A nursery school described as the heart of the community faces closure, leaving youngsters with nowhere to go. Burnham Road Pre-School, in Burnham Road, Leigh, has been told it has to leave the building it uses after more than 35 years. The playgroup
Rovers produced the perfect response to their 7-0 midweek hiding at Chesham by pulling off their biggest win of the season in this Ryman Division One North basement battle at wet and windswept Burroughs Park. Alan Hull's men took a 20th-minute lead when
Youngsters at a Canvey nursery were left full of Christmas spirit after Santa paid them a visit. Ho, ho, ho! Jessica Hill, three, and Billy Keddie, two, meet Santa Picture: ROB BROWNE U4LR33 Father Christmas took time out from his busy December schedule
Johnathan Clements is looking for a sponsor to help him on the next rung up the motorsport ladder. The Greensward College pupil has had a successful debut year in karting and is now looking to move up a gear. Hockley teenager Johnathan won the Bayford
Angry Georges Santos today pleaded his innocence after being sent-off in Ipswich Town's 0-0 draw at Millwall. The centre-half was given his marching orders for two bookings in Saturday's Nationwide League Division One stalemate at The Den. And, in blasting
Only 14 people have objected to the proposed closure of a Witham post office. But more than 300 residents expressed their opposition to the axing of another branch near the new Maltings Lane housing development. The consultation period for people to comment
Music student Chloe Taylor has picked up a prestigious award from the man who made the Beatles. Chloe, 23, from Southend, received the award for outstanding achievement over the last academic year from Sir George Martin. Sir George produced many of the
An airport services company mopped up the competition to land a multi-million pound contract at Stansted. The six-year flagship deal, worth in excess of £10m, was won by specialist cleaning company Initial Air Services. A team of 130 people, including
The first section of the new A120 between Stansted and Braintree has been opened. The seven kilometre stretch of the two-lane dual carriageway connects a new junction west of Dunmow with the Stansted section and onwards to the M11. Essex County Council
Karl Duguid and Rowan Vine scored Colchester's goals - but in-form goalkeeper Simon Brown won the match. The former Tottenham Hotspur trainee put his recent lapses behind him and turned in a performance that was almost out of this world with a string
Workers at Chelmsford prison have received accolades for their commitment to the prison service. Andrea Debham is a librarian at the jail and has developed a library service which has involved arranging quizzes and contributing to diversity and family
Leisure staff in Castle Point are to be trained in how to spot child abuse in a new bid to protect children from perverts and paedophiles. The staff will learn not only how to spot abuse, but also how to care for children who have been abused - and how
Southend arrows ace Steve Maish will fight it out with the big guns of darts this Christmas after qualifying for the PDC World Championships. He continued his good form this year to secure one of eight qualifying spots that 200 players fought for at the
Workers at Chelmsford prison have received accolades for their commitment to the prison service. Andrea Debham (back left) is a librarian at the jail and has developed a library service which has involved arranging quizzes and contributing to diversity
Basildon snooker professional Stuart Bingham has little chance to reflect on his failure to get through to the main stages of the Welsh Open. The new towner, who represents the Sports Bar in Southernhay, is back in action at Pontin's, Prestatyn, this
Furious shopkeepers are counting the cost of the Pier Hill revamp after contractors burst a water pipe sending thousands of gallons into the street. Shops on Pier Hill in Southend were flooded for the second time in two weeks, costing thousands of pound
Blues caretaker boss Steve Tilson was quick to praise the spirit of his players as a rejuvenated Southend United secured a superb 3-2 victory at Swansea City on Saturday - despite having three players sent off. Our hero : Mark Gower is mobbed by Lewis
Fed-up workers vowed to fight on after talks to end four weeks of strike action over terms and conditions of employment collapsed. Workers at York International in Gardiners Lane South, Basildon, went on strike for a third time on Friday and a further
The mother of a Chelmsford primary school pupil has condemned the "nanny state" attitude which has led to schools banning parents from taking photographs at school plays. The move is aimed at protecting youngsters from paedophiles. Ann Capps, of North
The mother of a Chelmsford primary school pupil has condemned the "nanny state" attitude which has led to schools banning parents from taking photographs at school plays. The move is aimed at protecting youngsters from paedophiles. Ann Capps, of North
Police are warning residents to strengthen home security after a spate of burglaries. The warning came after a spate of break-ins in Great Notley, near Braintree. Seven have occured since the beginning of the month in which items were stolen after thieves
Parents took the chance to look round an upgraded demountable classroom which will become a new nursery school in January. Open day: Lisa Murray, team leader, Janet Unwins, project manager, with William Partner, 3, and Stefanie Maskell, nursery assistant
Christmas has come early for a junior school with a £96,000 National Lottery handout for a new sports hall. Chalkwell Hall Junior School will use the grant from the New Opportunities' Fund to build the hall at its site in London Road, Leigh. The hall
Tokon Kai Karate Club's chief instructor Steve Roberts fought his way to the top of the world in Las Vegas when he took the kumite gold medal at the Funakoshi World Championships. Getting a kick out of karate: Steve Roberts (left) training with Chris
A super show from goalkeeper Simon Brown enabled the U's to bounce back from two successive League defeats with this hard fought Layer Road win over lowly Oldham. Brown pulled out a string of fine saves as The Latics threatened to inflict another defeat
The weather got the better of Harlow Town's match against Waltham Forest in deepest Essex after a waterlogged pitch accounted for their Division One North clash on Saturday. Great Wakering Rovers did manage to stage their clash against Berkhamstead Town
Two horrific pile-ups in south east Essex during a night of driving rain left a teenager dead and three others in hospital at the weekend. An 18-year-old from Grays died after he was hit by a car as he wandered away from the scene of an accident on the
