Basildon continued their free-scoring form with a 69-7 demolition of Lakenham Hewett in the third round of the Powergen Intermediate Cup. Too strong - Mario De Magalhaes crashes over for his side's third try as Basildon (in green) romp to victory over
A display of "pretty, not loud" fireworks will kick off this year's Christmas shopping spree in a Braintree shopping centre. The 15-minute display, set off from the top of the multi-storey car park at George Yard shopping centre, is one of the attractions
The future of a Leigh old people's complex will be decided after a tenants' meeting to look at options for the future. Spencer House, in Randolph Close, is not suitable to be adapted to modern day requirements for elderly people and Southend Council has
A determined fundraising appeal has meant children at a Braintree school have now got more apparatus to use at playtimes. All aboard - Beckers Green pupils try out the new playground train Picture: ADRIAN RUSHTON Beckers Green Primary School, Beckers
A bus driver who stopped to use the toilet at a service station was shocked to return and find two youths in his bus. The driver, who works for First bus company, had parked in Merco service station, High Street, Canvey, just after 8pm on Sunday. Acting
Plans to create a new village post office look set to fail even though an existing one is due to shut next month. Proposals have been put forward to open a new post office counter in a section of a farm shop in Mersea Road, Abberton. But even though the
A care worker who stole thousands of pounds from an elderly couple has been jailed for two years. Patricia Knight, 41, siphoned off up to £300 a day from the couple's bank account, and when that was getting low, transferred a substantial sum from another
Basildon Golf Course could be handed over to the private sector. The course in Clay Hill Lane, Kingswood, has been run by Basildon Council since 1967, but the council is now considering its future. Ideas being considered include disposing of the course
Witham will get a new community centre to replace Spring Lodge and a Braintree community hall will close, if a council report is adopted this week. The report is the result of the council's review of all its community halls and centres, which aims to
A new father is worried for children's safety after bulldozers and lorries moved in to "blitz" the green opposite his house. Lorry danger - Monkwick resident Stephen Hughes, at the site being used by the council as a storage area while they refurbish
A parking ticket is normally the most unwelcome thing a motorist can find attached to their windscreen. But some residents of the small rural community of Rivenhall have found something altogether more shocking when getting into their vehicles of a morning
Ryanair has entered emergency talks with the Belgian government in a bid to try and safeguard its route to Brussels-Charleroi. The Irish airline confirmed on Wednesday it had learned a draft report from the European Commission (EC) investigating the route
A shortage of car parking spaces at a bank's new office block is prompting employees to ask locals to rent space on their driveways. The Royal Bank of Scotland's new administrative hub in Thanet Grange, Westcliff, will employ 2,000 people when fully operational
Villagers are being urged to report heavy vehicles using a bridge to the police. Derek Whitnell, chairman of Weeley Parish Council, told Essex highways bosses who attended a parish meeting last night that large vehicles were breaking the rules by driving
Admittedly, the first two movies were always going to be a tough act to follow. Hugo Weaving as the myriad incarnations of Agent Smith As an avid fan of both the original Matrix movie and its sequel, The Matrix Reloaded, it was hard not to see this final
A pensioners' champion today backed Castle Point MP Bob Spink's appeal to get a fairer deal for elderly and make sure they collect the council tax reductions they are entitled to. Joan Spye, president of Age Concern Canvey, said the problem was that too
Hairdresser Nicky Hatfield will walk part of the Great Wall of China to raise money for deaf children. The 23-year-old who lives at Hemley Road, Orsett works at The Old Barber Shop in Grays and has been planning the trip for next May for months. She said
Teenagers were given first-hand experience of the dangers of driving in an effort to make them responsible road users. Helping hands - firefighter Mark Sladden protects Mark Jiggens' neck in a simulated rescue from a traffic accident as part of driving
Police are stepping up patrols in the run up to Christmas to combat drink-related violence and nuisance behaviour. Operation Barnsley swings into action every Friday and Saturday night until the new year. A police van is on call across Basildon until
Fans wanting to watch tomorrow night's FA Cup first round replay at Park Lane in style still have the chance. For Canvey have announced that a few hospitality packages for the big game are still available. At a cost of £60 plus VAT you'll be guaranteed
Building work on a new "no frills" supermarket has finally finished and it is being filled with stock in time for its grand opening. German retailer Lidl is getting ready to open its latest branch, in London Road, Hadleigh, Thursday next week. A spokesman
Stan Collymore has declared that he is the man to breathe new life into Southend United, the club where his career took off. The Shrimpers striking legend is excited about a possible return to Roots Hall, where he has been in talks on the managerial vacancy
Six men were taken to hospital after a chemical spill at Harwich docks. They breathed in poisonous gas when dealing with a lorry at Navyard Wharf in Kings Quay Street yesterday just after 11am. It is thought the men were exposed to refrigerant gas, which
So who's that signing a picture of himself? Nice to see you - Sylvester McCoy signs a picture for fan Cliff Royle from Benfleet Picture: LUAN MARSHALL Yes, that's right - Doctor Who himself, Sylvester McCoy, when he visited a science fiction fair in south
Drivers and pedestrians have expressed their concerns about why parts of North Hill, Colchester, were dug up just hours after the new road surface was laid. But Geoff Harris, Colchester Council's engineering and projects manager, said the sequence was
Ace marksman Wayne Andrews is confident he and his Colchester United team-mates can emulate Benny Fenton's cracking U's side of the mid-1950's. Wayne Andrews Fenton's 1956-57 squad, rated by many Layer Road pundits as the U's best ever, were pipped to
Police have seized what are believed to be Ecstasy tablets and cannabis with a street value of more than £1,000. Around 15 pills were found on a 25-year-old man in the Towngate Pub, Westgate Park, Basildon, after police were called to a fight. A further
A burglar described as a one-man crimewave has been jailed for 18 months. James Whitlock, 18, of Holland Road, Kirby Cross, admitted stealing £375 worth of telephone kits and alarms from T&M Auto Electricals of Colchester in May. Christopher Kerr,
Supporters of Spring Lodge Community Centre have been urged to attend tomorrow's council meeting where the issue of its closure and replacement will be decided. Braintree Council's executive is proposing to close the Witham centre, sell the site and provide
Youngsters have been given some useful tips to make sure they have a safe journey to school. Careful - pupils from Winter Gardens Junior School learn of the dangers in crossing or walking beside busy roads Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY Year three pupils at Winter
Thurrock boss Colin McBride admits his side face a tough task in tonight's FA Cup replay with Luton Town. The Ryman Premier League side travel to Kenilworth Road having held the Hatters to a 1-1 draw in the original clash at Ship Lane. "With Luton being
A young mother is appealing for help after a precious video tape of her first child was stolen. She disturbed a burglary in Rectory Road, Grays, last Monday. The thieves ran off. Among the items taken was a view-camcorder in a blue and grey holdall. The
Campaigners were today celebrating a partial victory in their battle to keep free transport to church secondary schools. Parents and teachers in Essex protested about plans to start charging £100 a term travel fees for children to reach the nearest Catholic
Stan Collymore today declared that he is the man to breath new life into Southend United -- the club where his career took off. The Shrimpers striking legend is excited about a possible return to Roots Hall, where he has been in talks on the managerial
Engineer Ian Watkins from Crossways, Chelmsford, had decided after running in the London marathon for the fifth time that enough was enough. But when he discovered that his sister-in-law had been diagnosed with breast cancer he dusted off his running
New Zealander Mac Smith shrugged off the disappointment of the All Blacks' World Cup semi-final defeat to set Southend on the way to a convincing win at Old Colfeians on Saturday. The Kiwi centre scored a breakaway try inside two minutes, which Welshman
A violent road rage incident left one victis with a chipped tooth and another with a smashed car door, it emerged today. Dented - Neil Thompson shows the car door Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL The trouble erupted after Neil Thompson, 18, of Albert Road, Benfleet
Elderly residents of Ongar and North Weald who end up in hospital could benefit from the support and comfort of a local charity. The Advocacy for Older People in Hospital service, tries to ease the worries and pressure of having to stay in hospital for
A lack of parking spaces at Colchester's hospital left a worried angina suffering patient waiting to be collected by her family. Trudie Brown's husband and son were caught up circling Colchester General Hospital's car park looking for a spot. The 72-year-old
An experience of a life time was had by two Billericay pupils who swapped the classroom for work placements with a difference. Year 11 pupils at Mayflower School in Stock Road, took a break from studying their GCSEs to spend two weeks in the world of
SEEVIC College have added to their ongoing sporting success with the qualification of the men's volleyball team into the British Colleges national finals at Loughborough University in April 2004. Volley good show - SEEVIC's men's volleyball team have
Pressure on West Ham United's chairman may have eased on the terraces, but in the boardroom the heat is set to turn up even higher. The Whistle group is the latest organisation to set their sights on changing the way the business side of the club is run
A veterinary nurse was today celebrating the success of her "one-man venture" after opening a new rescue centre for guinea pigs and rats. Lesley Morgan, 49, of Church Road, Hadleigh, founded the Essex Guinea Pig and Rat Centre ten years ago and has just
Following the announcement by Home Secretary David Blunkett of his national ID card scheme, airline pilots have called for ID cards for airport workers. The British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) said all 180,000 airport workers should carry cards
Joe Royle has received a triple injury boost as three players continue their recoveries at Ipswich Town. Martijn Reuser, Chris Makin and Alan Mahon are making steady progress - with the latter expected to be ready for Saturday's Portman Road showdown
Teenagers could be in line for better facilities after councillors pledged to push ahead with a scheme to boost things for youngsters to do. Wivenhoe Town Council last night backed calls for a new skateboard park, basketball facilities and a meeting place
A blind ex-soldier is helping a poverty-stricken Indian family by walking from Colchester to Mersea. Best foot forward - Doug Rogers with his companion, Simon Chaplin, who will be walking from Colchester to Mersea, and Amil Patel, of MK News, who is sponsoring
Flats for elderly residents could be built in Benfleet if Castle Point's councillors give the scheme a green light. An application has been lodged with Castle Point Council for a three-storey building with 27 sheltered accommodation flats in High Road
A driver who caused a crash that seriously injured two people has been jailed for eight months. Shaun Argent, 25, had denied dangerous driving, but was convicted by a jury earlier this year. He has also been banned from driving for two years. Chelmsford
Billericay Town could be without two key players as they prepare for tonight's Bryco Cup second round home clash with Essex rivals East Thurrock United, from Division One North. Leading scorer Danny Hockton is likely to be still be missing with a knee
Basildon's Titans inline hockey club are on the hunt for sponsorship as the club builds on its success from the ground up. The Pitsea-based club's Pee Wees battled through to the British Inline Skater Hockey Association's national finals in Paignton,
Friends and teachers were today coming to terms with the death of two teenage girls who plummeted 120ft to their death from a Southend tower block. Lisa Utton, 18, left Cecil Jones school, in Eastern Avenue, Southend, two years ago and 16-year-old Danielle
Commuters faced rail delays yesterday after weekend engineering works at Witham overran Morning trains running into London operated to speed limits and were severely delayed, while the track out of London was only re-opened to services at 7.30am. The
Proud Clacton dad Frank Leonard is making a surprise trip to Australia to congratulate his world record-breaking son. Harlequins prop Jason Leonard, 35, became the world's most-capped rugby player when he made his 112th England appearance in the 24-7
A family-run butcher and fishmonger shop in Witham is celebrating 50 years of trading. L Holt Butchers and Fishmongers, in Newland Street, is still going strong half-a-century after first opening its doors. The business was established in its current
