ABOUT 400 coping stones have been stolen from a wall in the old cemetery in Wivenhoe. Members of Wivenhoe Town Council were dismayed to find the 100-year-old stones had been taken and believe it was a "done to order" job. Town clerk Antoinette Stinson
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IT'S the final countdown - D'dada da, diddie dada da!! Well in the local events world anyway as promoters and organisers prepare for the last weekend of events before we all go off on our hols. There are of course other events taking place in August
What's On This Week Until Sept 8 - Summer Special, West Cliff Theatre, Clacton. 01255 433344. Monday - Grimm Tales, Cramphorn Theatre, Chelmsford. 01245 60650. Monday until Saturday - Macbeth, Gardens of Marshall Legal, Trinity Street, Colchester.
The Essex countryside has a "serious problem". According to the Campaign to Protect Rural Essex (CPRE), villages in the county are "dying" and something needs to be done to revitalise them. The reason, it seems, is that younger people are leaving rural
A life of "specs, rugs and rock and roll" looks set to continue for an aged rocker looking to hit the road again. Just a week after the Gazette published the 74-year-old's plan to start up a band, the response has been overwhelming. Roy Speed, from
A report is being drawn up to consider whether Tendring Council should set up a committee to look at youth matters. The idea is a key objective in the Fair Play For Our Young in Tendring campaign being supported by the Conservative group on Tendring
Villagers have had the latest say over proposals to build a Tesco supermarket. Dozens of residents flocked to the Venture Centre, Lawford, on Friday and Saturday for the second chance to see what the retail giant's plans are for Station Road, Manningtree
Legal proceedings that were threatened against a hospital firm may be avoided. Health bosses threatened legal action against Realise Health, the firm that built The Fryatt Hospital and Mayflower Medical Centre, Dovercourt, after declaring it was "unfit
If ever you need an expert in samba drumming, Carlos dos Santos Fernandes is the man to speak to. Even though he was offered a place to teach the tambourin - a small drum-type instrument - at no fewer than five top samba schools, he chose to settle
A plucky pensioner is planning a daredevil abseil from a 280ft water tower - despite being told she's bonkers. Supergran Pearl Oxford, 81, will take the plunge from Colchester's Jumbo landmark to raise cash for a cancer charity. "I always wanted to
Pensioners have won their fight for railings to protect their block of flats. The residents wanted to stop youngsters shoving rubbish through their letterboxes and indulging in intimate clinches outside their windows. Colchester Council confirmed it
A town's lack of CCTV compared to its neighbours is unfair, irritating and unacceptable, councillors said. Halstead Town Council slammed Braintree Council's commitment to start phase two of Witham and Braintree's CCTV schemes, before Halstead had even
Another push is being made to make a "dangerous" junction safe after a crash left a woman seriously injured. Tiptree councillor Margaret Fairley-Crowe will write to highways officials in a further attempt to get a mini-roundabout on a crossroads in the
A wall which bordered part of the former Garrison in Colchester has been removed. Bovis Homes, which bought the land for a housing development, said the wall at the site of the former Cavalry Barracks in Butt Road was deemed unsafe due to weak foundations
Darts legend Bobby George stepped up to the oche to launch a school sports day. Youngsters were thrilled as Bobby "Dazzler" rang the bell to open the event at Colchester's Cherry Tree School. After the races, the Ardleigh arrows man handed out prizes
A public meeting is on the cards for a town debating having a bypass. Recent High Street roadworks, due to last three months, have prompted Halstead residents to push for an answer to the town's traffic woes. While there is a strong anti-bypass voice
Colchester went Harry Potter mad for the last time to mark the long-awaited release of the boy wizard's final adventure. A sell-out Potter party thrown by High Street store Red Lion books saw 200 children and their parents join in spooky fun and games
Mental strength is just as important as muscle power, according to a man preparing to pull a passenger jet. Professional strongman Mark Crookes, who moved to Colchester from Dubai earlier in the year, is training to claim a world record by pulling a
It is feared that young people are ignoring safe sex warning after diagnosis of some sexually-transmitted infections went up in Essex. More people were treated for the two sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) herpes and genital warts in 2006 than at
A robber rained blows on a young man with learning difficulties and stole his mobile phone. Police today appealed for information after the attack at Hilly Fields, Colchester. The victim was walking at the beauty spot when the attacker rode up on a
An international leprosy charity has been cleared of subjecting a Bangladeshi employee to racist discrimination. However, the employment tribunal found Colchester-based Lepra was guilty of unfairly dismissing Rokunuz Zaman from his post. Mr Zaman had
A community warden scheme looks set to be revamped. Three wardens started to pound the streets in March to make Clacton's Pier ward and Jaywick's Golf Green ward safer. It hit trouble at the end of March when warden supervisor Sara Rundel was released
A councillor has called for politicians to lead by example in the war against graffiti vandals. The words Bad Boy Virus and a picture which appears to be a smoking cannabis joint were painted on the wall of the Liberal Democrat office in Clacton's Old
A pressure group set up to protect the nation's old buildings has made a surprising plea to have one torn down. Save Britain's Heritage say Colchester is in danger of missing a golden opportunity to bulldoze the old Central Clinic tower block on East
A mass burn incineration is not on the cards for Essex, the county's waste supremo has pledged. Essex County Council has moved to reassure residents after environmental campaigners and opposition parties claimed there were plans to build an incinerator
As any film buff will tell you, sequels are never as good as the originals. But not if you're Colchester film-maker Toby Roberts, whose follow-up film to his acclaimed 15-second short, Chrysanthemums the Word, is already looking like emulating its success
Pre-school children got an important lesson in the emergency services. A 999 day at Weeley Rainbow Pre-School taught the two to four-year-olds how to call police, fire, ambulance and coastguards. A fire engine from Weeley fire station, a Green Goddess
Two men have denied taking part in a north Essex doorstep killing. David Taylor and Peter Jones will now join three others accused of the killing of 22-year-old John Ward. He died on the doorstep of his mother's St Osyth home on March 21 last year.
A ground-breaking collaboration between Essex and Kent police has reached its first milestone. Both forces have now set up a joint committee overseeing their partnership work. Top brass on both sides are due to formally launch the trailblazing panel
A mum has criticised Essex County Council after her son was rejected for her favoured schools. Kelly Rolph moved to Towse Close, Clacton, in February, and made a late application for her 11-year-old son Daniel to attend either Colbayns or County High
Emergency 999 calls were going unanswered after heavy rain sparked a massive surge in calls. Telecoms staff were unable to cope after torrential downpours lashed the South-East on Friday, meaning some 999 calls were not being picked up for almost a minute
One of the oldest golfers in the country was on hand to help rename a hole. Frinton golfers have been celebrating their links with the Open championship by renaming the 18th after club professional Arthur Havers, who won the Open at Royal Troon in 1923
An elderly man has been left bruised and shaken after being attacked in his home by a violent robber. The 93-year-old victim, who was pushed and shoved around his Dovercourt home by the thug, is recovering with his family. A police spokesman said: "
ESSEX commenced the final day of their match with fellow promotion-chasers Somerset in a commanding position and were expecting to complete their fourth win of the season in the competition to close the gap on the division two pace-setters. They closed
KEVIN Lisbie is hoping his goal in Colchester United's pre-season friendly victory over Heybridge Swifts will help to earn him a permanent move to Layer Road. The 28-year-old striker, who ended his 12-year spell with Charlton Athletic at the end of last
