Archive

  • Pre-school thrilled with glowing Ofsted report

    STAFF and little ones are celebrating after their pre-school was rated outstanding by an education watchdog. Squirrels Pre-School, based in Highwoods Square, in Colchester, was praised by Ofsted for helping children make excellent progress.

  • Our hypnobirthing option is the future

    COLCHESTER General Hospital has suffered its fair share of bad news in recent months. But the maternity department, thanks to a £1.2million revamp, is on the up. There are no vacancies thanks to a rolling employment programme. Juno Suite

  • U's keeper Bransgrove suffers injury blow

    Colchester United keeper James Bransgrove is set to miss the start of the season after undergoing a knee operation. The highly-rated youngster, who signed a new one-year deal with the U’s earlier this month, suffered the injury in training and is set

  • Fancy dress madness at annual East Bergholt pram race

    DOZENS of dastardly villains lined the streets of a village for an annual wacky race. Competitors dressed up as everything from gangsters to Hannibal Lector and Jaws for the 44th edition of the East Bergholt Pram Race. This year’s event began

  • Pals salute Jens the medical marvel...

    MEDICAL marvel Jens Wair is back on his feet. Jens, of Colchester, suffered a bleed on the brain after being knocked unconscious in St John’s Street, Colchester. Medics initially feared the selfemployed window cleaner could have long-term brain

  • Development plan for the Hythe

    DOZENS of people attended the annual meeting of Hythe Forward, a regeneration group. The group’s priority is to complete its supplementary planning document, which developers will have to take into account. Members want to have a say on the

  • Health cuts meeting

    NHS services in north Essex are set to be heavily cut to save money. Smokers and overweight patients could be denied some services, while IVF fertility treatments could also be limited, under the NHS North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group

  • U's welcome return of the Essex derby

    The Essex derby is back – and that is great news for Colchester United. That is the view of U’s general manager Tim Waddington, after their county rivals Southend United won promotion to League One. Colchester will take on Blues in the league next season

  • This is not the time or the place

    ENGLISH Defence League members clashed with anti-fascist protesters at Colchester’s war memorial. The EDL were in the town to mark two years since the death of Fusilier Lee Rigby, who was murdered by Islamic extremists in London. About 30 members

  • Rude nursing staff just left my husband to die

    A DEVASTATED wife has criticised the end-of-life care provided to her husband at Colchester General Hospital. Eira Cursons said husband Derek was treated like an inconvenience while he lay dying in the emergency assessment unit at the hospital

  • A12 speed restrictions

    DRIVERS have been warned speed cameras along two stretches of the A12 are now working. Average speed cameras have been installed either side of Colchester, between Kelvedon and Witham, and at Hughes Corner in both directions. The limit is 70mph

  • Housebuilders help out military heroes

    A HOUSE building company has donated £1,000 to provide holidays for Colchester’s military heroes. Persimmon Homes Essex gave the cash to the Rotary Club of Colchester, which will use it to support the Holidays For Heroes Jersey charity. The

  • Farmer is banned after birds ‘cooked to death’

    A FARMER has been banned from the poultry business for five years after thousands of chickens died in horrific conditions. The chickens were crammed into giant sheds without proper ventilation. A court heard they died in some of the worst conditions

  • Knifeman forces way into house

    A BURGLAR brandishing a knife, forced his way into a house in Greenstead, before making off with £60 and a mobile phone. The suspect knocked at the house, in Almond Way, before pulling out a knife and forcing his way in when the 51-yearold homeowner

  • Woman’s war medal goes to museum after auction win

    A RARE war medal will be on display in Brightlingsea Museum after residents joined forces to win it in an auction. The Victory Medal belonging to Clara Godling, from Brightlingsea, will go on display after staff placed a winning bid of £300.

  • Explosion at Colchester factory

    AN industrial chimney at an engine manufacturing plant has been damaged after an explosion. Residents close to the Man Diesel plant in Port Lane, Colchester, heard a blast on Thursday at 2pm. One of the chimneys was dislodged as a result.

  • Body found in care home grounds

    A POLICE investigation was launched after an elderly resident was found dead in the grounds of a care home. The resident is believed to have wandered out of the Silversprings Care Home in Tenpenny Hill, Thorrington. Her body was found at about