TWO Burmese migrants accused of murdering an Essex University student a fellow backpacker in Thailand claim they were told they would “disappear” unless they confessed to the killings. Hannah Witheridge, 23, a masters student living in Colchester
Chains on the wall, cobwebs, mould, washing and a ghostly guest at the dinner table. These might not be the first accompaniments to a meal out that might spring to mind but diners in Colchester are positively lapping up the slightly ghoulish atmosphere
KEEN litter-pickers worked together to clear up rubbish. The Mersea Island Lions and members of the public joined forces to collect rubbish ruining beautiful Mersea Island. Rubbish collected ranged from a television to new pair of snow spikes
THE next instalment of a “unique” charity fundraiser is set to take place at Colchester Town Hall. The 1,000 Faces of Colchester campaign has been set up to raise money for the Tom Bowdidge Foundation. Photographer Gavin King has teamed up
RUNNERS are being asked to don their onesies as part of a wacky fundraising event. Head injury charity Headway Essex is hosting a Onesie Runsie at Colchester’s Castle Park on Sunday with dozens of people expected to race around in their best one
THE next instalment of a unique charity fundraiser is set to take place at Colchester Town Hall. The 1,000 Faces of Colchester is a campaign which has been set up to raise money for the Tom Bowdidge Foundation. Photographer Gavin King has teamed
POLICE are appealing for assistance to help trace man who has gone missing from his Colchester home. Tony Mckay, 47, was last seen at around midnight on Sunday and was reported missing on Monday morning. Tony is described as white, 5ft 11ins
A NEW Buddhist centre is set to be eco-friendly after winning a huge grant. Colchester Buddhist Centre has been given the cash by the Marks and Spencer Community Energy Fund which will help them pay for up to £12,500 worth of solar panels to be
WALTON Indoor Bowls Club came out on top when they entertained Courtaulds Halstead at the Columbine Centre on Sunday. They won on all four rinks to romp home 70-42, in a triples match, and ond only one was closely fought. The biggest winners
HOLLAND Shore Boxing Club’s Arnie Dawson began the season with a fine points win. He was up against Vange and Pitsea’s Alby Hill, at the Prince Regent Hotel, in Barkingside. Hill began well, trying to keep the St Osyth-based boxer backed to
BURGLARS stole two safes containing sentimental jewellery and children’s birthday money. The raiders smashed open a patio door in a property off Glen Avenue in Colchester between 4.30pm and 11.50pm last Tuesday. Investigating officer Det Con
SASKIA Clark is in third place after the first day’s racing at the 470 World Championships in Israel. Olympic silver medallist Clark, from Mersea Island, along with helm Hannah Mills began their challenge against 42 other female crews in their
THOUSANDS of items donated by generous residents will be taken to refugees in Calais tomorrow. The Refugee Action Colchester group has been collecting items for five weeks from a number of drop-off points across the town, including Brightlingsea
CHEEKY pub staff and regulars got their kit off in a bid to raise money for charity. A dozen customers and bar workers from the Foundry Arms in Artillery Street, Colchester had snaps taken in the buff on Saturday which will be used to make a naked
Hundreds of students have been honoured for their endeavours after they completed their degrees at Colchester Institute. For a special eight page supplement including a full list of graduates, see tomorrow's Gazette
Hi everyone, apologies for the delay in getting the video up today. We have just launched our brand new website! You can now download the Daily Gazette app by following the link below. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/colchester-daily-gazette
A CARDBOARD city acted as home for charity staff who slept rough for World Homeless Day. Emmaus Colchester, a homeless charity based on the High Street, slept overnight in their shop window to raise awareness. They raised £30 which will go
In this short video Samantha Dorling, head chef at The Food Company in Marks Tey, will show you her take on a Parmigiana. It uses aubergine, mozzarella and tomato. Click HERE to see more recipes and food features in our new Lifestyle section
No one would argue that breast is best when it comes to feeding a newborn baby. While some mums and babies take to it like ducks to water, others struggle and after weeks of trying, are forced to switch to formula feeding. But why is it that
ONE of the most popular ‘modern’ musicals of recent years is the first production by one of Colchester’s newest theatre companies. Rent tells the story of a group of impoverished young artists struggling to survive and create a life in New York
A FORMER commander of Colchester Garrison has died following a stroke, aged 67. Colonel Julian Lacey, born in December 1948, played a prominent role in the transformation of the Merville Barracks in Colchester, and in shaping the UK’s reserve forces
A TEENAGER who went missing last week has been found. Charlotte Piper, 17, went missing from her Colchester home on Tuesday. She was found in Norwich on Saturday evening. Essex Police has thanked members of the public for their help following
SKATEBOARDERS, BMX riders and residents are all being urged to have their say on a massive planned revamp to a popular skatepark. Colchester Council has committed to improve the facility at Leisure World on Cowdray Avenue as the popular park has
TRADITIONAL seafaring songs filled the air as Harwich’s tenth annual Sea Shanty Festival went off in style. Performers, poets and pirates took over the town from Friday to Sunday as the festival enjoyed its best ever year. People packed into
A TEACHER with a talent for unlocking pupils’ potential could soon be the winner of a national award. Jolene Swan, a Year Six teacher at Brightlingsea Junior School, is one of 64 finalists from 20,000 teachers who were nominated across the country
A HOTEL chain wants to add a beer garden to its plans. Premier Inn has applied to add the 42-seat outdoor area to its plan for a hotel in St Peter’s Street, Colchester. Colchester Council’s licensing committee will decide on the plans at its
A STATE-OF-THE-ART police helicopter which will attend missions in Essex is now in place. The National Police Air Service was officially handed the new EC135 T2+ chopper at its Boreham base by helicopter company Bond last week. The aircraft
A SECOND World War gunner who served with David Cameron’s grandfather has received France’s highest decoration for his bravery during the Normandy landings. Tony Rampling, 91, of Thorrington Road, Great Bentley, was part of the Reconnaissance Regiment
CONCERNED residents are calling for Colchester Council to back them in their battle against plans to reverse the traffic flow in a busy road ahead of a public consultation. Essex County Council’s plans to change the direction of traffic in Priory
DOG buyers in Colchester are being influenced by celebrities, according to new figures. Statistics from dog charity Kennel Club show that the number of French Bulldogs, popular with celebrities who often post snaps of their pets on picture sharing
ACTRESS Kim Bennett has been a key member of West Bergholt’s Orpen Players for many years. She’s back with the village troupe this week in Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell which runs at the Orpen Hall from October 15 until 17. Doors open at 7.30pm for
COLCHESTER’S first “eco-takeaway” is set to open. April Moodie is promising nutritious nosh from her new business The Nourish Co, which will open in St John’s Street on Friday, October 23. The former St Mary’s School pupil, who has been vegan
A 40MPH speed limit is set to be introduced close to where a pedestrian crossing is going to be scrapped. Essex County Council has decided to lower the speed limit from 60mph for an 80-metre stretch from Cymbeline Way to Colne Bank Avenue, Colchester
Saskia Clark is aiming for gold at the 470 World Championships in Israel. Olympic silver medallist Clark, from Mersea Island, along with helm Hannah Mills will begin their challenge today as other nations and sailors vie for remaining qualifying
Joe Edwards admits Colchester United should have killed the game off after losing 4-2 at Shrewsbury Town. Edwards said he did not see the U’s relinquishing control of the match at Greenhous Meadow, after they raced into a two-goal lead by half-time
WE have made some big changes to the way you keep up-to-date with news online. From today, we will be bringing together the Daily Gazette and Essex County Standard’s websites to create one bigger and better site. The new site, which you can
IT’S something not many people might know about comedy writer and performer Andy Hamilton. The fact that he has cornered the market in cartoon dentists. “Yes that is a bit bizarre,” he admits. “The first one was for Bob and Margaret. Someone
THE Gazette’s Arts and Leisure Reporter Picks His Top Five Things To Do This Week • Open Exhibition, Firstsite Art Gallery, Lewis Gardens, Colchester, until November 22. Free. 01206 577067. If you wanted to see just how good the artistic talent
NORTH Essex jazz drummer Crissy Lee makes a welcome to Mersea this weekend with an extra special gig. Last year marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of the legendary female bid band leader Ivy Benson and with the reunion of some of the original
