Archive

  • Essex: To take a plunge

    Swimming enthusiasts braved freezing weather to be among the first to take a dip in South Woodham's new pool. Amid snow flurries, eager swimmers made their way to South Woodham Ferrers Leisure Centre, on the William de Ferrers school site, to use the

  • Castle Point: Swimming teacher calls for rule change

    A swimming instructor has demanded Castle Point Council drops a ruling that parents can only swim with one child at a time at Waterside Farm pool on Canvey. The council brought in the rule after the Institute of Sport and Recreation Management recommended

  • Benfleet: Woman attacked after night out

    Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward after a 27-year-old woman was attacked on her way home from a night out in Benfleet. The assault took place in during the early hours of Tuesday (Feb 1) morning, close to the Tommy Tuckers sandwich bar

  • Braintree: Pupils win trip to world war sites

    More than 20 pupils will travel halfway around the world after winning a £10 million competition. The Alec Hunter School in Stubbs Lane, Braintree, was selected as part of a promotion by the Imperial War Museum. Twenty-four youngsters, aged between 14

  • Essex: Falklands trip

    Senior staff from East Anglian accountants PKF are travelling 10,000 miles to visit clients on the Falkland Islands. The company signed up its first clients on a visit last year and hopes to enlist more to its client-base on this visit. A spokesman said

  • Cycling: Success for Shaun

    Colchester's Interbike rider Shaun Aldous performed well at the Eastern Cyclo-Cross Association league. Aldous was the round-14 runner-up at the West Stow Country Park event, near Mildenhall. Seventy-three keen cyclo-cross riders, of all ages, rattled

  • Braintree: 'I found moth in my salad'

    A man who found a moth in his KFC salad has said he is insulted by the firm's attempt at compensation. Complaint - Chris Hatt, of Braintree, with a video recording of the inch-long moth that he found in his salad. Picture: NICK OBANK (40711-1) Chris Hatt

  • Basildon: Twisted paedophile behind bars

    A sex monster who made his home a "magnet" for young girls was back behind bars today after he sexually assaulted a schoolgirl while on bail for a similar offence. Former school caretaker Albert Fairhead, 70, was sentenced to 14 months in prison after

  • Athletics: Sunday best for Deacon

    Greg Deacon stormed to victory in Sunday's Benfleet 15 as he finished well ahead ofthe men's field. The Basildon AC runner completed the gruelling 15-mile course in one hour 28 seconds, two minutes and 57 seconds clear of second-placed Dan Mercer (1:31

  • Clacton: First to grab Dolly lolly

    The delighted first winner of the Gazette's new Spot Dolly competition has told of her surprise at having her name picked from more than 1,200 entries. Spot Dolly winner Pauline Mapleston. Picture: TERRY WEEDEN 40768-1 Pauline Mapleston, of Coronation

  • North Essex: Friend says killer not an 'evil' man

    A friend who murderer Steven Dicker calls "mum" has spoken of his loving side. Killer - Steven Dicker, who began a life sentence yesterday for the murder of his mother Jean Dicker 29619-3 The woman says he deserves to be punished for bludgeoning his real

  • Soccer: Hatfield Peverel club plan sent off

    A football club has been dealt a severe blow after its proposals for a new £2 million sports facility were rejected. At Braintree Council's Witham area committee last night, councillors voted to reject Hatfield Peverel Football Club's plans to build a

  • Walton: Site marks wetlands' day

    Walton's world-renowned environmental site Hamford Water will be celebrating World Wetlands Day today. It is one of 20 Ramsar sites in the eastern region which have been helped by funding from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra

  • Boss's blast

    TILBURY's management team apologised to supporters after Tuesday night's 4-0 defeat at the hands of derby rivals East Thurrock. After a run of four matches without defeat, the best of the season, Tilbury had high hopes of securing at least a point from

  • Boxing: Fighters back in the ring

    Castle Point Boxing Club are back training in the former 1066 pub after a frustrating few months absence. The Canvey based club were kicked out of the Long Road location after safety fears arose concerning the roof. But they have now returned to the site

  • Clacton: Security steps after shop raid

    A shop manager has told how steps are being taken to increase security at the site after hooded raiders robbed her store. Devastated - manager Elaine Manley, with the empty safe after the raid on the Drinks Cabin off-licence in Clacton. Picture: TERRY

  • V festival 2000000000000

    Colchester-based PR and media training agency Mosaic Publicity has started the new year with a double celebration. The company has been awarded two accolades - recognition as an Investor in People and full accreditation from the UK's leading public relations

  • Colchester: Severalls' £30m plan deal close

    A multi-million pound redevelopment of northern Colchester is set to get the go-ahead later this month when a major legal hurdle is cleared. Colchester Council has reached agreement with the NHS on the redevelopment on the former Severalls Hospital. 9087

  • Southend: Inquest into armed robber's jail death

    An inquest into the death of a vulnerable prisoner from Southend who was found hanged in the segregated unit of a high security prison has begun. The inquest into the death of Paul Day<OK> - who had told fellow prisoners and staff he was a police

  • Colchester: Boy has lucky escape

    A 12-year-old boy was lucky to escape serious injury when he was involved in a collision with a car. The youngster was cycling along at the junction of Dyer's Road and Blackberry Road in Stanway, Colchester, when it happened. An ambulance and a rapid

  • Basildon: Companies warned of violent robber at large

    Detectives today warned companies to take extra precautions when travelling to bank large amounts of cash following a serious robbery. Officers hunting a violent robber who stole £5,000 after punching a pub worker in the face have hit a brick wall with

  • Football: Flavs' pick me plea

    Southend United goalkeeper Darryl Flahavan today revealed he would be disappointed to lose his place in the team to Bart Griemink when the Dutchman regains full fitness. The former Southampton shot stopper has replaced the injured Griemink in recent weeks

  • V festival story 3

    Colchester United's FA Cup campaign came to a sad and disappointing end at Blackburn Rovers. Mark Hughes' side were the third Premiership team that Colchester had faced this year and everyone who made the trip to Ewood Park were hoping they were going

  • Jaywick: Constant flooding disgusts resident

    A woman who moved to Jaywick from Tilbury has slammed the resort. Disgusted - new resident Joyce Cowell is fed up with the constant flooding around her home in Glebe Way, Jaywick. Picture: TERRY WEEDEN (40734-1) Joyce Cowell, of Glebe Way, said she would

  • Angling: No doubting Thomas' haul

    Wickford Angling Centre squad member Frank Thomas had more than 5lb to spare when he took the top weight at Sunday's Gloucester Park Open. His 28lb 10oz 8dr roach and chub haul rewarded him with the £100 prize on a day when big roach dominated the catches

  • Tendring: Schools among best in country

    Three Tendring schools have received top marks. Celebrating - Tendring Primary School head Peter Brackley with pupils Eliza Hill and Toby Sayer.Picture: STEVE BRADING (40670-c) Tendring Primary School, St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Weeley

  • North Essex: Three-lane A12 planned

    The A12 will be upgraded to a three-lane carriageway as part of work on the new A120 route. The extra A12 lanes will be added between Kelvedon and Marks Tey. This comes after the Gazette revealed plans for a new dual carriageway between the A12 at Marks

  • Stansted: Airport owner still on course

    Stansted owner BAA is still on course to handle six per cent more passengers than it did last year despite a slowdown in traffic in the run-up to Christmas. The company, which runs seven airports, including Stansted, Heathrow and Gatwick, handled a record

  • Colchester: Slow down before someone is killed

    A father of three has made a plea to stop speeding in his road before someone is killed. Slow down - Richard Ford is calling for action to stop speeding in Gavin Way, High Woods, Colchester, which is in a 20mph zone Picture: ADRIAN RUSHTON 40752-1 Richard

  • Braintree: Woman's exposure shock

    A woman motorist was horrified to see a half-naked man exposing himself to her in Braintree. The woman was driving along Pierrefitte Way and had stopped for the traffic lights at the junction with Rayne Road when a man appeared from some bushes and approached

  • Karate: Clubs hits Vegas jackpot

    Tokon Kai Karate Club collected plenty of winnings when they travelled to Las Vegas, the gambling capital of the world, for the 5th Funakoshi World Championships. The squad, who train at Bromfords Sports Centre, Wickford, was led by coach and chief instructor

  • Maldon: Girls on access crusade

    A crusade to improve disabled access in Maldon's shops has been launched by a group of GCSE pupils. Survey work - Plume School pupils Emma Croft, Tammy Wright and Amanda Hajek check out disability accesss. Picture: SEANA HUGHES 40832-a Some of the best

  • Linda Downing

    I am looking for an old friend called Linda Downing from the Leytonstone area. We were friends back in the mid 60's, she had a friend also called Linda who went out with my friend Barry. Any information would be be appreciated. My E-Mail is : peter@adrenalin-agency.com.au

  • Soccer: Richards ready for a battle

    Matt Richards is ready for a battle to get back in Ipswich Town's first team - especially following the capture of David Unsworth. The young full-back has been on the substitutes' bench in recent weeks following the loan signing of Danny Karbassiyoon

  • Football: Noble smile on Pardew's face

    He might have provoked a war of words between Alan Pardew and Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock, but young Mark Noble is putting a smile back on the West Ham boss's face. The midfielder, 17, has been one of the few bright spots of a new year which

  • Colchester: Chore becomes success

    Paul Hughes is building a business based on one of the most despised of all domestic chores. He has taken out a franchise for cleaning ovens. Paul said: "Next to scrubbing the toilet, surveys show people most hate cleaning their oven." He is now covering

  • Colchester: Extra schools needed in town

    More schools are needed to prevent classrooms being swamped by the flood of families moving to Colchester. Hundreds of extra secondary school places will have to be found as the town's population explodes over the next five years. Thousands of new homes

  • Essex: Trading with Spain

    Spain has set up a Bartercard operation. This mean Essex network members of Bartercard can now trade directly with businesses in Spain without it affecting their cash flow. There are currently 17 countries in the global Bartercard network. More information

  • Braintree: Snapshots stopping crime

    A special number plate checking operation by Braintree police last night has led to one man being arrested on suspicion of deception. The 35-year-old man, wanted on suspicion of deception in Suffolk for the last two years, was stopped by police on the

  • Derby disappointment

    Tilbury 0, East Thurrock United 4 EAST Thurrock were just a goal away from taking second spot in the Southern league Division One East after their emphatic derby triumph against lacklustre Tilbury at Chadfields on Tuesday. However the victory will put

  • Maldon: Amazonian Gordon's decorating dash

    A concerned Maldon bird owner is offering a £500 reward to anyone who has found his lost parrot. Have you seen him? Michael Mooney with Gordon's empty cage at his Maldon home. Picture: SEANA HUGHES 40831-a Michael Mooney, of Brompton Gardens, has been

  • Colchester: Seminar on licensing

    A Colchester law firm is holding a seminar to brief licensees on the controversial new licensing laws which come into force this month. Fisher Jones Greenwood is conducting the seminar at its offices at the Westside Centre, Stanway on February 8. Solicitor

  • Southend: Government demands budget slash

    Southend Council was plunged into crisis today as the Government ordered it to slash a further £2million from its budget. The move will force the council to cut services to the bone and even includes predictions of a "whole range" of branch library closures

  • North Essex: One big timetable U-turn coming up for commuters

    Rail chiefs have been forced into a U-turn after being bombarded with complaints over new train times. Train operator One has caved in after timetable changes sparked fury among rail passengers in north Essex. On Monday, One announced changes to services

  • Stansted: US airline aims to fly in

    Transatlantic flights could be returning to Stansted in the near future. North Virginian carrier, SkyLink Airways, has received initial approval from the American government to form the first US low-cost airline that would fly exclusively to international