Mindless and dangerous vandalism at a social housing property has been condemned by police. Metal fence tops were ripped off railings and thrown through the window of a couple living at the Colne Housing owned Edmund House, in Hillary Close, Heybridge
A football club has put its ground up for sale in a bid to find a solution to its financial worries. Tiptree United FC, known as The Jam-makers, put the freehold of its Chapel Road headquarters and grounds on the market on Monday. It aims to sell the
A stolen flag which commemorates a lifelong football supporter has been returned, thanks to the Gazette. The flag was donated to Harwich and Parkeston Football Club in honour of Gordon Hayward, who died in August aged 92. It was taken, along with a sponsor's
A man has been jailed for carrying a 3ft-long sword. Robert Fraser was stopped by police late at night as he was carrying a sword and two lock knives on the Avenue of Remembrance in Colchester, a court heard. Fraser, of West End Road, Colchester, told
Pupils from three schools in north Essex have won money to help improve their school environment. Cashing in - William Loverett and Emily Halls, of St Andrew's School, Halstead, with Jackie Pell, chairman of Braintree District Council. Picture: ROB SAMBROOK
Furious residents have vowed to fight moves which could see their village swamped by hundreds of new homes. Housing developers want to overturn rules which prevent massive expansion of Elmstead Market. The move could see the number of homes in the village
A Leigh School is closed while gas repairs are being carried out. Gas transporter Transco was called in to Darlinghurst Primary School on Monday night after a problem with one of the pipes was detected. Engineers turned off the meter to be on the safe
Tommy Miller has not given up hope of being fit for Ipswich Town's weekend trip to Sunderland. The Blues midfielder was thought to be a non-starter after injuring his elbow in Saturday's 1-0 success against Leeds United. He suffered a knock early on but
The new owners of a popular holiday park are winning their battle to reduce complaints over noise from the site. Valley Farm Camping Ground in Valley Road, Clacton, faced a string of grievances when it turned up to try to get an extension to opening hours
The victim of a vicious nightclub assault has appealed for witnesses to help police catch his attacker. Ryan Wagstaff, 21, of Rubens Close, Shoebury, was working part time as a barman at Zinc nightclub, in Lucy Road, Southend, when a clubber suddenly
Alan Dilloway is hoping for another clinical performance when his Clacton Town side visit Stowmarket tonight, fresh from their weekend drubbing of Diss. The Seasiders roared to a 4-2 success thanks to two-goal salvos from Sean Hillier and Keith Hetherington
Thousands of homes across Basildon are set for free smoke alarms as part of a multi-million pound fire prevention package. Cash is also being made available for free fire safety advice and home checks across the district. Priority for the scheme will
A plan has been thrashed out to deliver a much-needed community stadium for Colchester within two years. Colchester Council and Colchester United bosses thrashed out a deal yesterday to get the Cuckoo Farm project off the ground. Leader of the council
An elderly couple were treated by paramedics following a "traumatic ordeal". Police said a burglar was found by the couple in their home in Margaret Road, Colchester, at 8pm yesterday. An ambulance crew were called to the scene after the raider escaped
An Indian dance day proved one of the final flourishes to a school's themed week. Getting in the groove - Rakhi Jain, of Bollywood Grooves, teaches pupils Benjamin Blackborrow, Eva o'Donohue, Cade Hall, Danniella Schluter, Verity Foster, Christopher Tierney
A LEADING Labour member of Thurrock Council has accused the ruling Tory group of imposing a gagging order on a senior council officer preventing him from providing information to a member of the opposition. Former Education portfolio holder Carl Morris
On your marks! Teachers' fitness was put to the test - in front of 100 students. Good sport - principal Caroline Haynes. Twenty-five staff at Tendring Technology and Sixth Form College in Frinton, including the new principal Caroline Haynes, volunteered
Goals from defender Dominic Sterling and Leon Gordon allowed Nationwide Conference Canvey Island to pull off a 2-0 home win over Eastway Essex Senior League Bowers and Pitsea at Park Lane last night.
A Southend man who is battling neck cancer is calling for a proposed ban on smoking in public places to be expanded. The Government has announced a ban on smoking in a variety of public places, including restaurants and pubs that prepare food, but Matt
A VETERAN tank commander is appearing in a TV programme tonight Wednesday to talk about his battle experiences during the Second World War. Dr Ken Tout OBE, from Church End Lane, Runwell Wickford, was 20 when he served in a Sherman tank in Normandy following
Nightmare neighbours will soon have nowhere to hide in Castle Point following the creation of a "nuisance register". The borough's anti-social behaviour officer Jack Lawmon is in the process of setting up the scheme, designed to weed out troublemakers
Basildon angler Les Lavotha weighed in a 22lb 15oz 8dr mixed haul to claim victory with 2lb to spare at the second of Dave Hemmings' Gloucester Park Opens. Lavotha fished the middle section of the new town venue's cockle bank where he used a quivertip
COUNCIL leaders have vowed to fight to make sure Southend is one of the eight areas to pilot regional casino plans. The Government has signalled a partial climbdown on the Gambling Bill by restricting the number of supercasinos in the first phase. Southend
The mother of a 13-year-old girl who was stabbed by another pupil at South Woodham's William de Ferrers school has spoken of the family's anguish. Katie Burrows suffered a minor wound to the chest and another below the waist after she was allegedly attacked
Parents could be banned from parking near schools in a bid to cut down on traffic congestion. Essex County Council's cabinet has endorsed a suggestion parking should be prohibited within a half mile zone around some schools during "school run" periods
Parents could be banned from parking near schools in a bid to cut down on traffic congestion. Essex County Council's cabinet has endorsed a suggestion parking should be prohibited within a half mile zone around some schools during "school run" periods
Colchester put their early season poor form behind them as they grabbed their first win of the season. Playing on the home team's artificial turf, the visitors took a few minutes to adjust to an unfamiliar surface but they soon took hold of the game.
Residents have opposed a supermarket development due to fears of increased noise and loss of trees. The proposal for Tesco, in High Woods, Colchester, is to extend its loading bay and build parking for home delivery vans. The application will go before
Emergency resurfacing works on the A13 near Pitsea Flyover will begin on Monday - just days after it reopened to traffic. The shock news has been blamed by highways chiefs on the discovery of a "serious deterioration" in the carriageway caused while the
The devastated family of a motorcyclist who died in a crash have paid tribute to the 'special and caring' 21-year-old. Bricklayer Paul Tidey, of Braithwaite Drive, Colchester, died on Sunday when his Ducati motorbike hit concrete posts on a perimeter
Terrified security guards were robbed at gunpoint as they delivered cash to a Southend post office. The security van was ambushed as it delivered money to a post office in Lonsdale Road, at its junction with Central Avenue at 12.30pm on Tuesday. As one
A fat busting feline has lost nearly half his body weight after a strict regime of dry pellets and exercise. Proving that fat cats don't just exist in the boardroom, Panther, the mammoth moggie, used to devour all he could find - from custard creams to
Artists Glynis Hughes and Liz Pottinger display some of the designs created during the Big Draw event at George Yard, Braintree. Picture: ADRIAN RUSHTON (39469-2) The pair led the event, organised by Braintree District Arts Council and George Yard, with
Rubie Planson may only be nine years old, but she is not someone you would want to mess with when it comes to karate. The Canvey Junior School pupil has capped a recent run of medals with a hat-trick of golds at the French Open 04 in Paris. Rubie took
The mother of a 13-year-old girl who was stabbed by another pupil at South Woodham's William de Ferrers school has spoken of the family's anguish. Katie Burrows suffered a minor wound to the chest and another below the waist after she was allegedly attacked
Representatives from police, the council and Women's Aid will come together to promote domestic violence awareness week. The Braintree district launch of domestic violence awareness week The Braintree district launch took place by the fountain near to
Great Wakering Rovers may still be looking for their first home win in Southern League Division One - but teenager Sam Lake looks set to make a big splash at the village club. Youth star Lake first came to first team prominence with a tremendous goal
Gritty Harwich were just ten minutes away from inflicting on champions Sudbury their first Ridgeons League premier division defeat of the season. The Shrimpers were 1-0 up through Tom English's 19th goal of the season when veteran Steve Day struck in
GARRY Hague, Conservative parliamentary spokesman for Thurrock, has launched a blistering attack on what he claims is 'Labour party smear tactics' in the run up to the next General Election and condemned Labour as 'cruel' and 'irresponsible.' Thurrock
A resident whose estuary view would be marred by a supercasino complex has called for the plan to be scrapped. Michael Wright, 34, who lives in Westcliff Parade, above Western Esplanade, is concerned about proposals for a supercasino complex on the seafront
An elderly man had to wait nearly eight weeks to see a doctor after his medical records were lost in the post in the latest in a series of Thurrock post service blunders. Phil Burns, 79, of Windsor Avenue, Grays, had been suffering with problems to his
A BAN on fox hunting in England and Wales now looks inevitable after MPs, including staunch supporter Angela Smith, MP for Basildon and East Thurrock, rejected a last-ditch compromise last night. The Commons voted by 321 to 204 to reject a deal that could
Parents could be banned from parking near schools in a bid to cut down on traffic congestion. Essex County Council's cabinet has endorsed a suggestion parking should be prohibited within a half mile zone around some schools during "school run" periods
A fearless shopper was injured as he tackled a gang of fleeing robbers who were armed with baseball bats and a shotgun. The scene of the raid The man intervened after a group of between four and six men went into Lighters post office and newsagent in
A Colchester anti-drugs partnership is offering help to users and people with worries about crime. Leaflets are being sent out in the Hythe and Greenstead areas to give people advice on how to report information about drug dealing. The flyers also give
Forgotten man Paul Rutherford has seen his Braintree Town nightmare come to an end. The former Tottenham Hotspur trainee has signed Ridgeons League forms with Wroxham. Rutherford, 20, had been out in the cold since being dropped for new signing Danny
A woman has claimed she was told to "make your own way" to another hospital after her son suffered serious burns. Three-year-old Aaron Harrison was airlifted to Colchester General Hospital after his pyjamas caught fire. But his mother Lisa was told he
Campaigners were today celebrating victory in their battle to halt plans to build new homes on part of a school site. Residents turned out in force and clapped from the public gallery as Tendring councillors rejected the scheme for Cosy Developments at
New rules allowing overseas graduates to work in the UK will help plug the country's skills gap according to Colchester-based immigration specialists Fisher Jones Greenwood. The Science and Engineering Graduate Scheme (Segs) allows foreign science graduates
A controversial scheme to knock down a village pub and develop a new one on the site has been thrown out, despite fears that the decision could be difficult to defend on appeal. The Lions Den in Little Clacton Road, Great Holland Tendring councillors
Women who have completed return to work courses have been presented with certificates at a special awards ceremony. The students, who have been taking part in the Energise programme run by Braintree College, have completed their courses in Halstead, Takeley
A HAVE-A-GO grandad has seen off a pair of thugs who mugged his grandson. Griffith Griffiths, 81, bravely chased down the two yobs, who had threatened his grandson, Andrew, before stealing his bike and mobile phone. Griffith said: "I didn't think anything
Southend United centre back Spencer Prior confirmed today he was struggling to be fit for Saturday's match at promotion rivals Yeovil Town. The experienced defender picked up a knee injury during Friday's 3-0 FA Cup defeat against Luton Town and believes
A boy from Braintree has received a letter from the Prime Minister after he drew him a picture. James Cook and dad Graham James Cook, eight, penned a drawing of the Houses of Parliament before he went to visit the famous building. The youngster had wanted
The mother of a 13-year-old girl who was stabbed by another pupil at South Woodham's William de Ferrers school has spoken of the family's anguish. Katie Burrows suffered a minor wound to the chest and another below the waist after she was allegedly attacked
A petition to cut road deaths is close to being signed by more than 300 people. Bridge Street Motorcycles, Witham, began a campaign to highlight safety for motorcyclists in August. The idea was formed after Colchester biker Boz Boswick asked for a change
Grays Athletic 6 Bognor Regis Town 0 THESE are heady times at Bridge Road. Another colourful performance greeted Rec regulars who were thrilled by their team's 6-0 thrashing of Bognor Regis on Tuesday night. Top-of-the-table Grays sent shockwaves through
Parents could be banned from parking near schools in a bid to cut down on traffic congestion. Essex County Council's cabinet has endorsed a suggestion parking should be prohibited within a half mile zone around some schools during "school run" periods
Colchester United manager Phil Parkinson is not losing any sleep over fixture congestion this season. Phil Parkinson Last term the U's played 61 League and cup games - one of the highest tallies for any club in the country - as they embarked on impressive
A positive approach is needed from all parties in a graveyard row in order to heal the rift dividing the community, a court heard. Brightlingsea town councillor Peter Patrick told a Consistory Court hearing the council has been trying to find an amicable
Essex busineses are being urged to cast a vote in support of the UK's bid for the 2012 Olympic Games. The latest move this week to win the Games for London with details of sporting and infrasture facilities sent to the International Olympics Committee
Crime prevention is ringing the changes on petty thieves. Clacton's crime prevention panel has come up with an ingenious way to stop thieves taking purses without the victims realising, launched on Saturday. The panel will be giving away bells, like those
THURROCK manager Colin McBride's post match fury after his team's 1-0 defeat by Oldham on Sunday was reserved for controversial television pundit Gordon Strachan. The Ship Lane boss felt that Strachan's personal comments about his weight had been below
Warning on data register SMALL firms are falling victim to a scheme where they pay three times the price to notify, or register, under the Data Protection Act. They are paying this even when they may not have to, warned the Essex Chambers of Commerce.
