A football fanatic is appealing for support to win him a place in the record books. Charles Sloan - new website. Picture: NIGEL BROWN (47089-2) Charles Sloan is trying to create the longest-ever list of football supporters. The ex-Royal Navy officer has
A Chinese restaurant owner has spoken of his sadness at having to take down fluorescent palm trees. King Yik, who owns the Palm Trees restaurant at Blake End, near Braintree, has lost his second appeal against plans to keep five illuminated trees in the
Two cars crashed at an accident blackspot on the A120 today. Wreckage - one of the cars involved in the crash today. Picture: NIGEL BROWN (47283-1) One vehicle was crossing the busy trunk road in a gap in the central reservation at Little Bentley when
Retailer Marks and Spencer has revealed it plans to open a food store in Braintree. The clothes and food retailer announced yesterday it has taken over the leasehold of the Iceland supermarket, in George Yard shopping centre, which will become a Simply
It's just getting hard to conceive really isn't it? Fifteen wins from 17 games. A winning brace from a player who had just travelled the length of the country prior to the match after seeing his first born into the world. Oh and by the way, Colchester
A teenager has admitted raping a six-year-old girl. The boy, from the Maldon area, carried out the attack in a tent at a campsite in west Essex between May 26 and 31, last year, Chelmsford Crown Court heard. The 14-year-old was bailed while psychiatric
Almost 200 jobs are being axed after shock news that a flagship printworks is to close - despite a last-ditch bid to save the factory. BGP is closing its Colchester operations in April, bosses told stunned staff yesterday. Earlier this month the Gazette
A businessman who is sick of being repeatedly targeted by thieves is putting up £1,000 in rewards to bring those responsible to justice. Reward offer - employee Colin Welsher at Steve Murphy Brickwork's other base in Silver End. Picture: ADRIAN RUSHTON
IF Grays go on to defend their FA Trophy this year no one could say they didn't deserve it after they were drawn away to a fellow Conference side for the third game in succession in the last 16 of the competition. After disposing of both Aldershot and
A vandal attack on a community centre has been condemned as "mindless and stupid". A gang of teenagers struck about 6.30pm on Monday at Dovercourt's Long Meadows Community Centre. They burst into the hall during an aerobics class, letting off a fire extinguisher
FROM paper round to catwalk - it's the kind of thing teenage girls can only dream about. But for one Echo delivery girl and her friend, it is a dream that may well have come true. Jody Anderson has just won a two-year modelling contract thanks to a visit
SOUTHEND Airshow should be axed so the council cash it receives can be diverted to museums, parks and community centres, it was claimed today. Labour councillor David Norman has made the call following the announcement of planned cuts to services across
Maldon Town 2 Aveley 2(aet) Maldon won 3-2 on penalties ON a freezing night on a very over-used and muddy pitch holders Aveley bowed out of the Thames-side Trophy. Millers eventually lost the game on penalties but will have felt unlucky after Maldon equalised
A picturesque eighteenth century pub in the village of Pattiswick has re-opened its doors after a six month refurbishment. The Compasses pub near Braintree is the second venture for a couple, Jane and Jono Clark, who gave up careers in the bio-tech and
It's just getting hard to conceive really isn't it? 15 wins from 17 games. A winning brace from a player who had just travelled the length of the country prior to the match after seeing his first born into the world. Oh and by the way, Colchester are
Pupils from six north Essex schools have been praised for dealing with a simulated 'disaster at sea' staged within the Haven Gateway. When they arrived at Essex University to take part in the Haven Seaport Exercise, the students, aged 15 and 16, were
NEW defender Joe Dolan enjoyed a solid debut for Canvey Island last night as Gulls won through their Essex Thames-side Trophy second round home tie 3-0 against Burnham Ramblers. Dolan, signed from Leyton Orient at the weekend after a five year spell at
Chrysler and Jeep dealer Lancaster Chelmsford has been selected as one of only 14 official sales and service sites for a new range of Dodge Ram pick-up trucks. Technicians at the Rainsford road dealership have undergone specialist training and Lancaster
A SOUTHEND Councillor has welcomed Government plans to change the law to allow two prostitutes and a receptionist or maid to work together legally in brothels. Currently, only lone prostitutes can offer sex from flats or other premises without breaking
Thousands of your heartfelt views have been consigned to the dustbin after the Government backtracked on Crossrail. In a shameful U-turn - some would say doublecross - Transport Secretary Alistair Darling decided that the opinions of the residents of
We will pay out for every goal - and double the money if you win! That's the message for in-form Colchester United squad from one of Colchester's leading financial companies who are 'banking' on the U's to battle it out on their home turf at Layer Road
A man exposed himself to an 11-year-old girl in Clacton. The youngster was walking along a path which runs alongside a ditch between London Road and Thorpe Road when she saw the man near some trees. He said something and exposed himself just after 5pm
Geraint Williams hailed the never-say-die attitude of the Colchester United players that saw them to a 3-2 victory over Bristol City at Layer Road and move the U's up to second in Coca-Cola League One. On a charge - Mark Yeates breaks through. (47322-
A man described as a sexual predator has been banned from contacting young girls through internet chatrooms. George Watson is serving a 51/2-year jail sentence for indecently assaulting a teenager he met through the internet. At the time he was sentenced
Alex Dowsett's first ride in a Great Britain vest ended in success. The former Maldon Cycling Club member, from Cock Clarks, was taking on some of the best youngsters in the world at the International Junior Grand Prix in Vienna. Dowsett competed in three
Youngsters came face to face with one of their TV heroes when My Parents Are Aliens star Tony Gardner dropped in on lessons. Meeting a TV star - Tony Gardner, of the TV show My Parents Are Aliens, meets Karl Collins and Page Coleing of Mersea Island School
CASTLE Point Council will create a "litter mascot" to teach children about recycling in an effort to boost their chances of hitting Government-set targets. Garbage Guzzler the mascot will be among a raft of recycling education initiatives earmarked by
A milestone in the decommissioning of Bradwell nuclear power station has been achieved with the defuelling of a second reactor. The last fuel element was successfully removed from reactor two at the station at the end of December, three months ahead of
A multi-million pound port expansion is facing a serious stumbling block. Railways are expected to take up to 30 per cent of freight coming out of Harwich International Port if the £300 million Bathside Bay project goes ahead. But now serious doubts have
Basildon will be at the centre of a quest to find Essex's champion learners this weekend. BBC Essex DJ Dave Monk will be heading for the town's Eastgate Shopping Centre with his Champion of Learners 2006 roadshow on Saturday January 21. Dave is at the
Life does not get much better for Neil Danns, who bagged two goals for the U's to wet the head of his newborn son in last night's 3-2 victory over Bristol City. Celebrations - U's goal heroes Neil Danns (left) and Gareth Williams enjoy their 3-2 victory
A pub in mid Essex now has a famous face behind the bar. Here you go - London's Burning star Glenn Murphy bought The Spotted Dog pub, Bishops Green for his daughter Glastra. Picture: STEVE ARGENT (47273-3) Actor Glenn Murphy, best known for his role as
FIVE motorists escaped serious injury following a smash on the A127. The five-vehicle shunt, just before 8am yesterday, left the Southend-bound trunk road partially closed while police and firefighters worked to clear the debris. The incident, which saw
