ARENA Essex have completed their 2006 speedway line-up with the signing of Polish rider Stanislaw Burza. The 27-year-old rides for Tarnow, who have won the Polish League title for the past two seasons. They also include world champion Tony Rickardsson
DETAILED plans to create a huge wetland nature reserve across marshland in Basildon have been unveiled. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has revealed it hopes to turn 292 acres of Vange Marshes into a managed reserve. This could eventually
Man-of-the-moment Phil Parkinson will celebrate his third anniversary as Colchester United's manager tomorrow. Hat-trick - tomorrow's Colchester United game at Barnsley marks the third anniversary of Phil Parkinson taking charge at the U's helm. Picture
NEW Aveley manager Steve Browne will be looking for the same effort, but a better result in his second match at the helm of the Millers. Last weekend saw Aveley go down 2-0 to Southern League Division One East leaders Boreham Wood. He was full of praise
An owl is to be reunited with its lovesick mate after a mercy mission by a water plant worker. Helping hands - bird rescuer Andrew Moore with the injured owl he hopes to reunite with its partner when it has recovered from its injuries. Andrew Moore -
Police have apologised to a grieving family for not informing them about the progress of a murder investigation. Police under fire - Det Insp Roy Clark, with Suzanne Moore, Tanya Moore, Sonia Riches, Josie Moore, Tony Moore and Robert Moore on the steps
Shanee Martin is going back in the ring - and she is set to face one of the biggest fights of her career to date. Colchester's female boxing champion is taking on Maya Frenzal - ranked number three in Europe - in a non-title, flyweight bout over eight
A 22-year-old builder suffered serious injuries after falling 30ft from scaffolding at a building site. The accident happened shortly before 9am today (Friday)at the Festival Leisure Park in Basildon. Essex Air Ambulance was sent to the scene. The man's
AFTER Tuesday night's 4-0 drubbing in a dress rehearsal Conference clash, Grays will be hoping for better things when Dagenham and Redbridge return to the Rec for Saturday's FA Trophy quarter-final. Blues boss Mark Stimson remained upbeat about his side's
A medieval-style dagger has been stolen. The Knight's Templar dagger - originally designed to strike at the gaps between armour - was taken from the Covered Market in High Street, Clacton. It has a nine-inch blade and a zebra pattern scabbard. More in
LEE Bradbury is preparing for his first Southend start tomorrow -- and hopes to take another step towards pocketing a championship medal The Blues striker is expected to replace the suspended Freddy Eastwood for the clash at home to struggling Walsall
YOUNGSTERS from Coombewood Youth Football Club are hoping to score with the conscience of thieves who've stolen their goal nets. Boys from the club's teams aged from under-11 up to 18 held fund-raising events such as raffles and penalty shoot-outs over
A butchers in Frinton has won another string of sausage awards. Well done - butchers Matthew Woods and Mark Dean, of Chapman's Butchers in Frinton. Matthew has been named Apprentice of the Year and they also won gold awards for their sausages. Picture
HUNDREDS of Leigh residents will take to the streets tomorrow to show their opposition to proposed developments in the town. More than 500 people are expected to assemble at St Clement's Church Hall in Rectory Grove, before spreading in a line of protest
The desperate family of a dying woman have launched an appeal to find a long-lost family member they believe could be her last chance of survival. Sue and Mike Vogel are urgently trying to get in touch with the half-brother of their cousin, Rena Brothers
SOUTHEND AC's Mel Ling is hoping to be lining up alongside the Paula Radcliffe's of this world among the elite runners by the time next year's Flora London Marathon is held. Mel is currently undergoing hard training for this year's London event in April
CANVEY Island could go into tomorrow's vital home Conference clash with fellow strugglers Crawley Town with a brand new strike force. Gulls' boss Jeff King is considering pairing teenager Jason Hallett with summer signing Allan Tait, who arrived on a
A man was still in "critical" condition today following a road crash in north Essex. Cut free - the badly injured driver of this red Ford Escort remains critical in hospital after the collision between the car and lorry. Picture: ROB SAMBROOK (47979-5
HEALTH workers were urged to think clean at an awareness day designed to control hospital-acquired infection. South Essex Partnership NHS Trust held the day to underline the importance of everyone keeping the NHS clean and controlling infection. Staff
THINGS don't get any easier for struggling Thurrock at the moment. The long time Conference South promotion contenders have slipped down the table after a run of six straight league defeats and face second-played Weymouth at Ship Lane on Saturday. They
SOUTHEND are hoping to make it third time lucky when they entertain Bridgwater & Albion tomorrow. The Somerset side have twice beaten the Seasiders this season, winning 30-18 in National League Three South and 19-13 in the Powergen Cup. That cup loss
Ricardo Fuller is in line to make his Ipswich Town debut tomorrow after finally having his work permit sanctioned by the Football League. The Jamaican international, who is on loan from fellow Coca-Cola Championship side Southampton, was unable to make
A POPULAR south Essex attraction can go ahead with a £1.5million project that will create more than 40 jobs, after receiving a vital grant. Barleylands Farm Museum, in Billericay, has won £495,000 from European funding and will raise the rest of the cash
ZIGGY the cat helped youngsters at Milton Hall School, Westcliff, to launch a new walking bus. The helpful moggy is the Safer to Journeys to School mascot and visits schools to highlight road safety. Present were Southend mayor Chris Dandridge and Dominic
BP MANAGERS breathed a sigh of relief as 600 striking contractors voted to return to work at the huge Coryton oil refinery, near Corringham. Contract workers brought in from Scotland, Wales and Ireland had downed tools on Wednesday afternoon and left
A YOUNG man is recovering after a knife attack in Grays town centre. Police and ambulance crews were called to the taxi rank near the High Street just before 2.30pm on Tuesday after the 21-year-old man from Purfleet had been attacked. A trail of blood
An elderly woman was today left fighting for her life after becoming trapped by fire. The pensioner suffered severe burns and smoke inhalation after the blaze took hold of her first-floor room at Maransa residential home, in York Road, Southend, just
A LARGE-scale burglary at the Argos depot saw thieves make off with more than £20,000 of goods, including televisions and jewellery. It is believed a team of crooks accidentally set off an alarm at 6.55am on February 6, after spending some time inside
Angry pensioners are preparing to stage a march through their town centre as part of their fight for a better state pension. Pension concerns - Gordon Beare plans the march during Pensions Action Week. Picture: TERRY WEEDEN (47848-3) A group will take
AFTER their goalless draw with Waltham Abbey in midweek, Tilbury know nothing les than a win against Brentwood Town at Chadfields tomorrow will do. Following the log term back injury to leading scorer Paul Cobb, Dockers have been shot-shy in recent matches
SOUTHEND United players tested out exercise machines at the official opening of a school's million-pound fitness suite, which has been credited for a boom in students' sport participation. Midfielder Mark Bentley, defender Carl Pettefer, and striker Wayne
SEE today's Echo to win tickets for the Colchester United v Southend United Essex derby beam back at Roots Hall on Saturday, March 4.
Liam Chilvers can hardly believe he is back in the Colchester United reckoning after undergoing major surgery just over a month ago. The 24-year-old former Arsenal trainee made a surprise appearance as a second-half substitute during last Sunday's amazing
SOUTHEND Council's ruling Conservative group last night agreed to press ahead with £11 million budget cuts to balance the books. The decision was made despite criticism from other political parties, who called for more money to be given to community groups
A disabled man who was dragged along by his wheelchair as he was being mugged today told of his ordeal. It was very disturbing - Dr John Rees-White was dragged along by his wheelchair during a mugging after he he attended a meeting at Chelmsford Cathedral
EAST Thurrock go into tomorrow's home clash with Walton and Hersham without influential captain Dean Palmer who has joined Chelmsford City. Palmer, who has only recently returned to the side after a lengthy injury, was courted by both Chelmsford and Leyton
A PUBLIC inquiry into controversial plans to build a hotel, pub and function suite close to Sadlers Farm roundabout will begin next week. The plans, which are supported by Castle Point Council, involve developing a 60-bedroom hotel with pub and function
The Essex relatives of a 100-year-old former dressmaker to the Queen, who died in an arson attack, were today devastated by her death. The body of Violet Durling, who was due to celebrate her 101st birthday next month, lay undiscovered for nearly two
A pensioner has told how a policeman who allegedly fleeced her out of £280,000 befriended her while she was desperate. Frail Joan Harping told a jury she met John Morgan when he was a PC with the Metropolitan Police. Through a video link at Basildon Crown
Sam Parkin could be forgiven for feeling angry, bitter and deflated about his ongoing injury predicament. Looking on the bright side - Sam Parkin is using his time on the sidelines to study the flow of Town's play and prepare himself for an eventual return
PRIMARY school children raised an impressive £3,000 for Macmillan Cancer Relief by keeping their mouths shut. More than 220 pupils aged five to 11 from Alleyn Court School, Great Wakering, joined in a sponsored silence on January 27. Yesterday they proudly
An elderly disabled woman was reduced to tears by selfish drivers, councillors heard. Mayor of West Mersea Alan Mogridge told how able-bodied shoppers blocking spaces at the Co-op store in Barfield Road had left the pensioner nowhere to park. Town council
