Braintree Rugby Club has made a shock announcement that it is to pull out of London League division two north east with immediate effect. In a statement released by the club today, chairman Barrie Winwood said it was with sadness that the decision
A “DESPICABLE” couple who stole 17 poppy appeal tins to fund their £100 a day drug habit have avoided jail. Callous Roma Taylor, 51, of Cedar Avenue, Tiptree, and Anthony Archer, 54, of Ongar Road, Writtle, were described by their own defence solicitor
SPRING cleaning has started with volunteers mucking in at St John’s and at St Botolph’s Priory in Colchester. More than eight kilos of rubbish was collected, 20 street signs were replaced or repaired and graves were washed down in the St John’s
A FUNERAL directors plans to put some egg-citement into Easter for people in need. Abbey Funeral Service has launched an appeal for businesses and individuals to donate Easter eggs for distribution to those less fortunate. This is the first
AN elderly woman has been taken to hospital after being hit by a car. Paramedics were called to East Hill, at the junction with Priory Street, at 11.43am this morning. They treated a woman, who is believed to be in her 80s, for a head injury
A WORLD championship is planning to put Mersea on the map. Bosses behind the Paramotor Open have chosen the island to host this year’s event in May, after spending the past few years in Hull. Paramotoring involves powered gliders with a parachute
Firefighters and control staff in Essex are set to strike for a second time over what they say is a radically changed shift system, working conditions and cuts. The strike will begin at 6pm on Sunday and will continue until 9am on Monday. It
A GROUP of keen cyclists are preparing for their toughest challenge yet – a 490-mile ride along the south coast to raise much-needed funds for charity. Gavin Wheeler, 33, and his friends Bob Bardell, Leanne Hillery, Benjamin Fabi, Liam Spurgeon
A WOUNDED ex soldier has been selected to represent Great Britain at a track world championships., making his dreams come true. Former Colchester paratrooper Jaco van Gass will fly to the Netherlands next month for the four day event after being
IT'S too damn easy when we win! We live our football lives in the hope that we will be rewarded with games like last Saturday’s win over Bristol City. If you support one of the billionaire clubs you have to win trophies to feel as good as we felt
A VOLUNTEER is in line for a national award to recognise her hard work in helping Colchester people with autism. Carolann Jackson, of Colchester, set up Supporting Asperger Families in Essex (Safe) to give families support after her daughter, Nita
A CAR and a lorry have collided on the A120. Drivers have been warned to avoid the A120 at Great Bromley near the A133 junction with Colchester Road following the smash, which happened at around 10.40am today. More soon.
New Colchester United signing Karleigh Osborne is hoping to play his part in another escape act after swapping a promotion push for a survival battle. The 26-year-old centre-back is set to make his U’s debut at Doncaster Rovers tomorrow after joining
THE stories of a brother and sister who both did their bit for their country’s war effort have come to light and there is hope of find out more. Historian Pauline Taylor has collected photographs and information about her mother and uncle over
AN administration worker won the hearts of the public to win the Miss Popularity title in a beauty pageant. Charlotte Hamilton-Macy, 25, was a runner up in the Miss Universe Essex and took home the Miss Popularity sash. The former Stanway School
A CHARITY has donated more than £90,000 to three organisations helping needy children. Colchester Children’s Charity raises money from its three shops in Mersea Road and Old Heath Road. From the sale of donated clothes, furniture, toys and
DURING a career in education spanning more than 30 years, Phil Jones rose to being the respected headteacher of a secondary school. So he cut an unlikely figure at the start of the school year, dressed in overalls painting the walls of the Stanway
LESS than three years ago, workaholic Tony Cooper was close to death after suffering a brain injury. The businessman was a high-flying partner at finance company Deloitte until a brain haemorrhage led to an emergency operation to remove blood from
CHRIS Scott won Colchester Golf Club’s first Walk-on-Stableford of the year. It is not always easy to get a good qualifying competition in during late February but despite the recent heavy rain this competition went ahead, and from the back tees
THE trust which runs Essex’s air ambulance will receive a £250,000 boost. The Essex and Herts Airs Ambulance Trust is one of several air ambulance charities across the UK to share in £5million from Libor fines. The cash will be used to develop
FORMER soldiers say they have a Colchester mental health organisation to thank for turning their lives around. Veterans First is run from The Lakes, next to Colchester General Hospital. Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg met with staff
SAMMIE Szmodics has spoken of his relief after learning his foot injury is not as bad as first feared. There were concerns that the midfielder had suffered a broken metatarsal during the U’s 1-0 defeat against MK Dons, which would have meant a
ELSIE Beere doesn’t look as though she will turn 103 this weekend, and perhaps that’s because, officially, she can’t. Elsie, of Brightlingsea, was born on February 29, 1912 and has therefore has only had 25 leap year birthdays. Living up to
PATIENTS may have to care for themselves more because health services in Colchester cannot cope with the rising population. The North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group has revealed Essex has one of the lowest concentrations of GPs per resident
THE mere mention of the name Danny Haynes is enough to bring a smile to any Town fan’s face. A few years ago there was no deader cert than that Haynes would score the winning goal in an East Anglian derby. Whether it was a well-taken strike
