Children at a Laindon school enjoyed the first of a series of interactive plays about road safety. Basildon Council's road safety team has arranged for Stopwatch Theatre Company to take centre stage at a number of schools in Basildon. Action - actors
Up to 400 jobs could be axed at budget airline Buzz when Ryanair take over in April, the GMB union has warned. The union claims that about 80 per cent of cabin crew, 25 per cent of pilots and 50 per cent of ground staff will lose their jobs at Buzz, which
Well-loved librarian Marion Styles said a tearful farewell to Canvey Library after three decades working there. Booked her retirement - Marion Styles will be much missed at Canvey Library Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY Staff arranged a surprise party for the 64
A special constable who found himself face-to-face with a gun-wielding thug today told how he felt more angry than afraid at being shot at. Colin Smith, 45, whose regular job is running four music shops in south Essex, was left looking down the barrel
A burglar threw a chair at a witness who caught him and two accomplices stealing from a residential home. The three burglars, all aged 15 to 17, got away with a CD player and a bottle of red wine worth more than £100. They got in to Longman's Residential
Passengers who were expecting to fly buzz routes in April will have to abandon their plans as its new owner Ryanair plans to scrap the schedule. Thousands will have to claim refunds and rebook with other airlines or face having their holiday plans scuppered
Thugs stole £11,000 of life-saving equipment after going on the rampage on Southend Pier. Fire extinguishers, cones and life belts were snatched and thrown into the sea and £1,000 damage caused to a train's charger during the night-time spree. They also
A hot-wired dumper truck smashed out of a building site and through two fences in the latest in a spate of vandalism attacks against a Basildon school. Head of St Teresa's School, Barbara Cook, said today: "It is terrible children should witness this.
Westcliff duly gained revenge for a defeat back in October with a good performance in a friendly against a team that are a league above them. "I was very pleased with the performance. In some patches we were very good indeed," said coach Garry Usher.
An 81-year-old needed hospital treatment after being shoved to the ground by a robber who snatched her bag. Police described the attack as "despicable" and are appealing for witnesses who were in the Prittlewell Chase area of Westcliff at around 12.10pm
Colchester chart stars Blur have lined up their first UK shows since 2000. The band will play four nights at Astoria, London, in May. It will be Blur's first British shows since guitarist and founder member Graham Coxon left last year. His place will
Cup holders Ipswich made their first-ever visit to Mersea Island for this much-delayed first round of the Suffolk Cup and were unceremoniously put to the sword by the Islanders, who play two divisions below them in the London leagues. Mersea took the
A popular sports centre could be facing the axe as part of a cost-cutting drive by Colchester Council. The council's best value review panel has recommended terminating its £40,000 per year funding to the Monkwick Sports Centre. Leisure services officers
In a bottom of the table clash which was a real four-pointer, Rochford travelled to Wymondham full of confidence following the previous week's result against Chingford. But any thoughts Rochford had of getting an early score were dismissed as Wymondham
Youngsters took a harsh break from their battle to set up a £125,000 youth centre - by going hungry and sleeping in a tent to raise money for the poor. Although they are disappointed the youth centre plans have been rejected by councillors they are optimistic
Castle Point MP Bob Spink has returned from a secret trip to Iraq with a strong message for Prime Minister Tony Blair. The MP is due to meet with Mr Blair tomorrow to show him a video message from Iraqi-Kurdish Prime Minister Nechirwan Barzani. Mr Barzani
A masked gunman threatened a post-office manager before fleeing empty handed. The robber burst into the premises in Kings Road, Chelmsford, at 5.30pm on Friday, brandishing a small black handgun. His face covered with a black scarf, he demanded money
A man who killed a promising young doctor with a single punch to the head was today starting a four-year jail sentence. Disappointed police have called for the sentence handed to John Cox, 28, at Basildon Crown Court to be extended. Unemployed Cox was
Thieves stole £1,000 from a 92-year-old after ransacking his home. The pensioner was working in the front garden of his house in Lodge Road, Little Oakley, when he was approached by two men yesterday. They had a conversation with him and he later discovered
A teenager may be forced to catch two buses to get to class - because there are no places in schools just minutes away from her home. Samantha Timms, 13, who suffers from dyslexia, has been offered a place at the Thorpe Bay School, Southend - which is
Greenpeace anti-war activists forced three mid Essex petrol stations to shut down. Police and firefighters were called to Esso's Oaklands Service station on Princes Road, Chelmsford, after protesters - some dressed as tigers - took pumps out of their
A businessman has told how he and his son endured a gruelling 14-day trek near Mount Everest to raise money for charity. John Acton, who owns a green burial site at Wrabness, decided to try to climb the Gokyo Ridge, which looks on to Mount Everest. Together
A teenager who broke her neck in a car crash presented a cheque to some of the people who made her miraculous recovery possible. Deanne Russell, 17, was air-lifted to Whitechapel Hospital in London by Essex Air Ambulance following the accident in Hampstead
A boatbuilder is busy putting the finishing touches to three vessels which he is set to exhibit at the Austrian Boat Show. Staff at South East Marine, based in the former Prout factory, in Point Road, Canvey, have been working tirelessly to build the
The driving force behind Castle Point volunteers has agreed to cook for a vital community group in a bid to find a full-time replacement. Tomorrow, Volunteer Bureau co-ordinator Suzie Brutnell will offer her services at the WRVS over sixties club in the
Three girl guides from Ongar have beaten the boys at their own game by emerging as the overall winners of a gruelling 24-hour survival exercise in the wilds of Brentwood. The trio - Rachel Lucas, Leigh Oddy, and Alison McGuire - were among more than 120
Essex's sunshine coast could get a tourism boost by taking part in a nationally-recognised quality project. The English Tourist Board runs a scheme which provides quality assurance to everything from Blackpool Tower to Hampton Court Palace. Now, attractions
A robber held a screwdriver to a terrified shop assistant's throat as his accomplice stole money from the store's safe and till. Police have now launched a hunt for the two men who struck at Alldays, in Benfleet High Road. The pair sneaked in the shop
Colchester United have appointed Reading player-coach Phil Parkinson as their new manager. He was one of three candidates for the vacant Layer Road job. The other two were Southend United coach Stewart Robson and current caretaker boss Geraint Williams
Environmentalists have hit out at plans to axe a bus lane in Colchester. Colchester Council is planning to scrap North Hill bus lane and replace it with a bus detector at Middleborough. The new system would mean although there would be no bus lane in
Organisers of the Brentwood in Bloom Competition are hoping to uproot a few couch potatoes and cultivate a new crop of entrants for this year's premier gardening event. Sponsors of the prestigious event say now is the time to get digging in preparation
Rochford councillors have agreed to ask Southend Council for more details from airport bosses on their controversial runway proposals. Shaun Scrutton, Rochford District Council's head of planning, said: "I do believe it's important this council has all
One of Colchester's best-known charity fundraising groups could fold if it can't attract more mem- bers. Colchester Lions' Club should be celebrating its 30th birthday this year but it may be the last if new members don't come forward soon. President
Paolo di Canio has revealed he is set to leave West Ham this summer. The Italian has also blasted manager Glenn Roeder's decision to substitute him during Sunday's 2-1 win over West Brom. Di Canio was angry when substituted four minutes into the second
Get your glad rags on and head back to the 1960s, 70s and 80s to dance the night away while raising money for charity. That's the message from Darren Guyon, manager of Diva, on Festival Leisure Park, Basildon. He has decided to hold a fancy dress charity
A special bus detector is to be installed in Colchester's Middleborough area to give public transport the green light as soon as it arrives. It is part of plans to axe the North Hill bus lane and keep it as a two-way road with parking bays on the Sixth
Special needs nursery school Snaps threw open its doors to give people a chance to see the kind of work it does. Sand fun - MP David Amess, mayor Alan Crystall, Paulette Moses and Victoria Moltino got their hgands messy when they joined some of the Snaps
Braintree's MP has spoken out in support of a new police initiative after going to see it himself. Alan Hurst went on the beat with officers and dropped in to the new mobile police station when it visited Braintree's Goldingham estate. The estate became
Aveley and Great Wakering Rovers, both in a rich vein of form at the moment, will tonight attempt to enhance their bids to finish the Ryman Division One North season in the top half of the table. The two sides currently lie 12th and 13th in the table
Uttlesford parents are bucking the trend in the number of children being given the controversial measles and mumps vaccine (MMR). The latest figures, for the six months ending September 30 show a take up rate of 84.35 per cent, 20 per cent higher than
Mum Joanna Jackson has been locked up for 15 months after she threatened to petrol bomb a Ssocial Services building in Rayleigh. Jackson, 19, became enraged with officials because her baby daughter was taken into care. Jackson, of Basildon, admitted at
A pub with a trophy cabinet to rival Manchester United or Liverpool football clubs has scored its greatest ever triumph by being voted the best in the country. The Swan in Little Totham has been given the National Pub of the Year award by the Campaign
A teenager suffered injuries to the neck in the second attack to take place on a Clacton estate in less than a week. The teenage boy was injured when he was attacked by a gang, which included a fourteen-year-old boy, in Langham Drive, Clacton, at about
A pensioner with a serious brain haemorrhage had to wait more than a day in Basildon Hospital's A&E before being transferred for specialist treatment, it has been claimed. Now the hospital's chief executive has ordered an investigation into the delays
The wife of a man "wasting away" from an incurable disease today added her voice to the right-to-die campaign. Derek Fry, 58, of Melrose Road, West Mersea, is suffering from motor neurone disease. Fighting together - Lynn and Derek Fry, who has motor
Richard Naylor believes Ipswich Town have given themselves a mountain to climb in their quest for the play-offs - starting with next week's 'must-win' showdown at Norwich. The Blues striker was reflecting after Saturday's disasterous 2-2 draw with Division
A martial arts instructor was in jail today for trying to rape a teenager after climbing into her bedroom. The terrified 13-year-old awoke to find Adrian Hubbard sitting astride her with his leather-gloved hand over her face and asking her to pull down
An expectant crowd gathered in Witham's Newland Street on Saturday to watch the official unveiling of the new town sign. The town's landmarks past and present have been captured in the colourful sign, designed by local Rotarian and retired architect Roy
A bogus council worker conned an elderly lady out of cash after calling at her Tiptree home. The man visited her in Cedar Avenue and said he had been sent there to check the pipes. Although he did not have any identification, the woman let him in and
A boatyard owner is hoping to get powered up after his business was left in the dark for nearly four months. The electricity supply to Gary Cowell's boatyard in Lime Street, Brightlingsea, was cut on October 27, but 118 days later, he was still waiting
England left-back Chris Powell has confirmed he will return to Roots Hall to play in former Southend United team mate Steve Tilson's April testimonial. Powell, 33, played 290 games for Blues and is one of the most popular players of all time to pull on
Thurrock continued their winning streak with an emphatic win at Sudbury. In near perfect conditions, Thurrock started the game well and Joe Beizendenhout went over for a served try wide out. Dave Martindale increased the lead with a penalty, only for
A couple have told how anti-social behaviour forced them to leave their home and move into a bed and breakfast. Peter and Pauline Simmons moved to Foresight Road, Colchester, about a year ago. But due to anti-social behaviour the couple left their three-bedroom
Andy Marshall is poised for a swift return to the Ipswich Town side for this weekend's eagerly awaited East Anglian derby. The Evening Gazette can reveal that James Pullen, who had a shaky first-team debut against Grimsby on Saturday, will play for Town's
Heybridge Swifts boss Dave Greene has labelled tonight's Essex derby with Braintree Town (kick-off 7.30pm, Scraley Road) as a game 'neither side can afford to lose'. Greene's team lie second-from-bottom of the Ryman League premier division, while Gary
Phil Parkinson was today named as the new Colchester United manager. The 35-year-old former Reading player/coach takes over team affairs with immediate effect from caretaker Geraint Williams and will be in charge of the side for the first time when they
The owner of Westleigh Motors in Leigh today assured customers that his business is not closing and won't be leaving the town. Brian Gunner, managing director of the car sales company in London Road, spoke after an application to build 38 flats on the
Billericay Town's bid for a high finish in the Ryman Premier Division faces a tough challenge tonight when they go to Bishop's Stortford. For their Hertfordshire hosts, currently third from bottom, are engaged in a desperate bid to escape relegation.
A man accused of being in charge of a vehicle after consuming excess alcohol was today celebrating a human rights victory which could affect many other motorists. In a case which split senior judges, Peter Sheldrake won a 2-1 majority High Court ruling
A long-established firm with several offices in Southend has closed with the loss of 91 jobs. Insurance loss adjuster Francis Charsley, which has offices in Alexandra Road and Victoria Road in Southend and Milton Road, Westcliff, has gone into voluntary
Beaches in Southend could be at risk from mystery oil slicks which have been plaguing the East Anglian coastline. It is thought that the oil could be from the Tricolor, the freighter which sank in the English Channel in December last year. Now it has
