Gareth Williams believes he struck a vital blow for Colchester United and Wales with his first goal for the U's. The Crystal Palace loanee's equaliser on the stroke of half-time earned his adopted club a 1-1 draw and a crucial point at Second Division
A police survey is being carried out on accident blackspot road between Braintree and Witham in a bid to cut crashes Traffic police are investigating safety issues on the back road between the two towns, via Faulkbourne, White Notley and Black Notley,
V2003 headline act Colplay have won two Grammy music awards. The band won best alternative album for A Rush Of Blood To The Head and also best rock performance by a group for their track In My Place at US music's top awards ceremony. At the Madison Square
Shoppers in Southend were stunned to see "the grim reaper" dressed in a Tony Blair mask and draped in an American flag. The unusual site in Southend High Street was part of an anti-war demonstration by Active Resistance to the Roots of War. Protest -
Thirteen parents are to appear before Britain's first "truancy court" in south Essex. They will appear in front of Grays magistrates facing a fine of up to £2,500 or three months' imprisonment if found guilty of deliberately keeping their children away
Police are investigating two car fires in Halstead. Yesterday, two suspicious car fires happened within half-an-hour of each other in the town. The first was a Vauxhall Nova in Ronald Road at 7pm, and the other was also a Nova, this time in Ramsey Road
Police were today hunting four men after an off-duty officer was shot at in a quiet street. The special constable came to the help of a man being assaulted by two men in Basildon at around 7.45pm on Friday. One of the two men then took a small firearm
What a great day! Southend United attracted a new set of fans by kicking off Saturday's game with a pop show. Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY Among the youngsters enjoying performances were Canvey girls Stacey Cox, Rebecca Crabb and Katherine Crabb, pictured. Some
A councillor has demanded a skate park and BMX centre in central Southend to stop youngsters "wrecking" the borough's parks and gardens. Dr Marimuthu Velmurugan, a Labour councillor for Westborough, won support for his call by Tory executive councillor
A ten-year old girl with cerebral palsy is expected to get £3.7 million compensation. The High Court in London was today due to be asked to agree the settlement after a brain injury at birth affected Chloe Ralph. Chloe, 10, formerly of Middle King, Braintree
A lioness rescued from Basildon Zoo has years of happiness ahead of her, it has been revealed. Keepers at the West Midland Safari Park looking after Rosie, the ten-year-old lioness bought from the zoo by an undercover team of reporters, say she will go
At last West Ham succeeded in winning one of their "must-win" games, and the relief for manager Glenn Roeder was obvious. At the end of a week which his seen his squad accused of bickering among themselves and lacking the will to get out of their predicament
Young people are being urged by Chelmsford Borough Council to use their votes in the May 1 council elections. The authority is distributing 5,000 leaflets to sixth forms, shops, libraries and nightclubs across the borough to impress on 18-plus citizens
Wakering pulled off their third successive Ryman League Division One North victory by seeing off the spirited challenge of basement club Hertford Town at Burroughs Park. There were few incidents of note in a disappointing first-half with Keith Wilson
American pool has come to Canvey, with a company's move to upgrade facilities. The revamped pool hall at Island Gym, on Charfleets industrial estate, has now opened and boasts 14 new tables. New ball game - Scott Petty cues a shot on one of the larger
The people of Brentwood are leading the way to New Age enlightenment. The town has emerged as the top town in Britain for the sale of alternative remedies and foods. The survey, conducted by the consumer information company Claritas, revealed that a staggering
Highway robbers attacked a motorist after they rammed into the back of his van. The driver needed plastic surgery on his face after he was hit with an unknown object, cutting his mouth. He was followed by a couple driving a small blue car, possibly a
The keys to Anglia Polytechnic University's newest building, home to the Ashcroft International Business School, were officially handed over last week. Kevin Brush, managing director of building contractor William Ferry, presented the keys to Business
Braintree police are investigating a series of attempted burglaries along Rayne Road on the night of February 18. In the first incident a padlock on a garden shed in was forced but nothing was stolen. Later the rear door to the Danlec Electrical and Lighting
The burnt body of an elderly woman was found by firefighters called to tackle a shed fire. Police are not treating the 74-year-old woman's death as suspicious but are now looking into how the blaze started. Firefighters were called to Laburnum Drive in
Police are cracking down on youth nuisance by sending letters to parents warning them their children are intimidating residents. The initiative - unveiled this week by Pitsea police - has been praised by a human rights organisation for being good community
A Colchester health Trust is to urgently review its emergency plan in the light of heightened fears of terrorist attacks The town's primary care Trust's current emergency plan fails to meet new requirements from the Department of Health following fears
Firefighters restrained four teenagers who started a bonfire in a derelict warehouse and handed them over to the police. Southend's station commander Martyn Hodder said the youths had acted irresponsibly and were lucky to be alive after the fire burnt
David James provided the best possible response to the taunts of the Baggies' fans as he inspired West Ham to a vital win. He pulled off four top class one-on-one saves during a frantic second half, preserving his sides' hopes of Premiership survival
A mother who helped her own son to commit suicide has thrown her weight behind a bid to give terminally ill patients the right to die. Heather Pratten, of Bristol Close, Rayleigh avoided jail in October 2001 after admitting helping her own son Phillip
Chelmsford City recorded their first win in three matches with a convincing three points at relegation-threatened Halesowen Town. This clash saw two teams wracked by poor form over the last couple of weeks, with City disturbed by reverses against Folkestone
Police were today appealing for witnesses to an alleyway robbery which left a 60-year-old woman with a broken arm. The incident happened in a walkway between Weir Pond Road and Oast Way, Rochford, when she was walking with an elderly relative. The robber
Arsonists were today blamed for causing two fires on Canvey's Occidental Jetty. Both the island's fire crews made their way to the £10million docking bay, off Northwick Road, at 2pm on Saturday. Firefighters had to climb steps to get onto the mile-long
Essex County Council has confirmed its huge council tax increase of 16.7 per cent for 2003/04, despite opposition attempts to cut it. As a result, many Band D taxpayers will find themselves facing total bills, which include district or borough, police
Southend United wasted no time knocking promotion seeking Rushden and Diamonds out of their stride at Roots Hall on Saturday. With just three minutes gone, Blues skipper Kevin Maher got the better of visiting midfielder Stewart Wardley and fired an 18
Youngsters in Cressing are in line for two new play areas. Work on a replacement play area for young children at the Jeffreys Road playing field has been progressing for several months. Now the parish council has announced plans to refurbish the former
Police were today probing the death of a motorcyclist in an accident on the A13. The biker, said by police to be a 30-year-old man from Corringham, died at the scene of the crash near the Five Bells Roundabout and the Green Acres Road Bridge in Corringham
A Brentwood church has devised an artful way to bring to life a mammoth cash appeal for an exciting project. A painting of picturesque St Peter's Church in South Weald by artist and worshipper George Hogg is to be auctioned to launch the £200,000 campaign
Welsh Under-20 international Gareth Williams hit his first goal for Colchester as they hit back to force a crucial draw at Second Division bottom club Cheltenham Town The Crystal Palace loanee struck just before half-time to finish off some great approach
Campaigners fighting to save the former Severalls Hospital, Colchester, have called a public meeting. The Save Severalls Campaign and website were set up by Ian Richards after plans were unveiled to bulldoze most of the buildings to make way for up to
Police are seeking witnesses after a man died in a road accident The 30-year-old was in Magdalen Street, Colchester, on Saturday when he was involved in an accident with a blue Nissan sports car. The unnamed man died at the scene. Accident appeal: The
A holidaymaker claimed he was forced to fork out for two unexpected bills after doctors told him he was safe to fly with his arm encased in plaster. But when Jim Parker arrived at check-in at Gatwick, he was told he would not be allowed on board in case
South Essex commuters are to face more misery if train guards decide to strike. Thousands of guards across the country - including 120 working on the c2c line between Shoebury and London Fenchurch Street - will start voting today on whether to stage a
Southend United left-back Damon Searle admitted his wonder goal winner during Saturday's 2-1 Roots Hall victory over high-flying Rushden and Diamonds was the greatest of his long career. Striker Mark Rawle and Searle put Blues two goals ahead against
A thief took a man's car moments after he parked it on his drive in Asquith Gardens, Benfleet. Police are trying to track down the silver Toyota Corolla, registration R889 MGT. Sgt Kevin Diable-White said: "The owner was getting out of his car when a
Several tourist projects in the Harwich area are coming to fruition thanks to more than £1 million in grants. Money from the East of England Development Agency has helped fund tourist and community projects worth up to £1.5 million in the town. Tendring
Police are appealing for witnesses after the tyres of more than 30 cars were slashed on the same evening. All of the incidents happened in Walton town centre. Inspector John Hayter of Clacton police said: "We have never known it quite so bad." The tyres
A young mother has moved her family of four to a single bedroom over claims her council estate neighbours were making her life a misery. Stacy Sweeting left her council house in Winstree, on the Felmores estate, Pitsea, after a string of incidents with
A controversial plan to close a private road used as a shortcut between Hockley and Hawkwell is to be decided at a special meeting next week. Rochford District Council has been debating for months the proposal to close Magnolia Road, which runs between
The tyres of more than 30 cars were slashed in Walton during one night. Angry people from homes and businesses in the town were left without a means of transport the day after. The tyres of the 31 vehicles damaged were mainly in Saville Street, Station
Stisted has been left without a pre-school after no-one came forward to take over from the departing owner. Geraldine Drane closed Stepping Stones pre-school two months ago when she decided to focus on her adult college course. But she hoped someone might
A mum today hit out at joyriders who stole and set light to her daughter's car before she even had the chance to drive it. Barbara Roberts, of Champlain Avenue, Canvey, has been comforting 19-year-old Hayley, who bought the red Nissan Micra for when she
Residents of Vange today hit back in the war of words with Billericay over which is the better area in which to live. Fury erupted after a town councillor said residents who objected to plans to brighten up Billericay should go to live in Vange instead
Motorists and residents in north Colchester have been warned of more delays during the completion a major new highway. When the new Northern Approaches Road project got under way last year, it was expected to take 34 weeks to finish. Because of a number
A bid to put the brakes on changing the venue for Clacton's popular and successful classic car show has failed to get off the starting grid. Tendring councillor Clive Baker is all revved up after a decision was taken to move the rally to Walton He feels
Southend Council's ruling Tory group has been criticised over its handling of contracts for work on London Road between the town centre and West Road at Westcliff. Lib Dem Peter Wexham claimed the administration had not get the best price for the job.
