Vandals have been on the rampage in Tendring. In one incident, a digger at a school was driven into another, smashing the bucket of the second one. The JCBs had been left at Clacton County High School during building work. The culprits entered the site
Police were hunting two youngsters who startled motorists after they threw stones at passing cars in a busy road. The boys hit a car which was travelling through Deanery Hill, Braintree, on New Year's Day at about 12.20pm. The female motorist pulled over
Basildon MP Angela Smith turned up to only a third of Commons votes in the last parliamentary session, but today defended herself by saying that her constituency and ministerial work come first. Figures compiled from the official parliamentary magazine
The FA Cup Fourth Round draw has thrown up the possibility of a lucrative home clash for Southend United against Premiership giants Chelsea. This will happen if the Shrimpers can beat Scarborough and the London side overcome Watford in their respective
Generous staff and customers at a supermarket have raised cash to help a little boy with brain damage. Alex Wakeling's parents collected a cheque for £2,545 from Little Clacton Safeway yesterday. The store raised the money for an appeal aimed at sending
The FA Cup Fourth Round draw has thrown up the possibility of a lucrative home clash for Southend United against Premiership giants Chelsea. This will happen if the Shrimpers can beat Scarborough and the London side overcome Watford in their respective
Could have won - should have lost - but in the end they were prevented from slipping up on another non-league banana skin by a herioc man-of-the-match goalkeeping display from Simon Brown. That was the story of Colchester United's latest FA Cup fortunes
Chelmsford City moved further away from the bottom of the Dr Martens Premier on Saturday with an impressive win at high-flying Hinckley United. Steve Butterworth was the hero, scoring twice. The first, against the run of play, after the Knitters had squandered
A courageous 14-year-old Hutton girl and her mother have said a huge thank you to friends, family and neighbours who have rallied round to help while she has been receiving treatment for cancer. Rebecca Allen, of Wid Close, was diagnosed with Hodgkin's
Jubilant councillors today spoke of their relief as supermarket giant Tesco gave up the fight for a new store in Benfleet. Bosses pulled the plug on plans for any new stores in the Benfleet area after a Government planning inspector threw out plans for
Essex star Kevin "The Artist" Painter came up just short in a masterpiece Ladbrokes.com PDC World Darts Championship final in Purfleet last night. Painter, the tenth seed, was pipped 7-6 in a thrilling match by 11 times world champion Phil "The Power"
Members of Southend's Team Viper triathlon squad gathered for their annual prizegiving at Thundersley's King John School and marked a successful year. Senior coach Ian Gummery reviewed the 2003 season, which began with Hadleigh's Ben Wheeler, 19, winning
Southend Council could be brought into "disrepute" if it does not reassess the use of 1,000 empty homes according to veteran politician Reg Copley. Father of the Council Reg is to continue his quest for the homes to be used to bring in more council tax
Southend United and Scarborough will both be in the hat for today's FA Cup fourth round draw following a hard-fought 1-1 stalemate at Roots Hall on Saturday. Making a break - Jay Smith surges forward, watched by Mark Gower and Duncan Jupp Picture: ROB
Jubilant councillors today spoke of their relief as supermarket giant Tesco gave up the fight for a new store in Benfleet. Bosses pulled the plug on plans for any new stores in the Benfleet area after a Government planning inspector threw out plans for
The New Year will bring fresh consultations on the future of Brentwood High Street. In-depth consultations on the town centre will be launched at the end of February with residents and businesses being asked for their views on the two options selected
A long-awaited BMX and skate park has been held up by red tape. Bosses at Legacy XS project have now vowed to get their skates on and construction work should begin before spring. Raring to go - LegacyXS members have already raised £130,000 Picture: DAVE
Environmentalists were today fearing another wildlife tragedy after oiled birds were washed up on the Essex coastline. Contaminated birds have been discovered at Dovercourt and Clacton, sparking concerns there will be more casualties. Rescuers are hoping
Vandals and thieves left a trail of destruction in their wake after a New Year's Day rampage. Police have today urged witnesses to come forward after hundreds of pounds of damage was caused to property, shops and cars on Canvey. Teenagers are thought
Consumer watchdogs have urged shoppers to take care buying bargains on internet auction sites. Essex Trading Standards has warned shoppers they do not have the same protection as when buying from a registered trader. A trading standards spokesman said
Two Southend coach companies face massive repair bills after a blaze ripped through their fleets. Burnt out - Rod Hallums surveys the damage after a fire ripped through his bus yard Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL Ronda Coaches and St Cloud's Coaches are today
Banned driver Darren Estabrooke was in no mood to walk home after a boozy pub session. So the 29-year-old got his partner to take his Ford Fiesta to the pub car park and give him the ignition keys. But after Estabrooke drove away from the pub he was stopped
West Ham left it late before booking their place in round four with a scrappy win over First Division promotion rivals Wigan. After 80 largely forgettable minutes Hammers finally flexed their muscles in the closing stages thanks to goals from Hayden Mullins
Doctors in Braintree are warning elderly people to be on their guard after a man claiming to be from occupational therapy called at the home of a couple in their 90s and tried to sell them an orthopaedic bed for £3,000. The couple were given impression
Police have launched a major investigation after the body of a young woman was found dead in a block of flats. Catherine Smith, better known as Katie, was discovered in a Basildon flat by police after they received a concerned phone call. Officers arrived
The victim of a terrifying robbery in which thugs threatened her with kitchen knives has spoken of her ordeal for the first time today. The 18-year-old, who has asked not to be named, and a 20-year-old colleague were attacked while working in a Benfleet
Thanks for the book! That was the message a Braintree writer got from the Queen after sending her a copy of his latest book. Royal copy - Karl-Werner Antrack, who has been thanked for his book by the Queen Former German soldier Karl-Werner Antrack, 79
The FA Cup Fourth Round draw has thrown up the possibility of a lucrative home clash for Southend United against Premiership giants Chelsea. This will happen if the Shrimpers can beat Scarborough and the London side overcome Watford in their respective
The FA Cup Fourth Round draw has thrown up the possibility of a lucrative home clash for Southend United against Premiership giants Chelsea. This will happen if the Shrimpers can beat Scarborough and the London side overcome Watford in their respective
A woman in her seventies lost £27,000 worth of cash and jewellery when bogus callers conned their way into her home. The thieves made off with a safe box packed full of cash plus expensive jewellery of great sentimental value. The 74-year-old woman, from
West Ham winger Matthew Etherington hopes that a hard-fought cup win will be the tonic his side need to kick-start their promotion campaign. On a muddy pitch against hard-working opponents, the former Spurs man reckons that the team's all-important character
Colchester United's FA Cup hero Simon Brown says Accrington Stanley's giant-killing run is all but over. The in-form U's goal-keeper, and man-of-the-match in Saturday's third-round tie at Stanley's tiny Crown Ground, said today: "We'll have them on toast
Caretaker manager Steve Tilson was not a happy man after seeing Scarborough earn a replay in their third round FA Cup tie with Southend. "It was always going to be a tough game and I am disappointed that, having scored so early on, we did not follow it
Joe Royle would have been content if just one of his second-half substitutions paid dividends. For two to come up trumps - injecting much-needed quality in the side - was the stuff of pure fantasy for the Ipswich Town boss. Skipper Jim Magilton, rested
An investigation was launched today after a man got into a hospital children's ward and touched patients. Despite security procedures, he was allowed into the unit at Colchester General Hospital and put his hand on the heads of several children. It is
Canvey businesses are losing out because only one post office on the island can issue road tax discs, it has been claimed. Queues stretch down The Point as motorists wait at the only centre where they can get car tax - but avoid the delay and head to
Travellers at site in Billericay have appealed against council efforts to evict them from a Green Belt site. A further planning inquiry will take place in March, to hear the appeals of 38 travellers from the site in Oak Lane, Crays Hill. The fresh inquiry
A ventriloquist and puppet collector is to put her rare collection on display. That's the way to do it - Stella Richards, who has been collecting ventriloquist puppets since the 1960s. Stella Richards, 78, who lives in Braintree, has been collecting ventriloquist
Dave Collis' 70th-minute free-kick ensured Thurrock a place in the Bryco Cup last 16 with their second win in three weeks over Ryman Premier rivals Kingstonian at the Ship Hotel. The Boy done good - Lee Boylan (second left) is congratulated after netting
Planning has started for a new state-of-the-art skateboard park in Leigh - complete with basketball court, football goal and sitting areas. Flashback - youngsters enjoyed the original Rampage Skate Park Picture: MIKE MINERS The park, costing several thousand
A ventriloquist and puppet collector is to put her rare collection on display. That's the way to do it - Stella Richards, who has been collecting ventriloquist puppets since the 1960s. Stella Richards, 78, who lives in Braintree, has been collecting ventriloquist
A concerned Brentwood borough councillor is calling for a disabled toilet and adjacent men's toilet at Shenfield railway station to be re-opened as soon as possible. The toilets, on platform three, are closed due to a problem with the drains and confusion
Hornchurch put an end to Aveley's Bryco Cup ambitions at Mill Field on Saturday. The big-spending Ryman Premier visitors racked up a five goal demolition of Division One North Aveley in a match which became more one sided as it progressed. Millers held
A fugitive falcon which went on the run has found itself at the centre of a bizarre legal wrangle. Beauty, a four-year-old harris hawk, escaped from her aviary in Colchester a week before Christmas. She is still at large - despite frantic attempts to
A Good Samaritan has died after being hit by a car as he rushed to help the occupants of two crashed vehicles. The 29-year-old man, from Basildon has yet to be named by police, but a man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving
A family has been left with little more than the clothes they stand up in after a fire ripped through their home. Burnt out - Ron Covington surveys the smoke and fire damage Picture: STEVE ARGENT The Covington family had all left for work by the time
Police have launched a major investigation after the body of a young woman was found dead in a block of flats. Catherine Smith, better known as Katie, was discovered in a Basildon flat by police after they received a concerned phone call. Officers arrived
Having that last cigarette before turning in for the night is a habit that Canvey firefighters are urging people to kick. Crews from the station in Long Road have been called out nine times in three days after elderly residents set off fire alarms by
