In today's Gazette: Council tax is set to rise in Colchester for the first time in three years.

The coalition wants to snub the Government's offer of a £100,000 grant to freeze the bill and raise its part of the tax bill by 1.95 per cent to raise £200,000.

* An agroraphobic woman was told she has to attend JobCentre appointments in person - instead of via videolink - under new rules.

Jen Lant, 22, of Marks Tey, says it is virtually impossible to go out of her house and said she hoped to be able to work from home.

* An inquest has heard quad bike rider Adam Mander had been driving too fast and had not been wearing a helmet when he died.

Mr Mander, 29, from Langham, died after crashing into a wall.

* A teenager who was raped in Clacton has spoken of her terrifying ordeal.

The 17-year-old said she was grabbed by the hair and dragged around the corner of garages in Alton Park Road where she was attacked.

For more on  these and other great stories, see today's Gazette. There is always more in the paper than there is online.