TIME Team presenter Tony Robinson has revealed why he is backing the bid to save Colchester’s Roman circus. Former Blackadder star Tony is a patron of the campaign to get a heritage centre on the site of the ancient arena’s starting gates. Speaking
AN appeal has gone out for bagpipe players and drummers to join Colchester’s first pipes and drums band. Colchester and District Pipes and Drums are so serious about representing the town, they have created their own Colchester tartan. Kilts are currently
TRADERS claim there will be twice as many empty shops in Frinton if a planned business rates hike goes ahead. Frinton and Walton Chamber of Commerce said its members were already struggling in the economic downturn. The Valuation Office Agency, which
WOMEN from right across north Essex are once again being urged to step out at a unique fundraising event. St Helena Hospice today launches its second annual Midnight Walk, with the aim of getting thousands of women walking across Colchester as midnight
A TODDLER has been taken into care after he was found running across a busy Colchester road on his own. Horrified motorists were forced to pull over after seeing the young boy run across Cowdray Avenue. Members of the public became increasingly concerned
CLACTON looks set to become the comedy capital of the east coast. Top comedy club Jongleurs is to open a new venue on the pier. Classic and contemporary comedians will be taking the mic at the Boardwalk, every Saturday night from March 13. Launching
AN agreement to save a £130million investment in education in Colchester is set to be reached tonight. Officials have been searching for a suitable route for an access road at the Philip Morant secondary school for the past month. The
COLCHESTER is set to honour its soldiers twice on Tuesday. Trees to commemorate soldiers from the town’s 16 Air Assault Brigade killed in action will be planted in Castle Park at 10am. At 11.30am a service in St Peter’s Church, North Hill, will mark
COLCHESTER Council’s finance chief has been accused of burying bad news and being vague with details of savings. But Paul Smith, whose council tax increase of 2.47 per cent was agreed last night, says he is being honest with residents. Christopher
AN impassioned plea for the Army to work with residents was issued at a hearing into proposals to divert a footpath. Colchester Council has applied to move the Middlewick Ranges path to allow the Army to fence off vandal-hit rifle ranges. Dave Harris
CONTROVERSIAL plans to moor a historic ship at Harwich Quay have been approved. Tendring Council has agreed the LV18, the last manned lightship, can be permanently moored at the quay as a tourist attraction. The Pharos Trust, which submitted the application
TWO ex-soldiers have invited Colchester’s bikers to join them on a fundraising ride. Andy McGowan and Pete Laing, both former members of the Royal Military Police, are taking part in a mass ride through Wootton Bassett. Soldiers killed
A MAN has been jailed for an unprovoked attack on two teenage boys. Luke Comer punched the 16-year-olds at a bus stop, Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard. The 20-year-old, of St Botolph’s Street, Colchester, admitted two charges of assault by beating
RESIDENTS in St Anne’s are invited to a football tournament and family fun day. The St Anne’s Cup will take place at the Harwich Road multi-use games area on Sunday, February 7 from 11am to 4pm. As well as under 16s and under 12s tournaments, free food
COLCHESTER’S crematorium and cemetery have been labelled amongst the best nationwide. A survey of more than 100 organisations by the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management ranked the Mersea Road crematorium and cemetery as the 13th best. The
CONCERNS have been raised that plans to fence off rifle ranges in Colchester to counter vandalism are “a ruse” to cover Ministry of Defence plans to redevelop a much-loved green space. A planning inspector has heard arguments for and against Colchester
Aidy Boothroyd is hoping Pat Baldwin's future will be resolved by this weekend. The long-serving Colchester United defender is close to joining their Coca-Cola League One rivals Bristol Rovers. Boothroyd said: “At the moment, it’s on-going
A COLCHESTER debt adviser has admitted the benefits system means some people are better off not getting a job. Vivienne Wiggins works on the Greenstead Estate, helping council tenants on behalf of Colchester Borough Homes. She told community
A CATALOGUE of errors in his home country allowed a violent wanted man to move from Poland to the UK, where he raped a suicidal teenage girl in Colchester. Slawomir Blasiak was out on licence in Poland after serving time in jail for armed robbery
Colchester United new boy David Prutton believes he has plenty more to offer. The 28-year-old made a memorable first appearance for the U’s by scoring a spectacular goal in the 2-0 win over MK Dons. Midfielder Prutton is likely to make
It might be the close season as far as English cricket is concerned, but Essex County Cricket Club is staying firmly on the radar. First, there was the appointment of Alastair Cook as England captain for the forthcoming tour of Bangladesh. And now there
When are the electors of our nation going to wake up and protest against how the New Labour Government is making us pay for the greed of the banks, financiers and capitalists? Workers are losing their jobs, there are severe wage controls and
THE winds of change are sweeping through Essex. A ten-turbine wind farm in Bradwell has been given planning permission. It will be the second in the county, after a five-turbine farm on the outskirts of Clacton was granted consent on appeal
Your article about St Osyth Priory (Gazette, January 21) was very impressive. However, you should have taken a picture from the road side to see how neglected it is and has been for hundreds of years, including the last ten. I am pleased
The uncle of twins who are both battling cancer is to tackle a 350mile charity bike ride. Oliver Brock, 36, of Colchester, is training for the ride to France in May in aid of the charity Children with Leukaemia. His four-year-old nieces Megan and
THE family of a young man who died unexpectedly in his sleep have spoken of their devastation. Scott Graham had been about to start a dream job in Malaysia when he passed away during the night of January 13, aged 28. The cause of his
A LIBRARY has been forced to employ a security guard and install an extra CCTV camera because of antisocial behaviour. Greenstead library, in Hawthorn Avenue, Colchester, now has seven security cameras in and around the building and a guard
COUNTY Hall bosses have agreed to pump more than £20million into improving services for children in Essex. Essex County Council’s cabinet this week agreed to transfer £20.9million to help children’s social services. The money will be spent on hiring
A HOMELESS alcoholic has been jailed for two months for spitting in a police car and trying to headbutt a policeman in a booze-fuelled fracas. Michael Houston, 42, admitted assaulting a police officer, criminal damage, being drunk and disorderly and
A PROMISING footballer was killed when he was hit by a car while he lay in the road after an all-day drinking session. An inquest into the death of trainee bricklayer Ross Crouch heard he had probably drunk more than eight pints of beer. The 23-year-old
