A woman who lost her foot in a road accident will be swimming for charity. Taking the plunge Helen Chapman prepares for the Walton Swimathon. Picture: TERRY WEEDEN (47218-3) Helen Chapman, who now has an artificial foot, is hoping to raise nearly £200
The curtain came down on Colchester's pantomime season with a Sparkle. Fundraiser - Christine Absalom, who played Akela, with Hope and Mae Steward at the last night of the Mercury Theatre's Beauty and the Beast in aid of the Evening Gazette's Sparkle
A station on the train line to London has been identified as in need of improvement. Dominic Booth, One Rail's acting managing director, said Marks Tey needed additions such as new shelters. He was speaking at an open forum for commuters, where one couple
FOUR times more Essex Police officers were punished for improper behaviour in 2005 than the previous year, the Echo can reveal. The 16 officers who appeared before misconduct tribunals were sacked, required to resign, reduced in rank, fined up to 13 days
TALKS were today being held over ambitious plans for a sports centre of excellence in Basildon's Gloucester Park. Basildon Council chief executive Bala Mahendran and senior officers were meeting Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott to discuss funds needed
TAXI passengers in Rayleigh and Rochford face a price rise as they have not increased since September 2004. Rochford District Council's taxi licensing subcommittee will be recommended to agree an increase of an average 8 per cent to last until September
Flames ripped through buildings on the derelict Severalls Hospital site in Colchester. 47211-3 Arsonists are suspected to be behind the blaze, which saw the former social club in the hospital grounds "engulfed in flames". Four fire crews - two from Colchester
A WOMAN was rescued from the freezing waters of the Thames Estuary after she jumped in and was dragged out to sea by the strong current. The woman - who was floating on her back but still conscious - was plucked to safety by a crew from the RNLI inshore
A despicable crook was today slammed for stealing from a pensioner with Alzheimer's. "This is clearly the lower level of criminality of which they should be ashamed," Colchester Det Sgt Danny Stoten said. The doorstep thief called on the 71-year-old woman
Rail bosses will personally intervene to make sure facilities on trains are up to scratch. Dominic Booth, acting managing director for One Rail, made the promise at a public forum. The meeting, chaired by MPs Bernard Jenkin and Tim Yeo, saw commuters
THE lifts at the Pier Hill viewing tower have been closed again, just two months after being repaired. Southend Council says the lifts are working but there is a problem with the lobby doors on the ground floor which contractors have been asked to correct
Chris Iwelumo is loving it! The Colchester United hot-shot crashed in the second goal during the U's 2-0 win over Walsall. He afterwards confessed that he has never been happier with his game. The result pushed the U's up to fourth in the Coca-Cola League
Thousands of children in north Essex are not properly vaccinated against a trio of potentially lethal diseases, the Evening Gazette can reveal. Figures show almost one in four children are not having jabs to protect them against measles, mumps and rubella
A couple who own a pub are celebrating after beating their own fundraising target of £10,000. We've done it - Joe and Dean Bull, of the Billy pub, Harwich, hand over a cheque for £648 to Sara Pettitt, of the Ark Neighbourhood Nursery. Picture: TERRY WEEDEN
THERE were no Monday morning blues at Basildon Fire Station today, thanks to the arrival of livewire Keith Chegwin. Cheggers was doing a live feed for GMTV from the fire station with members of White Watch and their families. The station, in Broadmayne
A DEMAND for information on the cause of the Southend Pier fire was today made by council leader Anna Waite. She wants the results of an investigation into last October's blaze made public to put an end to rumours. Mrs Waite said she had heard suggestions
A BLUEPRINT shaping the future of Southend Carnival could include changes to the annual procession and a male figurehead for the first time in its 100-year history. A wide-ranging review of the annual event is to be revealed in the next few weeks - just
A missing Colchester woman has been found safe and well. Sonia Clayfield, 27, disappeared from her home at The Hythe on Monday last week. Essex Police have visited her at an address in north east Essex and officers say they are satisfied she is safe and
Much of the discussion before the Ipswich-Sheffield United game centred on events off the pitch, rather than on it. At the start of the week, Town confirmed that businessman Michael Anderson had bought a 15 per cent stake in the club and would be joining
Residents in east Braintree today said they were classed as the district's "poor relations" - always losing out on funding to other areas. Where's our share? - residents on the site of Great Bradfords community centre, which will be turned into flats
A TEENAGER was taken to hospital with a serious groin injury following an accident at a Rayleigh factory. An ambulance was called to the premises in Sirdar Road shortly after 10.50am on Friday when the 19-year-old Wickford man was struck by the prong
A minicab driver who went the wrong way up a dual carriageway and caused a head-on smash is starting a four-month stretch behind bars. Delroy Leslie shook his head and wagged his fingers at police officers as he was led down to the cells. Michael and
A body discovered in a river by police divers is believed to be that of a missing university graduate. Search - police on the River Chelmer. Picture: NICK OBANK (47258-2) The Metropolitan Police diving section found the body of Nelson Nubila in several
The seemingly unstoppable Colchester United bandwagon rolls further onwards. And for the last couple of weeks I was wishing someone had brought me a thesaurus for Christmas rather than just socks. The barrel for superlatives on how the U's are just ripping
MORE than £250,000 is to be spent on rebuilding and renovating public toilets in Castle Point. The move follows a campaign by residents against the closure of six of the borough's rundown loos in 2004. In the first stage of the programme, the Lubbins
Police have closed the investigation into an alleged rape of a 16-year-old girl in Braintree. A 24-year-old man from Braintree and a 22-year-old man from south-east London were initially arrested and bailed by police in Braintree, following a suspected
Richard Naylor found himself embroiled in a post-match spat with Blades boss Neil Warnock. Instant impression - debutant Alan Lee comes under pressure from Chris Morgan. (47187-60) But it was in a moment of quiet reflection that the defender perfectly
Phil Parkinson was delighted with his team's second-half revival that saw them secure a 2-0 victory over Walsall at the Bescot Stadium. The U's boss admited his team were flat in the first half but pulled it out of the bag in the second period to win
A teenager needed six stitches in a knife-wound after an altercation in the street. The 15-year-old was walking along St John's Road, Clacton, near to a wooded area when he was approached by boys on bikes. The victim, who is from Clacton, suffered separate
Essex fast bowler Darren Gough has said he has no plans to retire from international cricket even though he was omitted from England's one-day squad for their forthcoming tour of India. Gough believes he has one more World Cup in him and said he was disappointed
Richard Naylor today hit back at suggestions he incited a post-match feud with Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock. Stewards had to intervene when the pair clashed after the final whistle of Ipswich Town's 1-1 Coca-Cola Championship draw with the Blades
RAYLEIGH MP Mark Francois, who is co-ordinating an all-party campaign among Essex MPs in defence of the county's police force, has written to the Prime Minister asking for his support on the issue. Mr Francois also sent a copy of a pledge, signed by 15
