The year has, once again, flown by and it’s time to applaud the best of amateur theatre in the area. Yes, it’s The Paulies - the awards that have no physical entity, but in which I celebrate what I consider to be the best that I have seen this year
PRIMARY schools across north Essex are celebrating another successful crop of SATs results. Government education bosses yesterday published final figures for how Year 6 pupils performed in the summer exams. The 11-year-olds take tests in reading
DEBENHAMS is extending its free parking campaign to encourage shoppers into Colchester town centre. The department store has been offering free parking in Colchester, and the offer was due to finish last Sunday. However, it has announced due
Hundreds of people have been sharing their memories of a much loved Colchester Zoo orangutan. Rajang the orangutan, who has called the Maldon Road attraction his home since 1980, had to be put to sleep due to worsening health. He was 50.
A TEENAGER who threatened a shop cashier with a knife during an attempted robbery has avoided being sent to youth detention. The 16-year- boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, burst into The Willows Convenience Store in The Willows, Colchester
HIGHWAYS bosses preparing the roads for winter have filled in an extra 2,000 potholes in a matter of weeks. Essex County Council fills in more than 1,000 safety critical potholes in the county each month. Hundreds of potholes appeared over the
COLCHESTER'S international swimmer Laura Stephens is hoping to impress at this weekend’s National Winter Championships in her ongoing bid to make the 2020 Olympics. But the 19-year-old butterfly competitor insists she is determined to focus on
COLCHESTER United head coach John McGreal says having all of his forwards available has given him the kind of decisions he wants to make as a manager. Mikael Mandron has impressed after starting the U's last three games as their main target man
The latest Key Stage Two data has been released. In Essex 66 per cent of Year 6 pupils reached the expected grades in reading, writing and maths. Across the county 11 per cent of pupils exceeded expectations. In England the figure for reaching
FORMER Ipswich Town manager Joe Royle believes it is far too early to dismiss his old club as relegation fodder. The Blues are bottom of the Championship – eight points from safety - with just one win from their 21 matches. However, they now
IT is, of course, entirely right that schools and colleges are inspected. Their role in life is vital, ensuring youngsters have a solid education to prepare them for life. The quality of the students will also feed into the prosperity of the country
THE councillor in charge of a controversial plan to shut many of Essex’s libraries has explained why she is against people signing petitions to save them. Susan Barker, County Cabinet Member for Customer and Corporate, also said she did expect
GREEN Party members have selected their Prospective Parliamentary Candidates for the Colchester and Harwich and North Essex constituencies. The candidates have been chosen should there be a snap General Election called between now and June 2019.
POLICE are investigating after a vulnerable man with learning disabilities was punched in the face. The 28-year-old and his carer were in a car in East Stockwell Street, Colchester, at about 6pm on Wednesday, November 21 when a man passing by
THOUSANDS of viewers have watched the team at a small reclamation yard channel their inner Elton John with a spirited recreation of the latest John Lewis Christmas advert. A and D Reclaim, in Sladbury’s Lane, Clacton, enjoys a modest trade due
A COLLEGE has been told it requires improvement following a visit by Ofsted inspectors. Colchester Institute, which has campuses in Sheepen Road in the town as well as in Church Lane, Braintree and Church Road, Clacton, was rated as requiring improvement
An eye-witness has described the moment a man wielding a metal pole demanded cash from staff during an armed robbery at a village convenience shop. The thug entered the Co-op Food Store, in Regent Street, Rowhedge, at around 7.50pm on Tuesday.
THE councillor responsible for public safety has said there are fears over organised crime following a raid at a jewellers. Two brazen thieves, one armed with a gun, were caught on camera strolling out of Ernest Jones after raiding it. The
A TOWN centre eyesore will finally receive some care and attention from developers who were warned by Colchester Council to clean up their act. The owners of the dilapidated ex-Odeon cinema in Crouch Street, Colchester, were ordered by the council
Colchester United midfielder Harry Pell's weekly Gazette column Smells like team spirit WE make the long trip up to Carlisle United this weekend, looking to get another three points. I’ve played up at Brunton Park before – I scored an own
