LOCATED just across from Italy’s big toe is the country of Tunisia, on Africa’s north coast. The Arab nation offers visitors a unique blend of ancient and modern, familiar and exotic. Tunis, the capital city, is a two-and-a-half hour flight away from
THE cream of local am-dram talent converged on Clacton’s Princes Theatre for this year’s North Essex Theatre Guild Awards. More than 250 thespians, from 20 amateur theatre groups located across the region, attended the glitzy Oscars-style bash
FOR children around the world, and their parents, author Julia Donaldson is perhaps best known for the Gruffalo. He’s the glorious creature who is outwitted by a clever little mouse, who is just out for a quiet walk in the woods. Now, one of her latest
THE tenth Roman River Festival takes place next month, with classical, world, folk and jazz music combining in a bigger than ever selection of country churches. Orlando Jopling, who is directing his third consecutive festival, said: “I feel
A popular gay club night is certainly no Enigma for those who have been going along to it each month. Because a year on from it’s first night, Enigma’s promoter Stuart Brown has seen the clientele for the gay night go from strength to strength. Starting
LAWYERS acting for two children who look after their wheelchair-bound father have launched a new legal action, accusing Essex County County of continuing not to help them. Last week, a High Court judge cricticised the council for “serious failures” in
A PROFESSIONAL footballer spat in his girlfriend’s face and pulled a clump of her hair out during an argument in a nightclub. In a statement to police Ellysha Stephens said Jamie Guy, a striker for Colchester United, “played on his minor
A GROUP of U’s fans wants to bring the banners, balloons and displays of continental football to Colchester. Supporter Jon Palmer and friends are raising money to decorate the Community Stadium with a huge flag of the club crest plus banners
MYSTERY surrounds the future of a major Colchester traffic project. For months it has been believed proposals for a new junction and roads to link the A12 to the town’s Northern Approach Road were signed, sealed and delivered. The new junction is crucial
A WOMAN has been hit by a train in the Manningtree area this morning. The incident is thought to have happened at about 8.30am in the Mill Hill area. Buses are currently replacing trains between Harwich Town and Manningtree. Journeys were delayed
MAJOR upheavals for Maldon Town and Tiptree United have reformed part of the north Essex football landscape. In a stunning move, Tiptree chairman Ed Garty has taken over at Maldon from former Town chairman Mick Kirkham with the two clubs coming under
NEW signing Danny Batth is eager to make a big impression at Colchester United. And the young Wolverhampton Wanderers defender was boosted by the words of a former U’s player before heading to north Essex. Batth sought the advice of ex-Colchester favourite
A 44-YEAR-OLD man is angry that planners watched him rebuild his cottage before telling him he would have to tear it down. Zippy Moonflower started rebuilding Mayflower Cottage, Wix, in January 2007, after he discovered a letter instructing him that
TERMINALLY-ILL children are to experience the magic of Disneyland thanks to Colchester businesses. Dozens of youngsters, who are receiving hospice care, will travel to Disneyland Paris, at Christmas, with money raised at a charity fashion show, in Colchester
A WILDLIFE haven could soon become a designated nature reserve, giving it extra protection against development. A former sand extraction site, off Halstead Road, in Gosfield, was originally bought by Gosfield Parish Council, in 1984. It now contains
CAMPAIGNERS fighting plans for a massive housing development on their doorstep fear it could turn into a “slum”. Protesters opposing proposals for almost 400 new homes off St John’s Road, Clacton, say it would be a “disaster” for the Bockings Elms part
COLCHESTER’S mayor issued a rallying cry at the town’s In Bloom ceremony after a “disappointing” number of entrants in this year’s contest. Just ten people took part in the competition, with the large retailer category getting just one applicant – Williams
A £130,000-a-year executive who verbally abused and attacked his partner has been jailed for nine months. Simon Lambert, 40, was jailed at Chelmsford Crown Court for five offences of causing Diane Robinson actual bodily harm. Lambert, formerly of Ullswater
A YOUNG soldier, injured in Afghanistan, is now well enough to return to his unit following treatment on a free spa holiday. Private Josh Hill, from Braintree, injured his back trying to help comrades after the Americans bombed them by mistake in 2007
A GRANDMOTHER has celebrated her 101st birthday. Gladys Joyce, who has lived at the Glengariff care home, in Freeland Road, Clacton, since April, was born in the East End of London. She worked as a shorthand typist and bookkeeper in her youth. She
NINE illegal immigrants have been found among boxes filled with rubble in the back of a van that arrived at an Essex port from Holland, police said. Police said the vehicle was stopped at Harwich International Port as it came into the country on a
A DRUNK man was seen weaving across the road with a small child, a Court heard. Witnesses said Perry Groves, 31, was drunk when they spotted him with the child, making their way from Jackson Road to Rosemary Road, in Clacton, on July 4.
BIKERS had a roaring time at an annual vintage motorcycle rally. About 34 riders took part in Sunbeam Motorcycle Club’s second rally through north Colchester countryside. The participants, who came from as far as Bath and Bradford, followed a 52-mile
A MAN who drove his car at a vehicle owned by his stepson as part of a long-running feud has been jailed for a year. Thomas Bowman, of Victoria Road, Clacton, deliberately drove his Toyota into a Peugeot 106 while Luke Moran was sitting in
THE opposition on Tendring Council was outmanoeuvred in its bid to take control of the council chamber. A coalition led by Tendring First had aimed to grab power from the Conservatives at an emergency meeting last night. It made the
A NEW term has heralded new headships at a handful of north Essex schools. Tom Parkes and Sonia Elks speak to the headteachers about their new roles.Dad-of-three returns from Germany to take up post BILL Aylett has a familiar feeling at his new school
THE police watchdog has said it will be investigating officers who sprayed a man in the face with CS gas while he was handcuffed. The Independent Police Complaints Commission said the behaviour of three officers involved in Sunday night’s controversial
A MYSTERY cycling campaigner has admitted he was responsible for the “ghost bike” which appeared on the spot where a young cyclist died. Reader Derek Balcombe, contacted the Gazette on behalf of the mystery man, after reading our appeal for information
THEY are the long paw of the law. Specialist search dogs have been a crucial part of Essex Police’s work since their dog unit opened in 1952. Highly trained cocker or springer spaniels, with a “memory bank” of scents, can cut hours off police searches
THERE were boos and cheers as two councillors faced each other in a heated dispute over a town’s axed leisure plans. Pierre Oxley, Tendring Council’s former councillor responsible for leisure, and Stephen Mayzes, who replaced him in May, spent more than
WORKERS in north Colchester are being encouraged to get on their bikes as part of a congestion-busting project. A travel plan has been launched to ease traffic around Colchester Business Park, Easter Business Park and Severalls Industrial Estate. The
A FATHER who turned to writing after two of his children died has just published his second book. Maurice Jones’s daughter, Emily, died, aged four, after a serious car crash in 1984 and his son, Simeon, 15 also died after a heart attack in 2003. The
SUPERMARKET chain Morrisons has confirmed it wants to open a branch in Halstead. The supermarket chain’s announcement cames after five acres of redundant land to the east of Halstead High Street was put on the market. Katie Neasham, Morrisons’ spokesman
MORE people are looking to recession-proof their careers by seeking extra qualifications and training, a Colchester training centre has claimed. Bahman Jamshidnejad, director of Pitman Training, based on North Hill, said his centre was being kept busy
AN oak tree grown by Colchester MP Bob Russell to commemorate the Centenary of Scouting has been presented to Britain’s leading environmental tourist attraction. Mr Russell presented the tree to Paul Holmes, of the Eden Project, in Cornwall. They planted
A PIZZA delivery man was robbed of his car, then saw a drug-crazed man crash it and run off, a Court heard. Stephen Hamilton, who worked for Domino’s, was attacked when he went to his car in Coggeshall Road, Braintree, to make a delivery on
