Viking Way on the Charfleets industrial estate, launched their new ladies' area on New Year's Day. The £150,000 project, which was started
Car enthusiast Barry Allix was counting the cost today after thieves slashed the roof of his prized convertible to steal a second hand stereo. The thieves caused hundreds of pounds worth of damage to the soft top of his classic, Mark One Volkswagen Golf
Weathermen today warned that south Essex is set for "significant" snowfalls by the middle of the week. There were isolated snow showers across the county over the weekend and forecasters are predicting temperatures could dip as low as minus three degrees
Underfire Southend United boss Rob Newman vowed to keep on fighting following Saturday's dismal 1-0 defeat at fellow Third Division strugglers Carlisle. The Seasiders' slump fell to new depths at Brunton Park as Blues' underachievers crashed to their
Despite injured Neville Hickton and Paul Pilkington adding to their list of experienced men missing, Rovers produced a solid performance to earn a share of the Ryman Division One North spoils at a side who have lost just once in 14 games. The Aveley pitch
Motorists have been warned not to ignore road closures after firefighters had to help shift cars stuck in floods. Firefighter Steve Miller, of Clacton Fire Station, said drivers were flouting safety advice and trying to pass through water-logged roads
Essex farmers are being urged by the RSPB to try to save an endangered farmland bird. Operation Lapwing is aiming to try and recover the number of lapwings across the county. Although the lapwing is still common as a wintering bird, the number of breeding
A man has been jailed for three months for beating up his mother after an argument. David Aitkin, 23, argued with his mother over money at their home in Eagle Way, Shoebury, on November 18. After Aitkin became abusive, Mrs Aitkin called the police, who
Police were today hunting two men who robbed a service station and may have also stolen petrol minutes before. The men drove on to the forecourt of the south-bound Texaco garage near the A120 Ardleigh interchange early on Saturday. They burst into the
Southend Hospital has been awarded £190,000 Government cash to double the number of medical emergency assistants in an effort to cut pressure on junior doctors. Southend Hospital pioneered the role of MEAs some years ago to provide emergency medical staff
A Canvey man who was seriously hurt when his bicycle was in collision with a car has gone home from hospital. The 21-year-old, who has not been named, was left in a critical condition after the accident at the junction of Hamstel Road and Vaughan Avenue
