Archive

  • Fresh feathers get Speedy flying again

    AN animal sanctuary has saved an injured hawk’s life by giving it a feather transplant...with the aid of pins and Superglue. The sparrowhawk’s wings were damaged when it got tangled in netting, designed to keep birds off shops in Clacton. It was taken

  • Judge calls ex-soldier stupid over text on riot

    A FORMER soldier who sent messages at the height of last summer’s riots has been described by a judge as crass and stupid. Tommy Tucker, 22, of Mareth Road, Colchester, used his BlackBerry phone to tell friends a shop in the town was on fire and ask

  • Colchester MP fears the end of MoD police force

    THE days of Ministry of Defence police officers could soon be over, it is feared. Colchester MP Sir Bob Russell, speaking earlier today, challenged the Government to “come clean” over the future of the force. Speaking in the House of Commons he complained

  • £5k fencing to thwart rogue motorists

    FENCING costing £5,000 has been installed after motorists drove on to a verge and damaged trees so they could get on to the A12. A bus gate at the Weston Homes Community Stadium, in United Way, Colchester, stops drivers getting on to a slip road to the

  • UPDATED: Paramedics injured in Colchester ambulance crash

    PARAMEDICS were rushed to hospital for treatment after colliding with a car in Colchester. An investigation has been launched after the ambulance collided with a Volkswagen Golf while responding to an emergency call in the town. Two paramedics

  • Health Trust pays £6.2m for ruining dad’s life

    A FATHER who suffered terrible brain damage after being given the wrong medication at Severall Hospital's Maple Ward has been awarded a £6.2million payout. Christopher Lines, 33, was prescribed excessive doses of the wrong medicine in June

  • Patient first to undergo ‘wonder’ radiotherapy

    A CANCER patient is today due to become the first to receive an improved type of radiotherapy at Essex County Hospital, Colchester. The tongue cancer patient will undergo intensity-modulated radiation therapy, which increases the survival rate and reduces

  • Forklift trucks stolen in Colchester burglary

    FORKLIFT trucks and tools have been stolen from a building site in Colchester. Two JCB forklift trucks were taken from the Persimmon Homes site in Tufnell Way, Colchester, before being driven across Essex. A spokesman for Essex Police

  • Bail extended after bus and buggy theft in Colchester

    POLICE are continuing to investigate the case of the stolen bus and council buggy. Drunken joyriders broke into Colchester’s Castle Park causing £7,000 damage by smashing through four sets of gates and destroying a gardening buggy and the barn it was

  • Colchester troublemakers put on notice

    DRUNKS, troublemakers and yobs are being given an extra chance to avoid arrest in Colchester. The man in charge of policing in the borough is hoping they will take notice of the notices being handed out and learn their lesson rather than clogging up

  • Knocking ’em for 6...aged 7

    A SCHOOLBOY has been given a chance to hit his cricketing idol for six...and even teach him some new tricks. Charlie Allison, seven, from Colchester, was offered the chance to play with fellow Colcestarian, Essex and England international, Graham Napier

  • Cooling off – emma’s just horsing about

    RIDER Emma Smith, 14, took her horse Finley for a dip at Brightlingsea as the county enjoyed beautiful spring weather. Temperatures rose to 14C as British summer time arrived on Sunday and the sun shone as early mist and fog cleared. Colchester Castle

  • Don’t curb HGVs, improve driving standards

    People calling for restrictions on heavy goods vehicles on our roads, in order to give priority to motorists, are living in cloud cookoo land. If HGVs were restricted to outside peak times, or if lane restrictions were imposed on major roads,

  • Dilemma over dropped litter

    I totally agree with Colchester Council’s tough new regime against litter louts (Gazette, March 21). If people throw litter, a fine is justified, but what is the difference between dropping litter and throwing litter? Knowing the mentality of

  • Band through to final of jam

    NORTH Essex band the Jellycats have beaten more than 700 other bands across the country to make the final of this year’s Red Bull Bedroom Jam. The group, made-up of lead singer Emma Tamsett, bass player Rob Allan, and brothers Ollie and Stu Cooper, who

  • Well done on day of action

    I would like to congratulate everyone who took part in the Stanway Day of Action. I was lucky enough to join people from organisations such as Colchester Council, Essex County Council, the police and others at the start for the early morning

  • Not the morals I would follow

    While I agree Sundays should remain special (Letter from Joan Davies, March 22) and the trading laws should remain the same, I do take issue with the rest of her letter. Christians do not have the monopoly on ethics, morals and human kindness

  • Firefighters tackle scrapyard fire in Elmstead Market

    FIREFIGHTERS were called to a scrapyard in Elmstead Market after a sand tank went up in flames. Two crews from Colchester rushed to John Whiting Ltd on Clacton Road after reports of smoke just after midday today. Rubber and plastic was burning and smoke

  • Council is too embarrassing to be broadcast to the public

    It was raised by the Tory opposition at the frankly derisory full Colchester Council meeting last week that we should broadcast – and invest public money in letting the public see – what goes on in the council chamber. This matter is being investigated

  • BT combats Essex cable thieves

    THOUSANDS of homes and businesses could be spared future disruption courtesy of a new burglar alarm running through cables. BT has installed Rabit - rapid assessment BT incident tracker - to monitor the BT network and detect when a disconnection has

  • Former head of Essex Police paid more than £1,000 a day

    THE former head of Essex Police has been paid more than £1,000 a day as a police consultant. David Stevens, who set up Devana Services Ltd after leaving his role as chief constable in 2005, has been paid almost £200,000 by the Association of Chief Police

  • Brickie searches for new heights

    A BRICKLAYER is taking on Britain’s highest mountains to raise cash for charity. Tom Buckley, of Nancy Smith Close, will climb the highest peak in England, Scotland and Wales in 24 hours in support of Macmillan. Tom, 23, decided to do

  • Film student's Olympic vision

    A STUDENT film maker hopes to get her big break if she wins a national competition to have her film shown at an Olympic venue. Hannah Read, from Clacton Road, Elmstead Market, has written, directed and edited a short film on the theme of Truce. Winners

  • Elderly woman dies in hospital following crash

    AN elderly woman who was injured during a collision in Clacton has died in hospital. The 88-year-old driver, who is from Clacton, was hurt after a blue Chevrolet Matiz struck a wall in Penfold Road. The incident happened at 2.30pm on

  • Ambulance management tips taken from Colchester to Canada

    AMBULANCE management techniques will be taken from Colchester to Canada following a visit from health professionals from Nova Scotia. The visitors watched how the East of England Ambulance Service deals with emergencies, out of hours and urgent responses

  • U's have drawn too many games - Wilson

    Brian Wilson admitted Colchester United’s 1-1 draw with Carlisle United felt more like a defeat after they squandered the chance to close in on the play-off places. The U’s remain six points off the top-six with eight games remaining after they played

  • IN TODAY'S GAZETTE: MAN FACE JAIL FOR £300K SCAM

    IN TODAY'S GAZETTE: A CONVICTED fraudster faces jail after using a fake credit card in the name of Wonderbra supermodel Eva Herzigoa. Faisai Madani, 41, of Hanbury Gardens, Colchester, confesed to scams totalling £300,000. * A man has appeared in court