The plight of a lonely stowaway cat who boarded a boat from Russia has tugged at the heartstrings of Gazette readers. The ginger tom, named Boris by carers at Colne Valley Cat Protection, is serving six months in quarantine in Stanway, Colchester, but
ELDERLY and sick bus passengers face losing their vital bus route. The bus company, which runs the 352 bus between Halstead and Chelmsford, has been slammed for its poor customer service and lack of consultation, after passengers were told the route
SERVICES at Essex County Hospital are likely to be protected even after a new cancer centre opens at Colchester General. Bosses at Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust said other departments, such as outpatients, would remain at the hospital
A DETERMINED band of villagers is striving to raise almost half a million pounds to build a new community centre. The Aldham Village Hall Management Committee needs to gather £450,000 to demolish the centre at Green Lane and rebuild it. Anne Fulcher
FEARS that a hospital at the centre of controversy will be privatised have been quashed by health bosses. Rumours that the Fryatt Hospital and Mayflower Medical Centre, in Main Road, Dovercourt, is being sold off have been rife for the past few weeks
A BUSINESSMAN is hoping a major project to revamp a nightclub and build a new bingo hall will bring a welcome boost to trade in a struggling town centre. Steve Brennan, manager of the Basement Nightclub, in Kingsway, Dovercourt, is hoping the major refurbishment
FIREWORKS night is full of excitement, but as many people prepare to celebrate this weekend, firefighters are warning revellers to be cautious. The majority of organised displays are taking place tomorrow, and Essex County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS
BRIGHT sparks at Essex University served up a Halloween surprise to the man credited with reviving Dr Who during a television interview. Members of the department of computing and electronic systems made a robotic Dalek pumpkin to impress Russell T Davies
CRUEL dog-nappers hit a pet in the face with a hammer during an attempt to steal a puppy from a home. Monkey, a two-year-old Chinese shar-pei, bit an intruder during an attempt to take another pet from the bungalow in Sunbeam Avenue, Brooklands
CROWDS lined the streets as Colchester came to a standstill in tribute to its soldiers killed in Afghanistan. Many of the 600 soldiers who marched from Crouch Street to North Hill for the special service were visibly moved as they were clapped and cheered
A SCHEME to ban violent offenders from pubs and clubs in Colchester has been hailed a success. The Behave Or Be Banned scheme (Bobb) was launched four years ago to cut the number of violent or public order incidents in the town, and stop repeat offenders
At the end of April, a couple of weeks after 2/3 battalions, The Parachute Regiment, left Colchester Garrison for Afghanistan. The Gazette found out what a group of wives thought about the six-month tour and how it would affect their lives. Now
TENDRING Council’s only power in a dispute over a fence at Mistley Quay might be as a “community leader”. David Lines, who heads up the authority, made the admission at yesterday’s cabinet meeting. Leading councillors were discussing what steps to
Wivenhoe Town are appealing to the goodwill of the local footballing community and people of the town to help them through a difficult time after they parted company with manager Richard Carter. The Dragons announced yesterday that Carter had been sacked
THE days of an unchanged line-up are largely gone in football. Instead it is all about rotation and tinkering, fresh legs and science. Ipswich Town hasn’t been an exception to the rule this season. While the defence has begun to bed in over the last
A host of former players are in action at this weekend’s Game of History event. Former international players such as Neville Southall, Frank McAvennie and Lee Sharpe are all expected to take to the field at the Weston Homes Community Stadium from lunchtime
Jamie Cureton had a massive treat in store for Colchester United’s fans the last time the U’s met arch Essex rivals Southend at Roots Hall. The East Anglian goal king, now wooing the Norwich City crowd at Carrow Road, smashed in an unforgettable hat-trick
Desperate to win the derby. Colchester United goalkeeper Dean Gerken said beating Southend United is at the top of his wanted list. The U’s shot-stopper was born just a few miles away from Roots Hall in Rochford. However, there is no doubt where his
Colchester United boss Paul Lambert wants to bolster his striker options in the loan market. But he has missed out on a move for former Wycombe Wanderers loanee, Jermaine Easter. U’s boss Lambert, pictured right, is keen to compensate for the loss of
RESIDENTS were left scratching their heads after an underground fault caused televisions and lights to turn on and off. Homes and businesses in Colchester and on Mersea Island were hit by a high voltage underground fault shortly after 3pm on Wednesday
A MAN suffered a fractured skull when he was hit on the head with an iron bar at a village pub. The 49-year-old is being treated in Colchester General Hospital following the incident in St Osyth. The victim, who has been living and working
A NEW scheme is waging war on the unnecessary obstacles disabled people still face in their daily lives. Ask VERA, which stands for Very Easy Read Associates, recently opened at the Colbea Business Centre in George Williams Way, Colchester. The project
DOZENS of accidents in Essex’s schools have left taxpayers facing a bill of up to £350,000 in compensation payouts. Claimants, mainly parents but also neighbours and contractors, have recorded 44 claims following incidents in school playgrounds
COLCHESTER artist Chris Dobrowlski is flying south for the winter, but not for warmer climes. That’s because he has been chosen to take part in an expedition to the Antarctic with the British Antarctic Survey. The group takes two artists
WORKERS and commuters will find it more convenient to see their GPs from this week. From Friday, 22 of north east Essex’s GP practices will be offering early and late sessions to allow patients to book routine appointments outside the usual 8am to 6.30pm
ECO-friendly taxpayers are on course to save themselves hundreds of thousands of pounds. The cost of providing a recycling service in Tendring is more than £1.2 million. However, the district council gets recycling credits from Essex County Council
