Archive

  • Colchester United stay top of the league

    Managerless Colchester United put the loss of Paul Lambert behind them tonight with a 2-1 win over Gillingham. The U's, who were led by caretaker boss Joe Dunne, came from behind to claim a third successive league victory to stay top of Coca-Cola League

  • Ipswich Town still waiting for their first win

    Ipswich Town are still waiting for their first win of the season after going down 3-1 at home to Crystal Palace. The Blues produced a much-improved second-half performance but the damage was done in a short spell just after the interval. Former hero

  • Quartet who played for royalty in town

    HAVING performed for royalty, the Scintillo String Quartet will bring their talents to St Mary’s Church, in Wivenhoe, on Saturday. Hadyn’s popular Sunrise Quartet, Mozart’s the Hunt and Beethoven’s Quartet in C Minor will resound around the venue during

  • Hook’s frontman sings in Clacton

    THE voice of Dr Hook is back on the road and coming to north Essex on Saturday. Dennis Locorriere, considered one of the last great undimmed American heroes, was the lead singer of Dr Hook, one of the biggest bands across the world in the Seventies and

  • Army rehab centre named in honour of Colchester para Mark

    BRITAIN’S first specialist recovery centre for wounded service personnel has opened – in honour of a Colchester-based soldier who died in Afghanistan. A whole series of Mark Wright House centres will soon be opening across the country – including one

  • Rainfall leaves a smelly legacy

    A STINKY problem has been troubling Halstead residents after heavy rain. Several people have noticed a turgid smell in Parsonage Street, after a downpour meant an overflow sewage pipe let more escape than it should have done. There had been fears raw

  • Sausage-dog siblings need a home

    THESE cute canines are looking for a new home where they stay together. Long-haired miniature dachshunds Charlie and Lucy, both aged seven , need a new place to live, because their owner, Gillian Round,has had to give up her house for a flat

  • Mum's the word in fundraising!

    TWO mothers with four reasons to thank Colchester General Hospital have raised more than £5,000 to buy lifesaving equipment. Emma Cole and Julie Cowen have each had two children cared for in the hospital’s special care baby unit. The pair organised

  • After 40 ops, our Megan’s making a racing recovery

    AS a baby, Megan Parker’s GP called her the human tortoise. The 14-year-old was born with a rare spinal disorder and has endured more than 40 operations to correct her twisted back. But in the past year, the St Helena School pupil has been able to take

  • Witnesses to rape sought

    POLICE want to trace two witnesses after a woman was raped near Chelmsford Cathedral. The 31-year-old from Witham was attacked by a man in Cathedral Walk, behind Dukes Genesis nightclub, in the early hours of Sunday after spending the evening in the

  • Shopkeeper is pushed to floor by 2 robbers

    A SHOPKEEPER was pushed against the wall by two robbers who stole £1,000. The man, who did not want to be named, had just opened up shortly after 9am on Sunday when two assailants wearing crash helmets stormed into Mya’s newsagent in Crouch Street,

  • U's accept bid for skipper Hammond

    Colchester United skipper Dean Hammond is in talks with Coca-Cola League One rivals Southampton. The U's have already turned down two written offers for their captain, who joined them from Brighton and Hove Albion in January, 2008 for a fee

  • Blaze hero only driven back by fiery explosion

    AN HEROIC father forced his way into a burning building, fearing there might be people inside. Ian Wallace, who lives in Chapel Street North, Colchester, looked out of his bedroom window at 4pm yesterday to see smoke coming from the windows

  • Ex-Colchester Para accused of murder in Iraq wants UK trial

    A LAWYER representing a former soldier who allegedly shot dead two of his colleagues in Iraq is appealing for him to be tried in the UK. John Tipple, of Harwich solicitors Linn and Associates, arrived in Baghdad on Monday morning to meet Daniel Fitzsimons

  • U's outcasts back in the fold

    Colchester United caretaker manager Joe Dunne has brought Phil Ifil and Matt Lockwood back into the squad for tonight's game with Gillingham. The defensive pair, along with a number of other senior stars, were told they were no longer guaranteed

  • Essex chef joining forces with Novelli again

    THEY chose the same career and chased the same girls. Now floppy-haired Jean-Christophe Novelli and Mark Baumann, who met in the Eighties, have joined forces once again. Celebrity chef Novelli recently visited Baumann’s Brasserie in

  • Ice skating rink proposed for former DIY shop

    COLCHESTER could soon get its first permanent ice rink. A building in Stanway which has not been used for more than five years could become an ice rink and tenpin bowling centre. A planning application has been submitted to turn the former Focus DIY

  • Eyesores blight historic town

    I felt I must write to find out why the stretch of Roman wall coming down Mersea Road towards the St Botolph’s roundabout seems to be forgotten. It’s been held up with corrugated sheeting, and looks an absolute disgrace. What an eyesore to tourists

  • £50k spent providing free uniforms for new academy

    A TRUST has forked out almost £50,000 of public cash on uniform for an academy which has not yet been given the go-ahead. The Academies Enterprise Trust has already spent nearly half of its £90,000 budget for new school uniform for students

  • Strikers right to defend working conditions

    As a retired railway employee with 49 years service, my experiences in dealing with management, at both consultation and negotiation levels, beggars belief. I was in my whole employment a blue collar worker who, until the age of 38, received

  • Lamenting our lost coast view

    I realise that now I am past my best-before date, I am becoming a grumpy old man and am no longer “with it”. Perhaps readers would put me right on my following observation. As a child on a day trip to Clacton, I was most impressed by the view

  • Age old problem of bored youths

    As a former Manningtree resident who still frequents the area, I have noticed the “dispersal order” signs that have sprung up. I cannot blame the police or council for this. Gangs of youths, especially when drunk, can be very intimidating towards

  • Lambert cannot wait to get started

    Paul Lambert has said he cannot wait to get started as Norwich City manager. Lambert resigned as Colchester United boss last night and has been unveiled as the Canaries boss in a press conference at Carrow Road this morning. Lambert will watch his new

  • U's will not be rushed into appointment

    Colchester United will not be rushed into an appointment to replace Paul Lambert. Lambert has quit the U's to join Coca-Cola League One rivals Norwich City. He has taken assistant manager Ian Culverhouse and Football Operations Manager Gary Karsa with

  • U's boss Lambert quits

    Paul Lambert has sensationally quit as Colchester United manager after little more than ten months in charge. Lambert resigned his position as U’s boss to take over at their East Anglian rivals, Norwich City. He will take assistant

  • Ludicrous to say no to more daulling of A120

    I share the disappointment about the cancellation of the project to dual the A120 between Braintree and Marks Tey. Not only is this depressing news, it is also puzzling. It flies in the face of a roads strategy with which I became acquainted

  • A day at the museum...

    YOU simply can’t put a price on the important work of preserving our history, says the man in charge of Braintree’s heritage. Robert Rose, Braintree’s museum services manager is talking specifically here about the work of award-winning Braintree District

  • Be the best...so buy the best local produce

    THEY say an army marches on its stomach. If that’s the case, the soldiers of 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment must be very happy marchers indeed. The Gazette was invited to the battalion’s summer ball to test the kind of spread the team of ten chefs

  • Lambert walks out on Colchester United

    PAUL Lambert has sensationally quit as Colchester United manager after little more than ten months in charge. Lambert resigned his position as U’s boss to take over at their East Anglian rivals, Norwich City. He will take assistant

  • Happy landings!

    RIVER users are celebrating the opening of a long-awaited jetty on the River Stour at Stratford St Mary. Until now, people in small boats have had to disembark via two small stone steps further up the River Stour. Now boat hire firm River Stour Boating

  • Bank holiday work set to close rail lines

    WORK on a huge package of improvements to north Essex’s railway lines is being carried out over the August Bank Holiday weekend. Rail travellers will face cancellations, delays and replacement bus services over the weekend of August 29, 30 and 31, while

  • Mayoral visit to factory

    COLCHESTER’S mayor has revealed himself a fan of one of the town’s major employers. Henry Spyvee toured the Axial Way factory of ventilation compamur Flakt Woods and collected a £1,000 cheque for his official charities. Spokesman James

  • Keane urges patience at Portman Road

    Roy Keane has urged fans to be patient as his quest to sign new players continues. The Blues have made a disappointing start to the new Coca-Cola Championship season, losing at Coventry and drawing 0-0 at home to Leicester on Saturday. Keane has previously

  • Lambert has high praise for Fox

    There surely cannot be too many Colchester United midfielders who have enjoyed a more successful start to U’s life than David Fox. The cultured midfielder arrived on a free transfer from Blackpool earlier in the summer with a glowing reputation. And

  • Family's fears over right of way

    A YOUNG family say they feel unsafe in their own home because of a dispute over a right of way. Claire Cooper said she and husband Brian knew about the right of way their house, in Goring Road, Colchester, shared with its next-door neighbour when they

  • Ifil hasn't given up hope of featuring for the U's

    Phil Ifil has not given up hope of playing for Colchester United again. But the out-of-favour defender has admitted he may have to rebuild his career away from the U’s. Ifil has been told by manager Paul Lambert that he is not part of his immediate

  • Crossing by school is a step closer

    SAFETY campaigners have moved a step closer to victory in their bid to have a zebra crossing installed outside a primary school. Parents at Coppins Green, in Clacton, campaigned for a new crossing in nearby London Road after nine-year-old pupil Jacob

  • 54 relatives and friends run in Leala's memory

    A SPONSORED run from Walton to Clacton Pier in memory of Leala Milleare, who died of cancer two months ago, looks set to raise nearly £5,000. The run was organised by Leala’s cousin, Lee Milleare and his friend Mark Climpson, from Clacton, who are now

  • Library's magical visitor

    CHILDREN received a visit from a wizard at their library. Cadmus the Gatekeeper greeted the youngsters at Harwich Library, in Upper Kingsway, as part of a summer reading challenge. Youngsters taking part were presented with medals and stickers. They

  • Kids get painted

    COLOURFUL characters emerged from a shopping centre after a free face painting session. Edward Carswell and his sister Charlotte were two of the children who enjoyed the free summer fun at Weaver’s Court, Halstead. Halstead Town Council