Aching backs and muddy knees were the result of a charity strawberry-picking race in aid of Essex Air Ambulance. However, despite the aches and pains, participant John Archer, chairman of Maldon District Council, said it was well worth it. The event was
A Chelmsford counselling service is seeing so many stressed-out City commuters that it is considering renting premises in London's Harley Street. DCS counselling services, based in Broomfield Road, says its staff are dealing with increasing numbers of
A council has apologised for not giving residents in Braintree enough notice of when resurfacing work would be done. The work was finished at the weekend on the Acorn Avenue estate as part of a rolling programme of maintenance, but residents were not
The proposed sale of a Boxted-based turkey farm looks set to cause a flap among Britain's top chefs and poultry connoisseurs. John and Gillian Munson, who run Munson's Poultry, are putting Emdon, their Straight Road property, on the market for £400,000
Halstead & DMCC will take on its second meeting of its 2004 Moto-Cross season at Little Loveney Hall, Wakes Colne on Sunday, the Maxxis British MX Championship 2004, Round Four. Topping the list of entries in MX 1 (Open Class), New Zealand's Josh
A company will be hoping that it is fourth time lucky for its plans to develop a market site. East Essex Properties wants to build non-food retail units and office space on the Warwick Castle Market land in Pier Avenue, Clacton. Three previous development
A Zimbabwean businessman who now lives in Southend will be accused of land and farm invasions in a BBC radio broadcast on Sunday. Stalin Mau Mau, who runs the Zim-Link shop, in Hamlet Court Road, Westcliff, will be one of two Zimbabwean nationals now
The saga of Greenwood Surgery could have come to an end after planning permission was granted for the facility to carry on operating from portable buildings for two years. The move comes as a result of a rift between Maldon and South Chelmsford Primary
Maldon District Council has pleaded not guilty to failing to ensure the safety of swimmers at Marine Lake. The council did not appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on Monday, instead denying the allegation by letter. The prosecution comes after the Health
Twosoldiers have been told they have disgraced their regiment and country after being involved in violent confrontations following England's opening game of Euro 2004. Ryan Hewson, 20, and David Rainer, 26, both of Kirkee McMunn Barracks, Colchester,
Competitors in Sunday's Essex Youth Games will have a date with a long-serving athletics superstar. For high-jumper Dalton Grant, who is due to represent Britain at the Athens Olympics, will be guest of honour on the day. Grant, a Commonwealth Games champion
John McGreal's departure to Championship rivals Burnley has come as a surprise to Ipswich Town boss Joe Royle. The out-of-contract Blues defender agreed terms on a three-year-deal with the Clarets yesterday. Royle, who is currently out in Portugal as
A couple were stunned to find a Royal Mail postbag, full to the brim with letters, discarded outside their home. Melanie Fincher - puzzled by dumped mailbag Picture: ROB BROWNE Adam and Melanie Fincher said the discovery was particularly ironic because
There was every chance of a matt finish when Thorpe Hall held the mid-week medal competition. For four players with the first name Matthew were in the first six home. Cadets are not allowed to pay entry fees so they cannot actually win the competion,
Heybridge Swifts supremo Keith Martin has shrugged aside the loss of defender Lee Kersey by snapping-up a host of new signings. Martin has plundered the ranks of Woodbridge Town to bring in Erdem Artun, Dwayne Edwards and Jamie Baker. He has also lured
New mid-Essex train operator 'one' Great Eastern has fallen back on its punctuality performance figures for May, the second month of its new ownership. The service notched up 86.8 per cent of trains on time slightly behind its sister company Anglia Express
Ashley Cowan will be on the comeback trail when Essex take on New Zealand in a one-day battle at Chelmsford today. The 29-year-old strike bowler has not featured in the first team since turning out in the National League game against Glamorgan at Cardiff
Lizzie Bellinger is having to pinch herself after clinching two silver medals in her debut at the World Masters Swimming Championships. Colchester Swimming Club member Bellinger raced to second place in the 50 metres and 100m butterfly events in Italy
One of the music world's biggest and brightest stars shone on East Anglia. Saturday Night's Alright (on a Wednesday!) - arms raised, Sir Elton revels in the applause. Picture: NIGEL BROWN (36426-1) Elton John and his entourage wowed thousands of fans
A former Colchester United youth team player has admitted drink-driving after a reunion with his old team-mates. Ben Reece joined his friends for a football-watching reunion in Colchester last Saturday and later decided to drive home to Galleywood, near
Delighted youngsters have been given a great incentive to turn up at their Basildon school school - a fun day at an indoor playground. Treat - some of the children during their trip to Playtopia Picture: ROB BROWNE Children at Ryedene County Primary School
A hair colour specialist has left behind the bright lights of Hollywood to join the staff of John Antony Haircutters in Colchester. Charmaine Piche, 33, of Station Road, Tollesbury, worked for Vidal Sassoon for 13 years including three years as head of
A historic boat wharf dating back to the 15th century is set for a £27,000 revamp Set for a spruce up - Strand Wharf in Leigh Old Town Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL Strand Wharf, in Leigh's Old Town, can be traced back to the 1400s and now Leigh Town Council
A South Essex psychiatric hospital is to get 12 extra beds for patients who have been treated at high-security institutions like Broadmoor. Bosses last night sought to reassure local people that Runwell Hospital will retain its medium-secure rating and
A machinery repair company has a £7,000 bill after accepting responsibility for poisoning a brook in Basildon. GE Energy Services (UK) Ltd, based in Crompton Close, Basildon, spent around £18,000 on a clean-up operation after the cleaning solvent, Meggaboost
Excitement and anticipation turned to despair for football fans as 2,000 homes suffered repeated power cuts during England's Euro 2004 clash with Switzerland. Big match blackout - Marilyn and Bob Brunton missed part of the game Picture: ANNA LUKALA One
A pupil at a Witham school fell from a tree he was climbing and impaled his hand on railings below him. A fire engine from the Witham station and a fire rescue tender from Colchester were called to the John Bramston School in Spinks Lane, Witham, at 1pm
Fisher Athletic have joined the chase to sign Southend United's out of contract centre back Mark Warren. The experienced defender is believed to have already met both Canvey Island and Hornchurch for transfer talks and is now rumoured to be interesting
Emma Haley, 16, won the Intermediate girls' 800 metres, staged at Essex Schools Track and Field Championships staged at Melbourne Park in a new championship record of 2m 11.6s beating the 31-year-old record, set in 1973 by Lesley Kiernan, of 2m 12.2s
A predatory sex attacker was today starting a seven-year jail sentence for a series of terrifying assaults on women Paul King preyed on three teenagers in Colchester and indecently assaulted another woman in Chelmsford. The incidents got worse as time
A resident was so disgruntled when his rubbish was not collected that he threatened to dump it on the town hall steps. David Bartholmew, of West Bergholt, Colchester, said he had left rubbish for its regular collection on Friday but it was not collected
Emma Haley, 16, won the Intermediate girls' 800 metres, staged at Essex Schools Track and Field Championships staged at Melbourne Park on Saturday in a new championship record of 2m 11.6s beating the 31-year-old record, set in 1973 by Lesley Kiernan,
Train company One is not doing much better than the previous operators, according to Witham travellers. Rail campaigner David Bigg labelled last week's service "horrendous, the worst week for a long, long time. "Late train figures for May were 17.3 per
Parents could soon face fines of up to £100 if their children misbehave in class or miss school during term time. Southend Borough Council will meet next week to discuss new powers for headteachers to deal with anti-social behaviour, which are due to
A pet owner was devastated after her cat was left fighting for its life after being shot. Angry - Sandra Allen with a picture of her shot cat Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY Sandra Allen has agreed to more than £1,400 in vet treatment in a battle to save the life
A highly-controversial move that will see Harold Wood Hospital stripped of the ability to care for the most seriously ill babies will come into effect from Monday. Hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of lifesaving equipment, much of which was paid for
A minor surgery clinic which was set up at Maldon's hospital last year has been hailed a great success. The unit, which was established at St Peter's Hospital to take some of the strain off local hospitals, was set up by Maldon and South Chelmsford Primary
A Harwich fisherman is casting his net wide and looking to increase the range of fish in his new shop. Gary Hambling runs the recently-opened Harwich Seafaring, a family business which is based behind Safeway in Parkeston. Crab, lobster and sole are caught
Mourners licked ice creams in Southend yesterday morning in an unusual funeral tribute organised by the son of Eva Clark, who died earlier this month. Farewell - son Dave Clark, left, with other mourners, outside the restaurant Picture: ANNA LUKALA Dave
A Victorian cemetery is hoping to land a Best in Britain title. Mersea Road graveyard could be named Cemetary of the Year Colchester's council-run graveyard in Mersea Road is in the running for a Cemetery of the Year award. It is the first time the 63
Thirteen might be unlucky for some, but that was not the case at the Essex Trophy Karate competition for members of Rayleigh-based Shin Gi Tai Shotokan Club. Golden boy - seven year-old Josh Cullingham (at the front) with other Shin Gi Tai medal winners
Walsall have joined the race to snap up Colchester United's out-of-contract goalkeeper Simon Brown. The yo-yo Black Country club, relegated from the Nationwide League Division One at the end of last season, have lined up alongside Scottish Premier League
Firestarters are thought to have sparked two fires on houses. Scene of the fire in Jaywick Arsonists are thought to have started a blaze which nearly destroyed a derelict seaside chalet bungalow in Jaywick today. And firefighters believe a fire in Walton
Canvey's disabled swimmers turned in good performances at the Disability Sport England National Championships and Paralympic trials. The event - held at Sheffield's Ponds Forge pool - attracted more than 400 swimmers from 42 countries for what was almost
Richard Fitch wants to repay the faith shown by ARW Suzuki by turning in a top-ten performance at the Maxxis British Motocross Championships. Fordham's Fitch will be competing against the countries elite on his 250cc Suzuki bike at Little Loveney Hall
A concerned mother has accused a school of being "irresponsible" by stopping her daughter wearing a hat for games in this week's high temperatures. Sue Jasiczak kept her 14-year-old daughter, Rebecca, at home on Tuesday after she came home from St Helena
Arena Essex were in action for the second time in 24 hours when they travelled to Swindon for an Elite league match but were beaten 42-47 after a last heat decider. Holding a six-point advantage from the first meeting at the Purfleet Raceway, the Hammers
A deal is being struck to sell off part of a school site for more than £2m, the Evening Gazette can reveal. More than three acres of land at the Windsor School in Holland Road, Clacton, is in the process of being bought by developer Carl Symes for housing
The number of people killed or seriously injured at sites where safety cameras are in use in north Essex has dramatically fallen. The results come from an independent report evaluating the first three years of the safety camera scheme and coincide with
With a new name, club badge, colours and management team - a rejuvenated Bowers and Pitsea FC are relishing the start of next season. The Crown Avenue outfit have appointed former Southend United youth team manager Marc Massey as their new first team
A 70-year-old man from south Essex has been arrested over the rape and murder of a young girl that took place 40 years ago. Kim Roberts, seven, from Stepney, East London, was reported missing on Sunday, March 1, 1964. A massive police investigation was
