Residents in Point Clear have sent support to a US town of the same name devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Point Clear was aware for years that it shares its name with a place in Alabama since a resident found it on holiday. The town is one of many that
A man told magistrates: "God bless you" after they gave him a conditional discharge for begging. Ian Dines admitted the offence when he appeared at Colchester Magistrates' Court. The court heard that just before 1am on August 16 police had seen Dines
Ian Westlake is facing another seven weeks on the sidelines. The Ipswich Town midfielder - recovering from an ankle injury - was dealt the bombshell after visiting a surgeon yesterday. Westlake had originally been told he would be out for between five
A blueprint aimed at revamping parking in Colchester could mean big changes for traders and residents. Annoying - Keith Gunton, who is unhappy about parking outside his Colchester delicatessen. Picture: STEVE ARGENT (45054-1) The 30-page report lists
A second Clacton man has died on Tendring's roads in a matter of hours. Scene - investigators examine the scene of the accident on Heath Road, Tendring. Picture: STEVE ARGENT (45053-1) Glyn Dresser, a 34-year-old motorcyclist from Carisbrooke Avenue,
A woman who underwent a life-saving liver transplant two years ago is among three mid-Essex people taking part in Sunday's Great North Run. Let's go - Sarah Worth is ready to run. Picture: ADRIAN RUSHTON (45071-2) Sarah Worth, 27, will run the half marathon
Wivenhoe Racing Driver Martin Galpin enjoyed his best result of the season at the latest round of the UK Formula Vee Championship held at Brands Hatch. Galpin started race one from pole position for the first time in his career. A small mistake coming
Schools in Maldon and Chelmsford have scrapped chips from their menus. Better diet - Oliver Smith, Drue Murphy and head chef Lizzy Morris at John Payne School, Chelmsford, where chips will only be served once a week. Picture: NICK OBANK (45042-1) Others
The fuel crisis protest which threat- ened to bring Essex to a standstill, fizzled out yesterday. Mid-Essex was left recovering from the chaotic panic-buying among motorists who queued at filling stations ahead of the threatened blockades. Garages in
Staff at Barclays Bank in Great Clacton have been raising money rather than just processing it to buy a vital piece of equipment for Clacton hospital. Thanks - Jane Howe, deputy audiology manager at Clacton Hospital, receives a cheque for £962 from Sam
Darren Currie is ready to put his penalty-miss heartache behind him by taking it out on East Anglian arch-rivals Norwich City this Sunday. Gunning for goal - Ipswich's Darren Currie hopes he can get on the scoresheet in the derby clash with Norwich City
A PUB in Old Leigh has applied to sell booze until 2am. The owner of Ye Old Smack, in High Street, wants to serve alcohol until 2am, on Fridays and Saturdays and until 1am Monday to Thursday. The pub's owners also want to sell booze until 1.30am on Sundays
A COUPLE were today bracing themselves for a legal battle to prevent council chiefs wiping their address from the Basildon map. Richard, 62, and Barbara, 64, Everett, of Handley Green, Five Links, Laindon, are taking their fight to court to stop their
A pest control firm today revealed how it was being overrun with calls to deal with rodents in Tendring. Combat Pests, based at Eight Ash Green, has seen a major increase in the number of pleas for help from residents across the district. The rise in
TALKING cameras are the latest weapon in the war on vandals wrecking trains and railway stations. Rail firm One will switch on the first camera at Southend Victoria Station on Tuesday. It will operate from dusk til dawn, capture pictures of trespassers
GYM users have reacted with fury after learning their sports centre could be demolished and replaced with a private rugby club. Markhams Chase Leisure Centre would be razed to the ground if proposals to move Basildon Rugby Club there from Gardiners Lane
It doesn't get much more glamorous than this! The latest addition to a Maldon limousine hire company's fleet was imported from America - where it was owned by legendary billionaire Playboy owner Hugh Hefner. Owner Reece Jackson claims anyone hiring the
Two men were due to appear in court today charged with the murder of 27-year-old Westley Odger. Unemployed Andrew Fredericks, 31, of Compton Road, Colchester, and cleaner Mark Fredericks, 36, of Avon Way, Colchester, were due to appear at Colchester Magistrates
BUSKING in Basildon Town Centre could soon be a thing of the past - despite protests from Labour councillors. A slim majority of councillors voted in favour of banning singing and playing musical instruments as part of new measures to combat antisocial
A teenage mum whose baby son was waking up ten times a night will be starring in a new reality TV show on the problems of parenting. Happy now - Casey Bolton, with her son Joshua, will star in the UK TV show, The Baby Squad. Picture: ADRIAN RUSHTON (45072
A HEADTEACHER has called it "a huge shame" her school will be able to use £3million worth of new buildings for a year at most. Thorpe Bay School opened its new teaching block for Year 7 students yesterday, which is the first building to be completed under
Permits allowing people to park outside their own homes could be rationed to just one per household. No spaces - parking problems in Northgate Street, Colchester. Picture: NIGEL BROWN (44935-2) That is part of a radical parking rethink in Colchester.
Anger has followed a decision to remove Walton Pier's most famous and traditional ride. They're off - The Gallopers at Walton Pier has been boxed up by its owner, never to return. The long-standing carousel, dating back to 1898, was yesterday packed up
Shock proposals to move some health services out of Braintree sparked anger from NHS workers and patients. Staff at the clinic in Coggeshall Road, Braintree, say managers told them they are looking at moving some services to the Witham Health Centre in
A group of Colchester women joined together to launch Cancer Research UK's new breast cancer campaign. All together now - Diana Green, Diane Taylor and Linda Jackson are supporting Cancer Research UK's All Women Together campaign. Picture: STEVE ARGENT
Two customers who went to freshen themselves up after a fish and chip lunch came out to find the staff had shut up. All locked up - Reg's fish and chip shop. (45099-a) Bemused shoppers watched on helpless outside Reg's takeaway and restaurant in St John's
Essex players can be sure of a great reception when they complete their season's home programme at Chelmsford on Sunday with a Totesport League clash against Worcestershire. Skipper Ronnie Irani will be presented with the trophy after the match. It's
FREE car parking on Saturday afternoons is being suggested in Basildon, Billericay and Wickford to encourage shoppers to stay all day long. Charges for parking permits for carers organisations and charges to park for just half-an-hour are also among the
ONE THOUSAND jobs could be created by a landmark seafront building which would tower over Southend seafront, dominating the skyline. Designers today exclusively revealed to the Echo plans for Marine Plaza, showing a 16-storey building which would include
Phil Parkinson believes that his team is going to have to grind out another result on the road. Change or stick - will manager Phil Parkinson play Chris Iwelumo in a lone role up front tomorrow? 45003-6 The Colchester United boss is still battling with
