A South Essex woman has criticised a hospital for not keeping a closer watch on her unstable son, who committed suicide. Raphael Moore, 39, killed himself on June 2 while in the care of Runwell Hospital, Wickford. He had been admitted after a suicide
The cost of transferring 1,571 council homes in Castle Point to a housing association has been estimated at more than £2.5million. Consultancy and legal fees, financial and business planning costs would produce a final bill of £2,535,000, according to
Basildon Council has finally agreed what is set to be the biggest traveller site eviction ever carried out in Europe. Councillors last night voted to carry out the task of evicting hundreds of travellers illegally camped at the Dale Farm site off Oak
The Southend Coastguard helped rescue a jet-ski that became stranded on a sandflat as the tide retreated. The jet-ski ran aground at Foulness Sands. Its driver abandoned the craft and waded back to shore. The Coastguard and the RNLI Inshore Lifeboat accompanied
SOUTHEND United striker Lawrie Dudfield is keen to stay with the Shrimpers but admits his future at Roots Hall remains uncertain. The 25-year-old, who returned from a holiday in Florida at the weekend, is now out of contract and is attracting interest
When Martin Williams cycled into Rochford, he never thought he would be so glad to see his home town. As he pedalled bruised, saddle-sore and exhausted back to his home in Wedgwood Way, it was the end of a 1,100 mile bike ride that tested his willpower
SHRIMPERS skipper Kevin Maher is sure his Southend United side can establish themselves in League One next season. The Roots Hall outfit secured promotion by beating Lincoln City in the play-offs last month and the composed midfielder reckoned his team-mates
A good Samaritan leapt into action to stop cars driving into a 20ft deep pothole caused by a collapsed sewer. Firefighter Karl Szczypka directed traffic away from the hole which appeared at the junction of St Augustine's Avenue and Fermoy Road, Thorpe
More than 100 mums, dads, pre-school workers and childminders from Thurrock took part in a fundraising toddle at Lakeside. Helped by a bear from the giant shopping centre's Bear Factory, the raffle raised £60 with more cash expected to come in over the
Clacton's cricketers put Swardeston in a spin to clock up their third win of the season and maintain the pressure on the top three clubs above them. The Seasiders' spinners spun their web on a dry Vista Road pitch to set-up a seven-wicket win superbly
A teenage boy had a tooth knocked out when he was punched after chasing two thieves who had snatched his girlfriend's handbag. Police said the boy, his girlfriend and another pal were outside Virgin Records, in Southend High Street, when the thieves pounced
The future of Basildon and Laindon's 80-year-old Royal British Legion club is once again under threat. Worried members were fretting today after fears escalated they would have to find a new home now its present one had been leased out to a private company
West Ham legends Tony Cottee and Frank McAvennie were the stars of the show at a golf club this week. The former deadly strike pair - who shot the Hammers to their highest-ever top league finish of third in 1986 with 46 goals between them - were on hand
SHRIMPERS skipper Kevin Maher is sure his Southend United side can establish themselves in League One next season. The Roots Hall outfit secured promotion by beating Lincoln City in the play-offs last month and the composed midfielder reckoned his team-mates
Thieves "fished" car keys through the letter box of a house before stealing two vehicles worth £17,000. The victims, who live in Victoria Road, Laindon, had left the keys on a counter near the front door. The thieves had used a hook of some sort to snare
Thurrock's new driving test centre has opened - but there are major safety concerns about where it has been built. The test centre on the corner of Dock Road and Russell Road in Tilbury has replaced the former centre at Whitehall Lane, Grays. The opening
Arena-Essex Raceway meet Peterborough tonight in an Elite League fixture with both sides having an unfamiliar look about their team line-ups. The visitors will be minus the two Dryml brothers, who have returned to their homeland to complete in a round
Two potentially-lethal arrows were fired near homes in a frightening trend and police and community campaigners have warned of the dangers of people using such sports equipment irresponsibly. The incidents happened in Wivenhoe and Braintreee. An arrow
Defiant travellers vowed to launch an immediate judicial review after Basildon councillors voted to evict them from the Crays Hill site. If successful, the move could halt the eviction and even force the council to reconsider the action it takes. Solicitor
Tough police powers will be slapped on a troubled area of Colchester for three months from Saturday. New - Sgt Dean Chapple with PCSO Debbie Evans and the dispersal order notice posters. (43418-10) A fresh dispersal order will come into force in St Anne's
It's that time of year again - time to dust off your deckchairs, roll up your picnic blankets, pack up your hampers and head for Southend's Priory Park. It's the time when the park's lush green landscape is transformed into an open-air venue for a fundraising
Private security and plain clothed and uniformed police were on standby amid fears of trouble at last night's crunch meeting. However, the whole event passed off peacefully. The packed audience at the Mirren Studio in the Towngate Theatre waited patiently
Two teenage yobs from Canvey have been arrested after CCTV images showing them tearing down a public noticeboard were printed in the Echo. The 14-year-olds were recognised by a member of the public, who contacted police following an appeal for help to
SOUTHEND United striker Wayne Gray is confident of enjoying a more prolific season with the Shrimpers next year. The former Wimbledon forward netted 13 times last time around as Steve Tilson's side secured promotion from League Two via the play-offs.
Mark Pettini is included in the Essex squad for the first time this season after completing his exams at Cardiff University. The talented middle-order batsman in named in a 13-man squad from whom skipper Ronnie Irani will select his side to open their
Council leader Malcolm Buckley said the "right decision" had been taken at last night's meeting. He said in the next few days the travellers will be served notices, giving them between two and four weeks to leave or face being evicted. That is likely
Ipswich Town boss Joe Royle has today confirmed his interest in bringing Swindon Town striker Sam Parkin to the club. If he does complete a move to Suffolk, he could be joined by Reading hitman Nicky Forster, who is believed to be close to agreeing a
Six disabled people will get the chance to forge a career in television thanks to a £60,000 cash injection. Tony Spiers, 72, and his wife, Sue, 56, run Basildon-based charity the South East Television and Media Workshop, which trains residents in top-of-the-range
Canvey desperately needs two modern health centres to attract new doctors to the island, health chiefs have warned. Liz McGranahan, a director at Castle Point Primary Care Trust (PCT), told a public meeting at the Paddocks, in Long Road, that 80 per cent
WAYNE Candy made it two wins in a row when he took top weight at the second leg of the Wickford Angling Centre Colmic Northlands Park Evening Series. Candy, who won last week's three hour event with a stunning 34lb 6oz 8dr catch, maintained his lead winning
Well-known south Essex restaurateurs had to go to more trouble with decorating than most when they opened a new eatery in Rayleigh. The Ugo family, which already owns Ugo's and Irma in Leigh, have now opened Santa Lucia, on the site of the former Amigo's
A heartbroken 11-year-old girl will have to travel from her home in Hullbridge to a school in Basildon because a form was sent in just two days late. Samantha Stimspon, from Burnham Road, Hullbridge, wants to go to Sweyne Park School in Rayleigh, with
TV star Kerry Katona loves Southend - and is proving it by choosing the town above anywhere in the world. When Channel 5 producers told her she could pick any place to present a programme from, she plumped for Southend. "It's a great place," said the
Fears have been renewed a supermarket giant may open a store that could spell the death knell for town centre businesses in Benfleet. Many traders now believe a Tesco store will be built on the site of the former Q8 garage at Tarpots, in London Road.
A recycling roadshow has hit the streets of Castle Point. The borough's recycling team gave out information on cloth nappies and various methods of recycling at Sainsbury's at Rayleigh Weir, as part of the Anglia Region Waste Awareness Campaign. On average
Hundreds of parents have backed controversial plans to bring in random drugs testing for children at one of the county's biggest schools, the Gazette can reveal. An astonishing 90 per cent of parents who took part in a ballot said "yes" to the groundbreaking
A boy was punched in the face in an apparently unprovoked attack. The 15-year-old was walking along Watkins Way, Shoebury, when two teenagers followed him and asked him for a cigarette on Monday night. One then suddenly punched him in the mouth. The victim
As he walked across Australia's barren landscape, Mark Cundy could not help thinking his timing could have been a bit better. The enormous country - much of which is desert anyway - was suffering the worst drought in its history as the Shoebury man tried
Crays Hill residents welcomed the verdict, but fear the battle is not over yet. Campaigner Len Gridley, whose Oak Road property borders the site, said he wouldn't be completely satisfied until the eviction has taken place. He said: "We pretty much knew
A family have been left homeless after a fire ripped through their home in Braintree. Debris - aftermath of the fire in Greene View, Braintree. (43532-b) Firefighters from Braintree and Coggeshall battled the blaze for nearly an hour after it broke out
Basildon & Pitsea seconds have a two-point advantage over Billericay at the top of division three after a 63-run win over Old Southendian. The new towners declared on 209-8 and then bowled their hosts out for 156 to claim 20 points. Billericay maintained
PROMOTION to the Premiership is expected to net West Ham about £30million -- but it seems the fans will fund a large chunk of that bonus. Although season ticket price rises were kept low, individual match tickets at Upton Park next season are set for
SOUTHEND United manager Steve Tilson and his assistant Paul Brush are both to be offered extended contracts to stay at Roots Hall. The successful duo still have two years left to run on their current deals but Shrimpers surpremo Ron Martin is keen to
Phil Parkinson is looking for just two more players to fill his ranks ahead of the start of the new season. The Colchester United supremo is not being forced to dramatically bolster his squad after the Football League backtracked on proposed changes to
An investigation has been launched after fears that mud removed from the boating lake at Maldon's Promenade Park could be contaminated. Maldon District Council has admitted there is an "issue" with soil taken away during works to turn the Marine Lake
IT'S not only Steve Tilson's Southend United side who are celebrating promotion this season as Blues' ladies team, managed by Lisa Hart, will also be playing in a higher division next year. The Seasiders finished a creditable second in their table and
A teenager told a court how he was robbed at knife-point and repeatedly kicked as he walked along a Southend road. The 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, gave evidence at the trial of a 13-year-old Hackney schoolboy who is accused
