Thieves have repeatedly targeted a town's two cemeteries to steal irreplaceable Victorian stonework. Wivenhoe Town council is now urging people to help them trace who is responsible - even though nothing can be done to replace the pieces already lost
Colchester's media education centre, Signals, has a new director. Rachel Hipkiss took over the role as head of the centre for film-making excellence at the end of October, and has already been looking at ways of promoting the organisation and getting
A CANCER patient is determined to plough money back into the hospital which is treating him by auctioning an unusual slice of rural history. Graeme Rothwell, 48, is taking bids for his treasured 34-year-old tractor, which has helped farmers across the
A SHIP which played a major part of Harwich's maritime history has returned to the port for the first time in 20 years. The former MS Speedlink Vanguard arrived at Harwich International Port on Wednesday on business. It was the last service to operate
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Christmas can be a ticking timebomb for separated parents. Like any parent, the importance of spending Christmas Day with their children is utmost in their minds. But when they are no longer living with the other parent, problems can - and often do
The headteacher of a secondary school threatened with closure has resigned. Children, staff and parents were told as term ended yesterday that Faith Spinlove has stepped down as head of Alderman Blaxill School in Shrub End. Vice-principal John West
Businesses in Colchester are preparing for a difficult year, with some 3,000 of their customers leaving the town for Afghanistan. Every unit of 16 Air Assault Brigade is set to deploy to the war-torn country from February, taking their wallets away for
A Witham man jailed in Cyprus for killing a motorbike passenger in a mistaken revenge attack has lost his appeal against a 15-year jail sentence. Julian Harrington, 39, had admitted the manslaughter of Christos Papiris, 17, and causing grievous bodily
Police have issued a description of the tip-box thief who left staff in tears. Yesterday, the Gazette reported that staff at Sam's Diner and Takeout, in Sir Isaacs Walk, Colchester, were distraught after a thief stole their collection tin. Generous
A soldier from West Mersea has been taking the fight to the Taliban. Trooper David Land has been serving in Afghanistan with the prestigious Household Cavalry Regiment since October. The 21-year-old drives a Scimitar light tank through the rough terrain
A 15-year-old boy was last night charged with the murder of a 59-year-old man, police said. The teenager, from Colchester, was due to appear at Witham Youth Court today, accused of killing Gary Belben. Mr Belben, also from Colchester, was found dead
Charity cyclist Emily Cawley has received a huge thank-you for helping a worthwhile cause to a massive £35,000 boost. The 25-year-old researcher, from St Mary's, Colchester, took part in the Meningitis Trust's 400km journey along the banks of the Nile
A Peeping Tom policeman has escaped a jail sentence for spying on a woman at the Stansted Airport police station. David Smith drilled a hole in a wall between the male and female changing rooms at the station gym. He concealed the hole behind a telephone-style
Colchester's street pastors will be walking the town's streets for the second time tomorrow night. The 20 church-going volunteers, who offer support from their base at Eld Lane Baptist Church to people who have drunk too much, volunteer to walk around
This year's poppy appeal in Colchester raised a record total of nearly £50,000 to help support war veterans. Street collections, door-to-door collecting and a concert featuring the Parachute Regiment Band at Colchester Institute in October helped the
Youngsters were treated to a winter wonderland Santa's grotto, thanks to a Colchester nursery. They queued for their chance to speak to the man himself and give him their Christmas present requests. Staff at Springlands Nursery on Shrub End Road, Colchester
COLCHESTER AND DISTRICT YOUTH LEAGUE UNDER-EIGHT Sunday, December 16:Longman Blues League: Tempest Blues 0 Holland FC Blues 2 (J Eastman, K Jones), Brightlingsea Regents Blues 0 Cornard Dynamos Blues 1 (T Prentice), Stanway Rovers 1 (C Ost) Gt Bentley
Seven tenants who had to flee from a Colchester block of flats after an arsonist started a fire are set to return home today. The residents of Meopham Court, off Stalin Road, Barn Hall, were woken by a loud bang in the early hours of Saturday morning
COLCHESTER UNITED lost out 2-0 to Queens Park Rangers in the Puma Youth Alliance League. After the two sides' recent contrasting results in the FA Youth Cup it was back to league action once more, but the U's under-18s were unable to carry their cup
SEAN Hillier is closing in on a festive comeback for FC Clacton. The former Colchester United youth-teamer has been sidelined since the first game of the season, when he suffered an ankle injury in the Seasiders' Ridgeons League curtain-raiser against
A headteacher has demanded to know why the Government has left pupils at a well-performing school in appalling conditions. Frinton and Walton Town Council has also called on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to meet Caroline Haynes, principal at Tendring Technology
Primary school youngsters who are environmentally aware have unveiled a new wildlife area and pond in their school garden. Pupils at Rolph Primary School, High Street, Thorpe, designed the area as part of a project during their science classes. John
STANWAY Rovers midfielder Angelo Harrop has been named Player of Round Three' in the FansFocus.Com Essex Senior Cup, following his side's 2-1 win at Colchester United. Harrop, a product of the youth set-up at Layer Road, was instrumental as his side
Neighbours fear drunken rowdiness outside their homes will get worse if a beer garden stays open into the early hours. They claim they are already victims of nuisance drinkers who urinate and vomit against their houses, and cause a racket when leaving
A father-of-five narrowly escaped spending Christmas in prison after he admitted threatening his wife and setting fire to her wedding dress. Dean Rowe, of Windermere Road, Clacton, admitted sending his estranged wife abusive and threatening text messages
DOMINIC Schils headed a contingent of local riders competing in the Diss and District Cyclo Cross race at Redgrave. With wind and rain turning the course into a gluepot, the Interbike rider took the fastest youth award, finishing overall seventh. Winner
SHANE Steward has suffered his first loss in the boxing ring. The twenty-one-year-old Colchester boxer was knocked out in the Novice ABA Heavyweight Finals at York Hall, Bethnal Green. Steward came into this fight as the firm favourite to add a second
Calendars to help raise cash for a vital resource at a children's home have gone on sale. The calendars contain verses and photos of children at the Langley Children's Home, Langley Close, Dovercourt. The home provides respite care for children with
COLCHESTER Golf Clubs' members turned out en mass for the annual Turkey Trot. This competition, with two shotgun starts, is a foursomes bogey, an unforgiving format which produced some good scores this year. Don McBurney and Iain Cruickshank returned
Emergency services were called to a motorcyclist who came off his bike in Church Hill, Ramsey. One fire crew from Dovercourt and traffic police from Stanway were called to the incident shortly after 11am on Tuesday. A car was also involved but the two
A 25-year-old who "waved" a knife around and threatened to hurt others and himself was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison. Darrell Long, of no fixed address, admitted threatening behaviour at Colchester Magistrates Court yesterday. The court heard how
TERRY Howlett is gunning for more European glory after being picked for a prestigious Grand Masters event in Barcelona. The Dovercourt shopkeeper, who plays his club hockey for Colchester, has been picked for the England team to take part in the European
COLCHESTER United skipper Karl Duguid is expected to be fit for Saturday's trip to Queens Park Rangers. The U's defender missed the club's 1-1 draw with Norwich City last weekend because of an ankle injury. Fellow defender Bela Balogh is also pushing
A mother-of-two has been given an 18-month community order and ordered to do aggression replacement training after admitting assaulting her mother causing her bruising. Samantha Stephens, 38, of Abdy Avenue, Dovercourt, admitted hitting and kicking her
COLCHESTER United have reacted cautiously to claims by Norwich City manager Glenn Roeder that he was verbally abused by a minority of home supporters during last weekend's game between the two clubs. Roeder was quoted as saying that he was the victim
CHRIS Barker came very close' to joining Colchester United on a permanent basis at the end of last season. The consistent full-back impressed for the U's on loan from Cardiff City last season in their inaugural Coca-Cola Championship campaign. And he
