Poor timing and wet weather have been blamed for Colchester's recycling and waste collection woes. Councillors said it was wrong to launch the scheme in April, when grass growth was at its highest. Fingers were also pointed at the unusually wet summer
Convicted killer Jeremy Bamber believes a photograph may prove he is innocent of the murders of five members of his family. Bamber was convicted of the killings in Tolleshunt D'Arcy in 1986 and lost an appeal against the conviction in 2002. He claims
A man was shot in the back with an air gun pellet as he was on his way to deliver birthday sweets at a school. Ken Lawson, 45, of Writtle Close, Clacton, was on his way to give sweets to nine-year-old Belinda, of whom he is a guardian, when the incident
Sales of Maldon's famous sea salt have shot up 70 per cent after a Government health warning calling on consumers to reduce their salt intake. Steve Osbourne, from Maldon Crystal Salt, said: "I do think it is a response to the Government's warning about
An 82-year-old woman died two weeks after confronting burglars in her home. Iris Godfrey was involved in a "physical altercation" with one of the raiders at her Widford Park Place home in Chelmsford on August 12. She was pushed to the floor before the
The wife of a man who died in Maldon's Marine Lake is continuing to sue Maldon District Council for compensation. Last week, a jury at Chelmsford Crown Court found the council guilty of failing to ensure the safety of the public at the lake following
A pub landlord gave his wife's kitten the kiss of life after accidentally putting it into the washing machine while it slept in a pile of towels. Stuart Warden, who works part-time at Heybridge printers Wyndeham and Heron, had been helping his wife Suzanne
Congregation members are flocking back to a church which has just opened again following a £90,000 revamp. St Cedd's Church, in Iceni Way, Shrub End, Colchester, has been closed for the past six months while workmen have carried out the improvements The
Burglars plundered three homes, taking thousands of pounds worth of antiques. Police said the break-ins, in rural areas around Colchester, all happened on the same night and are likely to be the work of the same gang. In one, in Coles Oak Lane, Dedham
Another chapter of football history was written on the final whistle of this Coca-Cola League One match. Milton Keynes Dons formerly Wimbledon won for the first time at Layer Road in four League and cup outings since their first meeting back in 1979.
Colchester paratroopers young and old travelled to their "spiritual home" to pay their respects to their fallen comrades. The anniversary of operation Market Garden marked 60 years since the Parachute Regiment dropped troops behind enemy lines only to
A group of children and a bus were targeted in two paintgun drive-by shootings. The ten and 11-year-old youngsters told police they were fired on by a passenger in a car as it drove past them in Iceni Way, Shrub End, Colchester. Police said the car was
When John Buck looked for someone to change a tyre on his Triumph motorcycle, he discovered the nearest was 40 miles away in Brentwood. So he decided he would set up his own tyre changing workshop in Colchester. The result is Loose Wheels which supplies
Ipswich Town were long overdue some good fortune according to Tommy Miller. The Blues midfielder was delighted to secure a point in their 1-1 draw at Coca-Cola Championship rivals West Ham United. Yet it could have been a different story had Teddy Sheringham
The influential Colchester 2020 Partnership looks set to throw its weight behind a long-awaited move to build a new community stadium in the town. Plans for the development at Cuckoo Farm, which would serve as a new home for Colchester United, won outline
A leading Essex business organisation has delivered a stinging attack on the surplus of graduates struggling to find jobs. The criticism by the Essex branch of the Institute of Directors(IoD) follows surveys showing many graduates have been forced to
All four local clubs competing in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup on Saturday October 2 must travel. Ryman Premier Billericay Town, who triumphed 3-0 at Essex Senior League Southend Manor in Saturday's first qualifying round, go to Division
Joe Royle is planning to ring the changes for Ipswich Town's Carling Cup second-round date at Doncaster Rovers. Matt Richards, Tony Dinning and Dean Bowditch are all poised to start in what will be the Blues' first visit to Belle Vue since 1958. Left-back
A drug dealer has been sent to prison for 18 months after being caught dealing heroin on the streets of Braintree. Twenty-year-old Hamza Kerbouba, from London was arrested in Chelmer Road, Braintree on December 12 last year. He was detained and searched
Colchester's miserable form in national cup competitions continued when they were unceremoniously dumped out of the Powergen Vase. However, they had the first chance to score after five minutes, but James Gee's penalty went wide. This proved one of the
Police are investigating the death of a 45-year-old woman found her home. Police were called to the flat in Cress Croft, Braintree, just before 9pm on Friday after the body of the woman was discovered. A post-mortem examination proved inconclusive but
Bus drivers have voiced their disapproval over their proposed relocation following the sale of a bus garage. First buses has finally sold the bus garage in Fairfield Road, Braintree, to a property developer. It is believed it is aiming to move out of
A landmark building which has been painstakingly refurbished is to have its doors opened to the public for one day only. People will get the rare opportunity to look round the former Charles Brown and Sons hardware store in East Street, Colchester - affectionately
A developer is to appeal against the refusal of its plans to use land in Heybridge to build 124 homes - after its previous rejection was quashed. Thomas Bates and Son wants to build the development in Hall Road but has had its application turned down
The last time the U's met the Baggies in cup action back in September 1996 the Essex players were hailed as giantkillers and heroes to a man. Match winner - star man Joe Dunne gave a ten-out-of-ten performance for the U's in their historic 5-4 aggregate
Colchester's Paralympic swimming star Natalie Jones was in dreamland today after winning a gold medal in the pool in Athens. And to cap a fantastic performance the 19-year-old, who swims with the Colchester Phoenix club, broke the world record on the
People with information about gun crime are being reminded they can pass it to police anonymously. Today is the start of Crimestoppers week and the charity is running a national campaign to encourage witnesses to use its 0800 555111 number. Isabel Cross
Coastguards at Mersea were called out twice at the weekend. West Mersea inshore lifeboat and Mersea coastguard went to the aid of the crew on board the yacht Jasmine after the boat suffered a broken rudder and drifted ashore at West Mersea. It was towed
The smiles were well and truly restored to the faces of the Ipswich Town players and staff on their departure from Upton Park. Joe Royle's charges returned to the scene of their play-off semi-final heartache of just four months ago to gain slight revenge
FORMER Southend United midfielder Neil Jenkins believes there is "very little difference" between the standard of the Conference and League Two. The former England under-20 international returns to Essex with his new side Crawley Town tonight to take
A pub landlord was today counting the cost after fire ripped through his historic pub. Going up in smoke - some of the 30 firefighters involved in putting out the blaze at the Plough Inn The Plough Inn in North Road, Great Clacton, dates back to the 16th
Kevin Watson can't wait to get stuck into West Bromwich Albion at Layer Road tonight. Colchester United have been pitched against Gary Megson's newly-promoted Premiership side in second-round Carling Cup action. And the 30-year-old experienced U's player-of-the-month
Rogue parkers are to face the biggest clampdown to date. Here they come - Tendring's new traffic wardens pound the beat with officers from Tendring Council From October 1, Tendring Council is set to take over the task of patrolling the district's streets
A woman was stopped for drink-driving as she pulled on to her own driveway. Wendy Hardy, 52, of Broadway, Silver End, admitted a charge of driving with excess alcohol and one of no insurance at an earlier hearing in June. Jon Trussler, prosecuting, said
Colchester's MP Bob Russell led the first debate of the Lib Dem conference in Blackpool. The party's sports spokesman presented a sport policy paper in Bournemouth. He said he wanted to get sport firmly on the political agenda so sportsmen and women could
Members of Grey Friars Guild got together to celebrate the group's 20th anniversary. Guild members were joined by founder members and staff from Greyfriars Adult Community College, where they meet. The group brings retired people together once a week
UNLIKE her namesake Mick, whose Rolling Stones couldn't get no satisfaction, South Essex Gym Club star Emma Jagger was as pleased as punch with her latest success. Emma competed in the 2004 Apha Factor Invitational in Wiltshire. It was the first competition
A police officer has been praised for talking a man out of jumping from a bridge. Tense situation - police officers leaning over the side of the Cowdray Avenue rail bridge in an attempt to stop a man from jumping PC Colin Creelman and a colleague were
SOUTHEND United winger Michael Husbands is disappointed at being placed on the transfer list by the Shrimpers. The speedy former Aston Villa trainee has figured just twice for the League Two side so far this season and has now been made available by Blues
BILLERICAY paid tribute to the men who brought soccer glory to the town more than a quarter of a century ago. The occasion was the 25th anniversary of the last time that the New Lodge club won the national FA Vase competition. That triumph in 1979 was
Police want to trace the have-a-go hero who saved a woman from being mugged. The attempted robbery happened outside the Methodist Church in Main Road, Harwich, when a woman, 69, was grabbed from behind by a teenage boy. She fought off the attacker for
Work on resurfacing the A12 at Kelvedon to Marks Tey has begun. The £9m job, which started yesterday, will mean delays and lane restrictions until December, warned the Highways Agency . Two lanes will be open in each direction during the day, and a contra-flow
PATIENCE is still the key for West Ham supporters according to manager Alan Pardew. A section of the home crowd were heard booing the players from the field after Saturday's 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town, while striker Marlon Harewood was a regular target
Kevin Watson can't wait to get stuck into West Bromwich Albion at Layer Road tomorrow night. Colchester United have been pitched against Gary Megson's newly-promoted Premiership side in second-round Carling Cup action. And the 30-year-old experienced
Andy Clark saw his Halstead Town side draw Thurrock in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup, then said: "It doesn't get much tougher than that." The club formerly known as Purfleet will visit Rosemary Lane on Saturday, October 2, when £3,750 prize
Colchester Council will have to stump up £60,000 to keep the town's street wardens. The five community wardens were hailed as a "huge success" at last night's cabinet meeting. But to save them would mean a further strain on next year's budget, in which
Governors, teachers and members of staff were having a crunch meeting today after a school was placed in special measures following an Ofsted inspection. New man at the helm - acting headteacher John Baker Lexden Springs School, which teaches children
