In today's Gazette: A bus and a lorry crashed on the A12 causing the road to be closed for more than four hours.

Medics say it was miraculous the drivers escaped unscathed. However, the smash, between Lexden and the community stadium, resulted in gridlock across Colchester.

* The daughter of an ex-serviceman stole his medals and those of his father.

Julie Lofts, 45, of Mountbatten Drive, Colchester, was given an eight month jail sentence, suspended for two years.

* Joker Dave Mateer is on his way to becoming a YouTube sensation after getting thousands of hits on his comedy video.

Dave, 24, from Stanway, has already had more than 11,000 views of his hidden camera-style films

* Staff and councillors at Colchester Council are set for a 1.5 per cent pay rise.

The pay rise, the first for three years, will cost the authority £300,000.

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