PARAMEDICS had a lucky escape when their ambulance overturned in Colchester. The vehicle ended up on its side on the A12 southbound sliproad just after the Spring Lane roundabout. Police closed the road for a short time as emergency services went to
The owner of St Osyth's historic priory has been told he can keep the controversial fence he has installed. But any future structures on The Bury, the green outside the 12th-century landmark, will need planning permission. The move by Tendring Council
A DELIGHTED nature worker could not have wished for a better Christmas present - after learning a threat to bar hundreds of youngsters from looking around her award-winning reserve was lifted. Last month the main entrance of the seven-acre Pedlars Wood
LOOKING for somewhere great to see the New Year in? Ware it's At brings you a run-down of what some of the clubs and pubs are offering this New Year's Eve. If you want to be like Cinders and go to the ball then Club Valentinos in St Helens Lane, Colchester
LOOKING for somewhere great to see the New Year in? Ware it's At brings you a run-down of what some of the clubs and pubs are offering this New Year's Eve. If you want to be like Cinders and go to the ball then Club Valentinos in St Helens Lane, Colchester
Business-class transatlantic airline Maxjet has suspended all flights to and from Stansted Airport. At the weekend bosses tried to hammer out a financial rescue package. But yesterday it was announced the airline had suspended all flights to and from
A COLCHESTER postman has blamed a centralised Essex sorting office for late deliveries in the town. The man, who has asked to remain anonymous for fear of losing his job, told the Gazette that, while he takes pride in his work, outside influences often
Life as a reporter has rarely been dull for Mike Sams. After a career spanning five decades, covering eight murder investigations, the biggest music festival Tendring has seen, and even dodging gunfire, he is hanging up his notebook. The 58-year-old
MOUTH-watering cakes, bread, pies and biscuits have been coming out of Hume's the bakers for almost 50 years. And Dennis Hume, 70, has no plans to stop. Former president of the National Association of Master Bakers, one time Chair of London's Worshipful
A MOTHER and her son, who is winning his battle with bone cancer, want to thank everyone for their support and generosity. Sam Cort, 22, emigrated to Australia in 2006 and was diagnosed with bone cancer in August this year. At the start doctors gave
Tomorrow morning children will wake up full of excitement and rush downstairs, eager to rip open their presents. The rest of the day will be filled with plenty of eating, drinking, watching television or playing games in celebration of Christmas Day.
A teenager was assaulted by one of a gang of seven men after she refused to engage in a sex act. Police today launched an appeal for witnesses to the attack in Queen Street, Colchester. Officers called for calm to prevent further violence tonight, with
One family lighting up their home for Christmas are ensuring the true meaning of the season is remembered. The traditional nativity scene is outside the house in Barn Hall Avenue, Barn Hall, Colchester. Dolly James said: "They look great outside the
A troubled school is making "inadequate" progress. Inspectors returned to Alderman Blaxill School, in Shrub End, to check on progress made since the school was placed in special measures by Ofsted in June. While "some improvement" was observed in the
A man brazenly stole a television from a Colchester supermarket. The thief took a television worth £115 from Asda, in Petrolea Close, Turner Rise. He was described as in his late 30s, with short brown hair and wearing a black coat, grey T-shirt and
Three motorbikes were stolen from a garden shed in Aldham. Thieves ripped the door off the shed in the garden of a house in Ford Street. An orange KTM 300 motorbike, a child's blue Yamaha 85 bike and a green Kawasaki motorbike were taken during the
The police helicopter was called in to help track down a disqualified driver in Fordham Heath. Officers attempted to pull over a silver BMW Cabriolet 325 in Wood Lane at about 10.40am on Friday. The car was abandoned and two men escaped. The driver
A woman came face-to-face with a naked man carrying out an indecent act on a public bridleway. She was walking along Bluebottle Grove, in Colchester, at about midday on Friday, when she heard a groaning noise. The woman, who lives in Colchester, spotted
The Church of England should not lend its backing to the educational academy proposed for Colchester, town MP Bob Russell has said. The Lib Dem spoke on the subject of the academy, which Essex County Council wants to build to replace Alderman Blaxill
Youngsters staged their own song and dance show in record time. Dozens of children at Colchester's Greenstead Community Centre pulled out all the stops to rehearse the Christmas spectacular in just two days. They played to a packed house of parents
Firefighters today warned people not to buy illegal fireworks after some were found at a property near Colchester. A firefighter spotted a large quantity of dangerous fireworks in the back of a van. He contacted the Trading Standards department of Essex
The case against the man charged with the murder of former Colchester schoolgirl Rachel Nickell will be reviewed following the collapse of the Omagh bomb trial. Sean Hoey was cleared of any involvement with the 1998 bombing after the judge expressed
Designers of eyecatching and original Christmas tree decorations at Colchester's hospitals have been handed prizes after the town's mayor judged them. Mayor Ray Gamble and wife Jenny inspected a host of entries at Colchester General and Essex County
A villager headbutted a binman as he made his collections, a court has heard. Carl Barke approached David Adams as he worked with two colleagues emptying recycling boxes in the village of Layer de la Haye, at 11.40am on August 2 this year, Colchester
A top band are picking up the bill after their lead singer trashed sound limitation equipment at a village hall. Ollie Cooper, lead singer of Koopa, ripped the wiring in frustration after the band's music was shut off for going above the set decibel
Shops' festive efforts have been celebrated. The Colchester Retail Association has crowned Williams & Griffin, on High Street, as the overall winner in its Christmas decoration awards. The department store was one of six shops given Mirabile Visu awards
A teenager must undertake unpaid work after an incident involving a former girlfriend. Stuart Grady, 19, of Newton Road, Colchester, appeared before magistrates in Colchester on Friday for sentencing, having earlier admitted a charge of possessing an
A five-car pile-up which saw two people treated for injuries closed part of the A12 for the third time in a fortnight. Police crews from Stanway and Chelmsford were called to the accident at the Rivenhall junction at about 7.05am on Friday. The road
Generous children are sending more than 500 smiles across the Atlantic to bring some Christmas cheer to others. Youngsters presented 550 new and nearly new toys at this year's Christingle and toy service held at St Mary's Church, Wivenhoe. The presents
Clacton has been rated one of the most affordable places in the country for first-time buyers. The town was identified as the seventh most attractive area in a survey published by mortgage lender, the Halifax. It says the average house price in Clacton
Needy children will be given presents, thanks to a Clacton and Frinton estate agents. Antony James, who runs the offices of the same name with his wife Sharon, has been collecting donated gifts for youngsters who otherwise would not receive anything.
A couple were lucky to escape after their Christmas decorations went up in smoke. Smoke spread throughout the Frinton flat after some tinsel which was draped across a decorative cover on a storage heater caught alight. The couple were flat-sitting at
Tendring Council has announced an ambitious scheme to regenerate the district - including a commitment of up to £1 million to support Jaywick. Leader David Lines unveiled Project Tendring during his pre-budget statement. A £2 million cashpot for projects
Christmas came early for a group of delighted nursery school youngsters. Santa and his cart arrived at Great Clacton's Willow Tree Day Nursery, complete with horses sporting false antlers and his merry band of elves. "The children thought it was just
A man today began his Christmas recovering from a car collision in Great Clacton. The man needed hospital treatment after he suffered injuries to his collar bone, as well as cuts and bruises, after the collision with a red Vauxhall Corsa. The incident
Two car drivers were today counting their lucky stars after escaping a head-on smash with minimal injuries. A Ford Focus and Peugeot 106 were in collision on the A120 at Great Bromley at the junction with the Harwich Road. Firefighters from Colchester
BLUE SQUARE SOUTH: Bishop's Stortford v Braintree Town, Bognor Regis Town v Havant and W, Bromley v Thurrock, Dorchester v Bath City, Eastleigh v Basingstoke, Hampton & Richmond v Sutton Utd, Lewes v Eastbourne Borough, Maidenhead Utd v Hayes & Yeading
SWIFTS travelled to the Ryman League premier division leaders and showed they are fast becoming a very hard team to beat with a 1-1 draw. Well-organised in defence, skipper Ian Wiles and Daryl Bourgeois were outstanding at the back and, once again, it
THE final of the Colchester and East Essex League's Amos Cup takes place on Boxing Day, between Wimpole 2000 and Harwich and Parkeston A. Kick-off is 11am at Wivenhoe Town's Broad Lane ground and the admission price is £3.
TIPTREE UNITED kept up their charge towards promotion with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Diss Town in Ridgeons League division.
HARWICH AND PARKESTON drew 3-3 at Dereham Town in the Ridgeons League premier division. The hosts raced into a two-goal lead but Jimmy Chatters pulled one back before the break. Jimmy then equalised after cutting in from the left. Dereham went back
STANWAY ROVERS joint manager Rob Bate says the team have to make sure they don't make a habit of failing to convert draws into wins, after their second consecutive 2-2 result. Seven days after their two-goal apiece draw with Norwich United in the Ridgeons
A CRUEL blow saw WIVENHOE TOWN'S first victory of the season snatched from under their noses by a visiting Waltham Abbey. A 2-2 draw saw the Dragons still searching for their opening win of the season in Ryman League division one north, but as the seconds
A LAPSE in concentration prevented WITHAM TOWN from securing a well-earned Ryman League division one north draw at Enfield Town. It looked for a long time as though Ken O'Donnell's depleted side would be able to secure a point from their match at Goldsdown
AFTER their 5-1 defeat at AFC Sudbury, MALDON TOWN soon showed the supporters that they were back in form again in Ryman League division one north with a 2-2 draw against Dartford. Without James Robinson (ill) Lee Perry (suspended) Steve Goode (moved
GERAINT Williams felt Colchester United should have been awarded a crucial penalty in the dying stages of their 2-1 defeat at Queens Park Rangers. The U's boss was left stunned after referee Dean Whitestone rebuffed his side's claims for a spot-kick,
