A young mother is terrified to return home after being scared by a man. She has taken her two children to live with her sister after the third incident at her home within months. The single parent, who does not wish to be named, said she had been happy
Teenage thieves in Colchester have been snatching purses in broad daylight. Shoppers are being warned to be on their guard after two girl purse snatchers struck twice in the town centre. The teenagers stole a handbag and a purse from women shoppers in
Two men were rescued when a blaze ripped through a three-storey block of flats and shops. The fire broke out in flats in Newgate Street, Walton, yesterday morning. Two men were rescued and four people, including two children, were led to safety as around
An infants school could be closed as part of an educational shake-up in the Harwich area, it has been revealed. A review of three schools is to take place. One of the options is to close the 153-year-old Little Oakley Infants School due to its small number
Police have named the man killed in an accident on the A12 at Brentwood on Sunday. Timothy Davis, 22, of Warley Road, Great Warley, died when his Ford Fiesta was involved in a collision with a Renault Clio. Mr Davis originally came from Clywdd in Wales
A flood caused by a burst water main brought chaos to drivers and badly damaged a Braintree road. Residents in Notley Road were left without water overnight after the pipeline ruptured on Tuesday. A deluge of water poured up through the pipes in a dip
The artistic talent of Southend is on show for all to see. The first of two yearly exhibitions by the Southend Art Club is now running at the town's Beecroft Gallery, with many of the items on show for sale. The club's Spring Selective Exhibition sees
Basildon's newest radio station is on the hunt for enthusiastic volunteer presenters for its 28-day broadcast in June. Eastgate FM has been granted a licence to broadcast in the town between June 13 and July 10 and is set to provide music to suit all
Police have warned the public that a piece of medical equipment has been mislaid near a Chelmsford pub. An adrenaline injector pen was lost in the area near The Compasses pub in Broomfield Road on Tuesday night, according to an Essex Police spokesman.
Ostriches Rocky and Roughneck face an uncertain future - after becoming entangled in a legal battle. On one side is Basildon Council, which claims the birds need to be insured under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act of 1976. On the other hand is farmer Ted
Basildon and Southend councils should be ashamed of the money they have wasted on the Queen's visit, an action group has claimed. The Essex arm of the Movement Against the Monarchy has planned demonstrations along the route of the Queen's visit to the
The fire brigade today defended its decision to ask organisations to pay up when firefighters are called out for non-emergency tasks. Castle Point Council has written a letter to the Chief Fire Officer of the Essex County Fire and Rescue Service expressing
Gangs of youths have caused thousands of pounds worth of damage in vandalism attacks at the Laindon shopping centre. Shoppers are being scared away in the evenings, while traders are footing the bill to replace smashed windows and stolen goods. One store
Keen athletes and fun runners are encouraged to put their best foot forward and enter two forthcoming charity road races in Braintree and Witham. The 16th annual Witham Lions Half Marathon and Three Mile Fun Run take place on Sunday, May 2 at Spa Road
World champions could be produced in Castle Point thanks to the borough's excellent facilities, said Sports Minister Tony Banks on a tour of the borough. Mr Banks also warned that the future of Southend United was vital to the area and must be secured
The St John Ambulance, which provides first aid and care services worth more than £40million a year, is under threat if it does not get new volunteers. Cadet and Badger groups, such as the one run by Kay Croxhall in St George's Church centre in Harold
Furious South Street residents living opposite the town's Somerfield's delivery entrance are demanding something is done after one of the store's vehicles crashed into a house. Tony Cammarata, 23, had just finished redecorating his living room before
Canvey police are on the lookout for a gang of thieves who snatched a purse. The trio distracted the manageress of the Bees Knees store in Furtherwick Road at 2pm yesterday and then delved into her handbag and stole her purse. All three were white and
A plan for giving a town centre shopping complex a major facelift has been put on hold. A bid for a £1.5 million extension to Victoria Plaza in Southend was deferred by councillors on the advice of town planners due to a series of concerns. However, councillors
Southend Saints saw the Mid Essex League Basketball League men's division title go to Colchester Hornets after their opponents from north of the country stung them 117-105. Saints knew that they could even be beaten in this match and still emerge champions
This Saturday will see Billericay Rugby Club take part in the biggest match in its history - knowing that victory will see them through to the final of the National Tetley Vase Cup, which is to be played at Twickenham on April 17. With only four teams
Wheelchair tennis players showed Southend mayor Norah Goodman how the game was played during an open day. Councillor Goodman was among visitors to the event at Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre in Eastern Avenue on Saturday. The open day was organised
Matchroom boxer Richard Evatt will be providing the chief support fight on the Prince Naseem Hamed/Paul Ingle undercard in Manchester on April 10. Evatt will challenge American hero Junior Jones for the IBO featherweight title. Jones, 28, is a former
Colchester Ladies Indoor Bowls Club are the new national champions of the English Women's Indoor Bowls Association. They won the prestigious title in brilliant style playing at ISCA Indoor Bowls Club in Exeter in the finals of the David Bryant Bowls Tour
Brentwood made a good start to Saturday's game at Southend Manor, before succumbing to defeat in the final quarter of the game. Following a spell of pressure, Brentwood actually went ahead on 20 minutes. With play switching from left to right, the ball
Matchroom boxers will be in action at York Hall, Bethnal Green tomorrow evening. Top of the bill will be the IBO lightweight title clash between Michael Ayers and Lois Flores. Marc P. Callaghan, David Kehoe and Glenn McClarion will be among the boxers
Colchester United boss Mick Wadsworth sprung a big surprise today when he revealed plans to include French triallist Fulvio Richard in the side for Saturday's crucial Division Two game at lowly Macclesfield. Currently at Layer Road for a week, 29-year-old
Basildon's Beech United will meet Shoebury Boys in the final of the Southend Junior League's Under-13 Cup. Beech earned their spot in Sunday's semi-finals when they crushed Steepleview 6-0. Gibbs, with a sparkling performance, grabbed two goals along
Sports minister Tony Banks has given the seal of approval to the high sporting standards being achieved in Castle Point. During a visit to the borough, he also outlined his vision for continued sporting success at grass roots level. GREG DEMETRIOU reports
Hundreds of banner-waving campaigners will converge on County Hall in Chelmsford on Saturday for the county's largest protest about waste disposal. Activists from Ongar and North Weald will join groups from all over the county for the rally, which has
A small businessman faces ruin after an organised gang of thieves stole up to £20,000 of equipment from his isolated factory. Father-of-two Terry Bates surveyed the wreckage of his workshop on a farmyard estate in Matching Green and told This Is Essex
Sponsored lampposts will not be sprouting up around Thurrock - despite a firm's offer to help pay the repair bills. Councillor Arthur Clarke, chairman of Thurrock Council's environment services committee, told members the lighting stock within Thurrock
People with queries about the Budget can visit This Is Essex's chat rooms on Friday, March 12, and talk to tax experts directly. In a discussion organised by This Is Essex's sister site This Is Leicestershire specialists from the Leicester branch of Deloite
Lee Kavanagh still doesn't think he's got what it takes. Never mind that his first dance tune has been played on the radio and no less than four record labels are looking at signing him. Most people would be popping champagne corks left right and centre
The Palace Theatre could be run by a private company when it re-opens in December. Trust board members have invited seven businesses to draw up individual rescue packages to drag the Westcliff playhouse into the next century. The most impressive will
An off-duty nurse who rushed to help the injured of a schoolbus crash has told how her daughter should have been on the vehicle. Kate Harrison was one of the first on the scene after the single-decker, carrying pupils to the Stanway School, was in collision
Traffic is to be banned from turning right on a major road in Colchester town centre in a bid to reduce congestion. Vehicles will not be able to turn right from Magdalen Street into Wimpole Road between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Saturday, in a bid to reduce
A greener, cleaner gas-powered fuel is being introduced by a timber merchant for its fleet of vehicles. CF Anderson and Son, sited just off the A12 at Marks Tey, is gradually converting its cars and vans to run on liquid petroleum gas and has its own
Creditors of a liquidated leisure company are holding a meeting in a bid to win back owed cash. It is thought other companies which have not been paid by Corringham-based fitness centre Havencrest may come forward as news spreads of the meeting. Havencrest
Curfews could be considered to prevent youths causing a nuisance at night in Laindon. Police say there has been a noticeable increase in youth nuisance and damage to the Laindon Centre in recent weeks. More uniformed officers are patrolling the shopping
Tomorrow's visit by the Queen and Prince Philip has proved a huge logistical challenge for Southend police as they tighten up security in the area. Leave has been cancelled, roads are being closed off and extra officers - and traffic cones - are being
A hunt protester quickly came to the rescue of a huntswoman and her horse. The horse had slipped and was left straddled across a small wooden footbridge as members of the Essex & Suffolk Hunt and the East Essex Hunt were out close to Layer Breton,
Roots Hall is to be sold to pay off Southend United's £3.87 million debts, the Blues have confirmed. Chairman John Main revealed that Southend's home will be sold for £4 million in an effort to refinance the club. Once the ground is sold it will be leased
The future of Southend United is vital to the town and must be secured, Sports Minister Tony Banks declared on a whistle-stop tour of south Essex. The outspoken and often controversial MP said all efforts must be made to ensure the club remained within
Essex cricketers will be flying high as the Essex Eagles every Sunday for the next four years. And the new-born Eagles will be soaring to great heights when they launch their revamped Sunday National League programme in a few weeks time. Fronted by a
A body piercer was jailed for four years today for a series of indecent assaults on customers at his clinic. Ex-Tendring councillor Michael Robinson assaulted young women visiting his Colchester clinic between 1995 and 1998, the court was told. Robinson
Harold residents face an inflation-tripling rise in their council tax this year as funds are ploughed into training and technology for councillors and staff. But the Labour administration are promising the 9.1 per cent rise - about an extra £1.27 a week
Bluewater, Europe's biggest shopping centre, will open its doors for business on March 16 - just 20 miles from Brentwood's High Street. But according to the town's business people the future is far from gloomy for Brentwood. Many are, in fact, determined
TV favourite Cilla Black helped a grieving mum overcome the death of her boyfriend by springing a special Mother's Day surprise. Snooker fan Pip Garrett was mourning the loss of partner Ian Nelson who died after a lengthy cancer battle, when her twin
Billericay Town FC may ban rival fans from its ground to protect its own supporters after rampaging rival supporters petrified Blues fans at an away game. The club is considering blocking supporters of rival club Aldershot Town from entering its Blunts
Colchester United are waiting in the wings to pocket £1,000,000 windfall if Charlton Athletic are forced to sell former Layer Road favourite Mark Kinsella. The south London Premiership new boys are reported to have turned down a £3,000,000 bid from Blackburn
It's a thrill of lifetime for football fan Emily Wells. Emily, 12, of Beach Road, Dovercourt, will lead out the team as mascot for England's vital Euro 2000 qualifier against Poland at Wembley on March 27. Ipswich Town fan Emily, who goes to Manningtree
Southend United boss Alvin Martin spoke for the first time today about the club's decision to terminate the contract of left-back Mark Stimson. Martin revealed the 31-year-old defender, whose contract was up for renewal at the end of the season, had been
Hold the front page! As the deadline approached, information was still pouring into the newsroom at Thomas, Lord Audley School in Colchester. Pupils were taking part in the Times Educational Supplement's annual competition to find the best student newspapers
King John School has won the backing of Prime Suspect star Helen Mirren in its bid to become a £500,000 arts college. The school hopes to win funding from the Department for Education and Employment after the closure of Basildon's Towngate Theatre and
A new authentic Italian restaurant where opera singers serenade diners has opened in Basildon. Romano's Macaroni Grill's 275-seater restaurant was declared a little Italy in Essex by the VIP guests. Traditional Italian cuisine is cooked in the open kitchens
Youngsters at a Benfleet school will be putting on a show to raise cash in the memory of a fellow pupil. Senior prefects at the Appleton School have arranged the lunchtime cabaret on Friday to collect funds for the Meningitis Trust. The charity was chosen
There were tears for a clown when little Sean Watkins' comfort doll went missing during a hospital visit. Three-year-old Sean's mum, Martine, placed his beloved Clown at the foot of her son's bed as he was about to go into Southend Hospital's operating
They may be chuckling, but these weightwatchers aren't half the women they used to be! The fine members of the South Ockendon Weightwatchers club lost almost 2,200lbs since the start of this year and they now have almost nothing to wear. But they made
Wickford's new £1.4 millon primary school finally has a name - and a headteacher. Governors have decided the development on the Wick estate should be called Oakfield Primary School. Malcolm Buckley, also a councillor for the town, said he hoped the name
JANE O'CONNELL meets Les Heal, who proves that dyslexia is no barrier to business success or creativity From being the youngest of 11 children brought up in a council house in Southend, dubbed a thicko at school (he was dyslexic as it turned out), Les
