A bomb disposal team was called to Brentwood School early Monday morning to carry out the controlled explosions of sports bags left in the grounds. The action came in the middle of a nationwide alert after a Tube worker was injured in a terrorist bomb
Brentwood police have received two reports of indecent exposure in the last week. The first happened at the edge of Shenfield Common, Ingrave Road on Thursday March 1 at 8.30am. The suspect involved was described by the victim as a white male, of skinny
There was a mixed reaction from business and politicians in mid-Essex to Wednesday's budget. With the Chancellor of the Exchequer announcing a package of around £5 billion, much of it aimed at helping families, with more for hospitals and schools, political
Concern is growing for the safety of missing 49-year-old Martin Wilson who vanished from his Wickford home more than 10 days ago. Police are no closer to locating Mr Wilson despite speaking to his relatives about where he may have travelled to, checking
Eight former sixth formers at the Brentwood Ursuline Convent High School have won a prestigious Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Award. The girls, who left the Queens Road school last summer, were leading lights in its Open Door counselling scheme, through
The doors at Colchester Zoo will remain firmly closed to the public until the end of the week - with the foot-and-mouth crisis costing one of the town's favourite tourist attractions an estimated £35,000. A decision to close the zoo was taken last Thursday
Clacton's main hotel looks set to be full with asylum seekers for the summer season. The Royal Hotel has won part of an appeal against plans to take action against it. That means a second planning inquiry may have to be held, and that would delay the
Harwich police station will no longer be manned 24 hours a day from June. Civilian staff who run the Tendring district's service desks will all be based at Clacton police station from the summer. The move means the Harwich station's front counter will
The Conservative Party today chose Clacton Pier as the site to launch its seaside policy - promising more cash and less red tape. Peter Ainsworth, Shadow Culture Secretary, chatted to tourism bosses about how to regenerate the area. Also present was Iain
An Ongar man who erected a working model of a dalek in the front garden of his Aukingford Gardens home is looking for a buyer to take it off his hands. In the five years since it was built by former engineering teacher Philip Ivey-Ray, the dalek has become
Three children snatched from their foster home by their own parents have been returned to the care of Social Services. The youngsters were returned to Thurrock Council social services late last night (Thursday), but while a council spokesman refused to
An initiative to get new operators to take over Brentwood's ABC cinema has failed. Brentwood Town Forum wrote to 17 cinema companies asking them to take over the cinema in Chapel High. But none of them think the project would be viable. So the chances
Champagne corks were popping this week following the announcement that a huge injection of lottery cash will ensure the survival of the Epping Forest Volunteer Bureau until 2004. News of the £263,356 Lottery grant sparked joy among staff and volunteers
Champagne corks were popping on Mersea after news of an £87,000 lottery grant. The cash will pay for the total refurbishment of the High Street community centre - from a new kitchen and main hall floor to a revamp of the entrance and car park. It was
Three bravehearts who risked their lives by tackling criminals this week demonstrated that Brentwood is a town fit for heroes. One of them, a girl aged just 17, chased a thief who grabbed her purse and made him give it back. The other two, who averted
A £1m grant has secured the future of Colchester's prestigious Mercury Theatre. The theatre, which has its own resident company, has been given the lion's share of a £1.34 million investment to theatre companies by East England Arts announced yesterday
Foot-and-mouth disease has broken out at Marsh Farm, the popular children's attraction in South Woodham. It means Essex now has seven confirmed cases in the county and another farm, north east of Ashingdon, was yesterday (Thursday) still under investigation
The Evening Gazette has joined forces with Essex Police in a bid to help track down a pensioner's murderer. Roger Turnell, 70, was found dead on his bed by firefighters, called to a fire at his bungalow in Rosecroft Close, Great Clacton. Tests revealed
The first case of foot-and-mouth disease in the Colchester area has been confirmed - on the same day a mid-Essex open farm centre began slaughtering its infected animals. MAFF veterinary surgeons confirmed the worst fears today (Friday) after taking samples
