A village community is reeling with shock after the bodies of a popular couple were discovered in a fire damaged house. Fire crews and ambulance were called to the house in Willow Green, Ingatestone, shortly before 5pm on Monday after being alerted by
Children have let their imaginations run wild in a Christmas art competition. Pen power - Charlotte Head, Anneka Kidd and Francesca Dooley, who won an animal drawing competition at Spring Lodge Veterinary Hospital, Witham. Picture: NICK OBANK (40574-1
High-achieving Braintree pupils were praised by the Government's chief inspector of schools. Gold standard - award-winning pupils Sophie Jones, Lawrence Drew and Jennifer Walter with headteacher Simon Thompson. (40488-1) David Bell praised Notley High
Plans have been approved for what could be the country's largest university lecture theatre. Wivenhoe-based Essex University wants to construct a two-storey building, seating up to 1,000. A design team has been devising a scheme which will use moveable
Jubilant campaigners are celebrating after a popular branch library threatened with closure escaped the axe. Residents were outraged when cash-strapped Southend Council said Southchurch Library, in Lifstan Way, would have to shut its doors to save cash
Colchester's community stadium has taken a major step forward - and work on it may start next year. An artist's impression of how the new stadium could look. There had been fears the plan for the 10,000-seat stadium would face months of delays by the
Neil Danns is dreaming of a return trip to Blackburn Rovers. Dreaming of a return to Blackburn - Neil Danns The former Rovers man, now plying his trade with Colchester United, will be hoping his old team overcome the challenge of Cardiff City in tonight's
A Chinese restaurant and takeaway owner has told how vandals attacked her business. Frightening experience - Kuai Kheng Ng, owner of Weng Lee's Chinese restaurant with the chair the youths smashed during their attack. Picture: TERRY WEEDEN 40540-2 The
Time has run out for Chelmsford's biggest architectural eyesore. The demolition of Chelmsford Bus Station notched up a gear this week. The town's old bus station closed in November when the main depot transferred to a new £4 million garage facility at
Colchester's community stadium has taken a major step forward - and work on it may start next year. An artist's impression of how the new stadium could look. There had been fears the plan for the 10,000-seat stadium would face months of delays by the
Tributes have been paid to a long-serving family butcher who has died of cancer, aged 67. Roy Parker owned C and G Parker in Crown Street, Castle Hedingham, which he ran with his wife Jill for 31 years. Mr and Mrs Parker, of Bayley Street, Castle Hedingham
A woman has been back to her native Thailand in an effort to help families caught up in the tsunami disaster. Caring - Lek Button has just returned from Phuket where she has been offering her help wherever it is needed, including to the Chao family in
An 11th-hour e-mail led to the go-ahead for a £3.5m 80-job investment in the Dunmow area. Highways officers had originally objected to plans by Windward Bananas to extend ripening rooms and production space at its Little Canfield depot. But at last Wednesday's
Staff and pupils took a roadshow promoting the Christian faith to younger pupils. Commitment - Jamie Hannan, Nicky Hannan and Declan Doherty, of St John Payne school with Ciaran O'Conner and Katherine Jardin of Holy Family Primary. Picture: NICK OBANK
Colchester United could be playing in front of 18,000 football fans in its new home - that's triple the capacity of the ground at Layer Road. New home for U's - an artist's impression of the new stadium, building of which could start next year. The club
Colchester MP Bob Russell has welcomed news of the agreement to build the new community stadium - and paid tribute to the Gazette's campaign. Mr Russell, a U's season ticket holder and the Liberal Democrats' sports spokesman, paid tribute to everybody
A man with blood streaming down his forehead was seen stumbling around Laindon station yesterday afternoon after being stabbed in the head. The dazed victim, in his late twenties, was first spotted at the Station Gate Shopping Centre at around 2pm. He
Fabian Wilnis believes Ipswich Town team-mate Darren Bent can emerge as one of the best strikers in the Premiership. The Blues target-man roared back to form with two goals in Saturday's 3-2 success against Coventry at Portman Road. That swelled his tally
Neil Danns is dreaming of a return trip to Blackburn Rovers. Dreaming of a return to Blackburn - Neil Danns The former Rovers man, now plying his trade with Colchester United, will be hoping his old team overcome the challenge of Cardiff City in tonight's
Police are trying to track down a man seen performing an indecent act in a Colchester car park. He was spotted by a woman who had been to the gym at Leisure World in Cowdray Avenue. It follows a report just over a week ago from a woman who saw a stranger
South Essex beaches could suffer a metre-high tidal wave if a warship loaded with explosives is blown up in the Thames Estuary. Controlled explosions are one of the urgent options to be considered by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to make the USS
A Mid Essex brewery presented awards to four long-serving members of staff. Ridley's gave presents and commemorative tankards to the quartet, who have clocked up more than 60 years for the company between them. Nicholas Ridley, the brewery's chairman,
Two elderly women came face to face with a burglar who sneaked into a home and stole handbags. Police said the victims, who are due to be interviewed by detectives today, were not injured but were left shaken by their experience. It happened in Belle
Colchester's community stadium has taken a major step forward - and work on it may start next year. An artist's impression of how the new stadium could look. There had been fears the plan for the 10,000-seat stadium would face months of delays by the
An elderly driver has died after his car veered off the road and collided with another car in a busy town centre. Witnesses to the lunchtime accident in Clacton said the man was clutching his chest. Two members of the public and a police officer who fought
A Braintree Town footballer was subject to racist abuse during a match, it has been alleged. The non-league club have called for a Football Association (FA) investigation. It comes after racial taunts were heard during their Ryman League game on Saturday
Colchester's community stadium has taken a major step forward - and work on it may start next year. An artist's impression of how the new stadium could look. There had been fears the plan for the 10,000-seat stadium would face months of delays by the
Traders in Clacton fear Government plans to relax drinking laws could lead to greater problems in the town centre. They are concerned it would put increased pressure on police, who will need to divert resources to deal with the situation. Pierre Oxley
ESSEX farmers risk higher repair and maintenance costs and increased insurance premiums as a result of the growth in public access to their land. The problem was highlighted by an Appeal Court ruling which found a farmer liable after cattle caused a road
Fears of a repeat of collection chaos have led Colchester Council refuse chiefs to consider a U-turn on their ambitious recycling policy. Going green - householders fill their collection bags with garden rubbish to be collected in Straight Road, Colchester
Residents living in the centre of Leigh were today warned to be on their guard following a sudden spate of house burglaries. Nearly 30 homes north of the Broadway and Leigh Road and south of London Road have been broken into via the front door. On Monday
Plans have been approved for what could be the country's largest university lecture theatre. Wivenhoe-based Essex University wants to construct a two-storey building, seating up to 1,000. A design team has been devising a scheme which will use moveable
Tiptree snooker ace Ali Carter is looking forward to the challenge of world number two Mark Williams in the second round of the Welsh Open. The 24-year-old booked his place in tonight's showdown after a convincing 5-2 victory over qualifier Adrian Gunnell
Do you have what it takes to be a special constable? Recruitment drive - Special Constable Liz Donovan with Insp Paul Butcher at Clacton police station. Picture: TERRY WEEDEN 40536-3 Clacton police station is opening its doors to anyone who is interested
A hi-tech eye device created by a Braintree firm has been picked out by the US government. Braintree-based Medical Device Management (MDM) has designed a pupilometer that takes a picture of the human eye to help determine how serious a person's injuries
Police swooped on a popular mid-Essex nightspot as a part of a crack down on under-age binge drinking. But they found no under-18s at Yates Wine Lodge in Chelmsford when they turned up unannounced on Friday night. Jim Woodcock, manager of the Yates, said
A village doctor's surgery is to undergo a major £127,000 improvement programme to upgrade facilities for patients and staff. For the first time in 18 months, the Green Elms centre in Jaywick will have its full complement of four GPs. Work at the practice
A father and son team are revving up for the start of a new season of Grand Prix racing. Stuart McCrudden and son Oliver run the Thoroughbred Grand Prix (TGP) series from their office at West Hall, Great Braxted. The TGP is made up of racers who compete
A Witham-based nurse has won a prestigious national professional award which could lead to a new qualification for nurses who work in GP practices across Essex. Career nurse - Fran Walsh ready to start her research work. Picture: NICK OBANK (40479-1)
Colchester United could be playing in front of 18,000 football fans in its new home - that's triple the capacity of the ground at Layer Road. New home for U's - an artist's impression of the new stadium, building of which could start next year. The club
Tug the dog needs a home. The terrier was found in Mersea Road, Colchester, and handed into Colchester police, who are trying to find someone to adopt her. Appeal - terrier Tug. 40283-3 Det Con Linda Darrington, of Colchester police, said: "She's a sweet
Halstead turned on the style to administer an embarrassing defeat of Heybridge at Scraley Road and move smoothly into the semi-finals for the second year in succession. Gareth Heath led the charge with a hat-trick, as Halstead, two levels below a full-strength
ALL three borough sides involved in cup action on Tuesday evening emerged victorious. Pick of the crop were Grays, who humbled Conference National pacesetters Barnet 3-0 in the GLS Conference Cup third round. Not far behind in the giant-killing stakes
One of the Europe's leading sail manufacturers has relocated from Benfleet to Southampton. Hyde Sails confirmed that four admin staff had been made redundant but declined to say how many workers staff had moved to Southampton. It is believed the company
The number of children being given the controversial MMR vaccination across mid-Essex has increased. Children being immunised against measles, mumps and rubella in Chelmsford rose from 79 per cent in 2003 to 85 per cent between January and September last
Campaigners claim plans for a sports centre of excellence in Gloucester Park are being "railroaded" and have demanded a public meeting. Residents Against Park Exploitation (RAPE) want to meet with councillors to air concerns. The action group, who battled
A Dutch man was found to have cocaine worth more than £70,000 hidden in his shoes after being stopped at Harwich International Port. Louis Berkhof, 41, of Mijnsheren Plein, Rotterdam, admitted fraudulent evasion of the laws prohibiting the supply of cocaine
A long-running battle to secure vital road safety measures at a new school looks set to be resolved. But it has taken an unprecedented step of one council department taking enforcement action against another to finally tackle the issue. The new Harwich
