Archive
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Chelmsford: Art genius in the sands of the gods
Holiday snaps taken abroad earlier this year by Chelmsford tourists have fascinated and amazed their friends. The scenes, photographed at resorts in Spain and India, feature the latest craze sweeping the world's beaches -- the creation of fantastic sculptures
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Soccer: Colchester wrap up friendly fixtures
Colchester United wrapped up their pre-season friendly programme with a win and a draw in a two-day tournament in Cumbria at the weekend. Goals from Jason Dozzell and Karl Duguid earned the U's a 2-1 success over former GM Vauxhall Conference rivals Gateshead
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Soccer: Colchester hit by injury crisis
Colchester United boss Mick Wadsworth is ready to make a last-minute dash into the transfer market following injuries to key strikers Lomana Tresor Lua Lua and Jamie Moralee. The exciting Lua Lua and Moralee are both rated extremely doubtful by Wadsworth
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Soccer: Burley's transfer target
Ipswich Town boss George Burley will step up the chase for a left-sided midfielder this week after he confirmed triallist Romeo Wouden had been released. The 28-year-old Sparta Rotterdam winger had been tipped to replace Bobby Petta but, after a disappointing
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Cricket: Recall delight for Such
Essex star Peter Such today expressed his delight after receiving a shock recall to the England squad for the third Test against New Zealand. The 35-year-old off-spinner has been overlooked by the selectors since his last appearance against Australia
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Soccer: Canvey ready for Dover test
Canvey's three ex-Dover players are set to feature against the Conference side in an intriguing warm-up game tonight as the Islanders seek to bounce back from Saturday's misleading defeat. Double hernia victim Steve Tilson, who made a brief return in
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Witham: Innocent man branded pervert and assaulted
Three men went looking for a "pervert" who followed a woman when she walked home at night through a Witham graveyard. But Jason Stevens picked the wrong man, punching and kicking him, Chelmsford magistrates heard. Of previous good character, Stevens,
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Sentence for trio in £1.8m will sting
Three people who tried to net £1.8 million in a will fraud were being sentenced on Friday. David and Annette Spillman and her mother Annette Russill set up a sting operation to try to swindle the estate of kindhearted spinster Annie Kay. But they today
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Chelmsford: Campaign launched over Broomfield proposals
A public campaign to halt the closure of three wards at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, has been launched -- amid fears that losing 84 beds will have a long-term effect on health care in mid Essex. The campaign is led by Chelmsford and District Trades
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Braintree: Road to the shopping village opens
The final stretch of Millennium Way in Braintree has been opened to traffic, opening up the eastern area of the town. The £1.3 million, half-mile stretch of road was funded by landowners, Wyebrook Developments, in a community gain deal negotiated by Braintree
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Hockley: We'll fight for newts
Campaigners have hit out at councillors who have given the thumbs up to controversial plans to build luxury homes on wildlife-rich land. Rochford Council approved proposals for 66 homes on Etheldore Avenue and Wood Avenue in Hockley on Thursday night
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Laindon: Woman's computer bid to trace sex attacker
A worried Laindon woman is to trawl through computer files in a bid to track down a shaven-headed man who has harassed women and children. She told police she has seen him on several occasions, committing sex acts in bushes in Mellow Purgess while watching
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Chelmsford: MP's delight as football bill becomes law
West Chelmsford Conservative MP Simon Burns is jubilant his Private Member's Bill to crack down on football hooliganism has become law. The new legislation, which came into force last week, is expected to enhance this country's chances of hosting the
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Southend: Will fraudsters all behind bars
Three members of a south Essex family were starting prison sentences today for their roles in a "mean, devious" scheme to steal £1.8 million from a spinster's will. David Spillman, 45, his wife Annette, 47, and his mother-in-law, Annette Russill, 65,
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Dream Team nightmare: 'Children's friend's' secret past
The jury which convicted former Dream Team charity general manager Paul Dean of trying to abduct a small child, later heard he had a record of harrassing young boys. Paul Dean, who helped found the charity, had admitted around 70 charges of making obscene
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Soccer: Tough test for City
Chelmsford City faced a stern test at the weekend when they took on Heybridge Swifts at Scraley Road on Saturday. And they host Gary Hill's new-look Dagenham & Redbridge side at New Lodge on tonight (kick-off 7.45pm). Back into the reckoning for City
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Golfers out in force at Braiswick
Open qualifier Jon Bevan was among those taking part in the Colchester Golf Club Pro-Am '99 at their Braiswick course on Friday. The event, sponsored by This Is Essex's joint publishers Newsquest, featured 46 teams with all profits going to St Helena
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Darts: Lloyd's run at an end but Harrington marches on
Essex darts player Colin Lloyd crashed out of the World Matchplay Championships in Blackpool on Thursday night. Newcomer Lloyd, who had done well to reach the quarter finals, lost 16-8 to Peter Manley. The 25-year-old former Aldham man, now based in Witham
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Southend: Pervert ran kids' charity
A founder of a Southend-based children's charity was today behind bars for trying to snatch a young boy from a council estate. As Paul Dean began a five-year jail sentence for attempted abduction, it emerged that he helped set up the Dream Team charity
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Women's hockey: Chelmsford stars on England duty
Chelmsford Highway star players Becky Alltree and Katy Roberts missed out on early season team training - because they've been on England duties. Team training began in the first week in July, but Alltree, 18, has just returned from a two week tour of
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Bocking: Girl treated in hospital after fence fall
Fire crews came to the rescue when a 12-year-old girl was involved in a bizarre accident. The youngster fell down a slope and embedded her knee on a fence nail at her home. Friday night's incident, in Ashpole Road, Bocking, resulted in Corrinne Bright
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Wickford: Councillors angry over roof of £1.4m school
Angry county councillors are set to take a look around the new Wickford school - amid claims their concerns fell on deaf ears. Oakfield Primary School, on the Wick estate, has been fitted with an aluminium sheeting roof only seen locally on Stansted Airport
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Westcliff: Protesters block new phone masts
Protestors today formed a human barricade to stop more mobile phone masts being erected on the roof of their block of flats in Westcliff. Around 20 people living in Chalkwell Lodge stood across the driveway at the entrance to the flats to stop a large
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Rayleigh: Park attack on couple
Police have appealed for witnesses after a young couple were attacked in a Rayleigh park in the early hours of yesterday morning. The man and woman were in Brooklands Park, near Sweyne Park school on Hockley Road, when they were attacked. They were approached
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Billericay: Man loses mobile home fight
A man who lost everything when his marriage collapsed now risks losing the home he shares with his teenage son. Colin Noddings of Break Egg Hill, Billericay, appeared before Southend Crown Court charged with two offences of breaching council orders to
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Billericay: Fitness centre opens
A new £1 million leisure centre has opened for business and is already boasting healthy membership numbers. LA Fitness said it's delighted with how its new site in Radford Way, Billericay, is shaping up. Managing directors from head office officially
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Soccer: Town sent double Dutch
Perhaps it is appropriate Ipswich should meet their match against a team sharing similar ideals to their own. As careful exponents of the passing game will testify, George Burley's sides have done much to embrace the romantic notion of Total Football.
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Sport shorts: Ekco appeal....
Ekco Monarchs are looking for a few more teams to join their kwik cricket festival on August 11 and 15. The club currently has enough teams to keep three of their five pitches occupied during the 5-8pm sessions. Now they want a few more teams of six boys
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Soccer: Portway leaves Billericay over wage demands
Free-scoring Steve Portway has been released amid new Billericay boss Gary Calder's shake-up - because the striker's "wage demands were too high for what he was showing in return". Calder - who is pruning his squad, but still bringing players in - saw
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Bowls: Maureen's new singles champ
Maureen Goodman claimed her maiden win in the singles final of the 54th Southend Ladies Open Bowls Tournament yesterday. The Greenways bowler defeated Sheila Hennessey of Wickford RBL 21-16 to become champion for the first time at a sun-drenched Priory
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Cricket round-up: Promotion hopes falter after draw...
SOUTHEND 234-9 declared HARLOW 223-6 (DRAW) Southend's hopes of an instant rise to Division Two are in the balance after a big century from either side stole the honours in a tense draw. Australian Brad Everett's 123 was the centrepiece of Southend's
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Thorpe: Father of pub fire victim praises community spirit
The father of a man who lost his home in the fire at The Bell pub in Thorpe has praised villagers for their "tremendous" support. Steve Green's Church Cottage was burnt down by the fire at The Bell Hotel last week. His father Jimmy Green, of Dorset, said
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Harwich: Visitors find best ways to keep cool
Organisers of Harwich's 12th sea festival were on the crest of a wave after hailing it the biggest and best yet. More than 5,000 people flocked to the sea to watch numerous events taking place along the waterfront on Saturday. A First Great Eastern train
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Frinton: Engaged in music break
A couple are to celebrate an eventful 70 years together. Daisy and John Hall of Frinton celebrate their platinum wedding anniversary tomorrow. During the 70 years together they have worked in London, faced financial hardship and started what is now a
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Colchester: All dressed up for fun in the sun
Staff turned St Trinian's girls for the annual fete at a Colchester residential home for the elderly. Residents of Scarletts sat out in the sunshine for a Saturday afternoon full of events including line dancing, a dog show and sponge-throwing stocks,
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Colchester Council tackles landlords
Two bedsit landlords in Colchester have been prosecuted following a "get tough" campaign by the borough council. Two landlords were taken to court for failing to meet requirements laid down by Colchester Council. In the first a Colchester woman admitted
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Colchester: Burglars take £10,000 cash
A family were devastated to return home from work to find their house ransacked and £10,000 cash stolen. Burglars struck at the Queen Mary Avenue home in Colchester between 2.30pm and 6pm on Friday, getting in through the conservatory. Lee Manley, who
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Colchester: Park sealed off during bomb drama
Parts of Colchester's Castle Park had to be cordoned off after a bomb was found floating in the river. Police and the Army bomb disposal team were called to the scene at 5.30pm on Saturday. A member of the public who had seen something suspicious floating
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Southend: Roofer Brian climbs ladder to fame
A roofer celebrating 25 years service has been honoured for his loyalty. Brian Mapes, 49, has worked at the Southend company Briggs Roofing and Cladding in Stock Road, Southend, since it was taken over 15 years ago. He had already spent ten years with
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Southend: End to nasty niffs nears
Confusion surrounds a possible end to the smells problem emanating from a Southend sewage plant. Traders in the Stock Road area of the town have been waiting years to hear a solution to the nasty niffs from the Anglian Water plant. The head of the Environment
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Canvey: Sea wall mugger hit disabled man
A disabled man was knocked out and robbed as he strolled along the sea wall on Canvey. The 41-year-old had walked along Eastern Esplanade, by the Labworth Cafe and around the path under the sea wall at the back of Thorney Bay Beach Camp. He heard the
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Chelmsford: Howzat, Courtney?
West Indies cricketer Courtney Walsh bowled into a Chelmsford bookstore to sign copies of his autobiography. Eager fans popped into Waterstones book store in The Meadows Shopping Centre to meet the star. Courtney was in town to promote his new book, Heart
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Stanford-Le-Hope: Train treat turns sour
A tot's first train journey turned into a nightmare when he and his aunt became trapped in a deserted depot. Three-year-old Jay Wylie has a fascination with trains and his aunt, Jennylyn, decided to take him on a real one as a special treat. They set
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Canvey: Taxi death grandfather should have been on coach
A twist of fate led to the death of a man in a horrific crash, it has emerged. Grandfather-of-two Stanley Starkey, 83, and his wife Joyce were due to catch a coach from Dover on the last leg of their journey home to Canvey from a nine-day trip to Bavaria
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Yachting round-up: A busmans holiday for Webb...
It was a bit of a busman's holiday for lifeboatman Andy Webb at the Marconi Sailing Club's 12th East Coast Piers Race last Sunday. When Webb, coxswain of the Harwich lifeboat and a winner of the long-distance event back in 1993, and crew Paul Gray holed
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Road Racing: Brame a record breaker
John Brame of Tri Sport Epping carried all before him in the Springfield Striders' Tour of Little Baddow, by breaking course records on all four days. Last Sunday, in the road race around Ulting, Brame took an early advantage over his clubmate Steve Smith
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Bowls: Baddow in a king sized win
The Great Baddow Bowling Club won the 'King Cup' and the £200 first prize at the Chelmsford Open Men's Fours Bowls Tournament last Sunday. The event, staged by the Chelmsford Bowling Club and sponsored by Hansen Lloyd Asset Management, attracted 24 entries
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Southend: Trophy time for poignant players
A poignant play performed by the East Essex Players has already taken top honours in the Southend amateur drama festival. Now it has gone on to win the trophy for the best one act play at the National Drama Festival British All Winners Festival. The competition
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Bowers Gifford: Landlord jailed for battering a lodger
A landlord who battered his lodger with a hammer is starting a one-month prison sentence. Barry Dixon snapped after his tenant allegedly stole from the flat and left without paying rent, Basildon Magistrates' Court heard. He confronted Matthew Barratt
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Chelmsford: First female vicar welcomed
The Church of Our Saviour in Chelmer Village has appointed its first female vicar, Rev Clare Nicholson. She has joined the church from Prestwood in Buckinghamshire, and is enjoying her time in Chelmer Village. She said: "I think Chelmer Village is lovely
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Basildon: Sweet treat for Kosovan youngsters
The secret weapon used by army troops to win the trust of war-weary Kosovan children has finally been unveiled. Basildon ex-soldier George King has provided the 518 Pioneer Squadron with all the ammunition they need to woo the youngsters - a huge delivery
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Soccer: Wilkins misses Colchester trip
Colchester United's Wembley winning skipper Richard Wilkins was missing when the U's wrapped up their pre-season programme with games against Gateshead and Workington at the weekend. The former Layer Road captain has a neck injury which prevented him
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New 'suspects' in Rettendon murders
A national newspaper today claimed the two Rettendon killers were innocent of the bloody crimes and blamed an East End cartel. Reporter Jo-Ann Goodwin, writing for the Daily Mail, believes the wrong men are languishing in jail, convicted of the brutal
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Athletics: Chelmsford at their best
Chelmsford Athletics Club held their home meeting of the Eastern Youth Athletes League last Sunday, the penultimate fixture in a series of five meetings for younger athletes in the under 13, under 15 and under 17 age groups. Poor turnouts in the last
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Soccer: Swifts look in fine form
Swifts continued their impressive pre-season form with an excellent win over Leyton Orient on Tuesday. Swifts took the lead in the 17th minute when Dave McCory nipped in and slotted the ball home from close range. Seven minutes later the sides were level
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Soccer: Ipswich close to full strength for Twente
George Burley sent a virtually full-strength Ipswich Town team into battle against Dutch side FC Twente at Portman Road. Town were playing their last big friendly on Saturday before the season kicks off this weekend against David Platt's Nottingham Forest
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Brightlingsea: Fisherman saves drowning man
A fisherman helped to save a drowning man who had fallen from an anchored barge while taking a breath of fresh air. The drama unfolded just off Brightlingsea before dawn on Saturday. Paul Scott, 42, of Elm Drive, Brightlingsea, was on a fishing trip in
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Soccer: Hammers hold soccer school in Broomfield
West Ham United Football Club's community department will be holding their seventh annual soccer school at Broomfield Football Club between August 9 and August 13. Under the guidance of West Ham's Trevor Lewin, those attending will receive coaching in
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Chelmsford: Male nurse convicted of indecent assault
A nurse at a care home has been convicted by a jury on a charge of indecent assault on a fellow member of staff. Francis Oduro, 58, of Lupin Drive, Chelmsford, was cleared on another three similar charges but a jury at Chelmsford Crown Court failed to
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A seaside sizzler at Tendring
Tendring lived up to its name of the sunshine coast with thousands of people flocking to the sea as temperatures soared. Chairman of the Clacton Guest House and Hoteliers Association Terry McKean reported a "brisk trade during the weekend as people flocked
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Cricket round-up: Hathaway soothes middle order slump...
BUCKHURST HILL 189 all out OLD SOUTHENDIAN 192-7 (SOUTHENDIAN WON) Recalled batsman Andy Hathaway blasted promotion-chasing Old Southendian to a narrow victory that skipper Chris Bunce hailed as "exactly what we needed". Hathaway averaged two runs for
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Cricket: Stuart bats to the top
Ever-reliable Aussie Stuart Law has defied Essex's mediocre season by opening up a healthy lead in the national batting rankings. Law is the county's only representative in the latest PPP Healthcare top 24 - although two Essex players have squeezed into
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Boxing: Georgie will fight on despite defeat
Beaten Georgie Smith was today planning to fight on - using the praise of British champion Derek Roche and a packed crowd as his inspiration. Smith, 28, from Basildon, failed by 117-111 on points in his first bid for the UK welterweight crown after one
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Cricket: Davies does damage as Essex nosedive
Essex were comprehensively beaten by an innings and 81 runs by a Northamptonshire side who completed only their second Championship success of the season. Chasing 224 in order to avoid an innings defeat, Essex lost three quick wickets which was later
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Soccer: Tolson shoots down Eagles
Neil Tolson promised to fire Southend United to promotion this season after his stunning treble helped destroy First Division Crystal Palace. The 25-year-old striker gave the battered and bruised Eagles a master class in finishing in Blues' final warm-up
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Maldon begins carnival fun time
Carnival festivities got under way in Maldon. The launch of the biggest party in the town took place with the crowning of the Carnival Queen and the staging of the Maldon Carnival Dog Show. Sarah Jayne Bulley took her place as the face of the celebrations
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First Parklife, now Mars life
Colchester band Blur could be the voice of a project to investigate life on Mars. A British spacecraft named Beagle Two is set to be launched in 2003 to take soil samples from the planet's surface. Music composed by Blur especially for the mission is
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ColchesterL Workman's finger cut off
A workman had his finger cut off while operating a poultry production line. The 42-year-old Colchester man got his fingers caught in machinery at poultry processors Paul Flatman Ltd in Packards Lane, Wormingford, at 6.30am today. He was taken to Colchester
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Colchester: Park in line for major facelift
Colchester's Castle Park could be in for a £3 million facelift over the next few years. Colchester Council is considering an extensive project to revamp the park and plan to start by giving the former nursery site behind the putting green an overhaul.
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White Notley: Time called on post office pub
A brewery has called time on a pint-sized post office which operated from inside a village pub - because it is a security risk. For almost two years regulars had been able to pop into the Cross Keys for a beer ... and a book of stamps. But the part-time
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Castle Point: Fundraising? It's a piece of cake for charity
A garden open day to raise funds for a caring charity was a "piece of cake". To celebrate its silver jubilee, Crossroads, which gives carers of elderly and infirm people a break, had a fundraising day of open gardens across Castle Point. Thanks to supermarket
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Dream Team nightmare: Mum shocked at child-snatch revelations
The mother of a terminally-ill boy helped by a children's charity today said she was shocked to find out its founder has been jailed for trying to snatch a child. Little Jay Theobald and his family went on a holiday of a lifetime to Spain in May so he
