Archive
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Canvey: Cuddly critters for Christmas
Youngsters at William Read Primary School in Long Road, Canvey, took part in a day of fun to raise money for their new swimming pool. Dozens of children had decorated cakes and made cards for competitions held during their school bazaar. Their parents
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Manningtree: Kittens could be destroyed
Two kittens discovered in a warehouse face death unless a wealthy cat lover comes to their rescue. The kittens ended up in quarantine amid fears they might have accidentally boarded a lorry in Spain. Discovered by an eagle-eyed worker in a warehouse owned
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Rugby: Last-gasp miss saves Priors...
For the third week in succession Southend started in rampant style with Lloyd Goddard and Edmund Murinyu running in tries form 40 yards. Scrum half Mark Downing converted both to put the visitors in the driving seat. But Burnham's forwards battled their
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Colchester: Gun fired at vehicle
A gunman blasted three rounds into a car on a residential Colchester street. Police believe a Jaguar XJ6 pulled up next to a white Suzuki on New Kiln Road, Lexden, at 11.13pm last night and opened fire. The Jaguar then drove away at high speed leaving
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Chelmsford, Basildon: £7 bn defence merger finalised
British Aerospace and GEC Marconi have completed a long-awaited £7 billion merger. GEC, which has sites in Christopher Martin Road, Basildon, and in Chelmsford, will join with BAe to form a new company called BAE SYSTEMS. Despite this, GEC has retained
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Clacton: Jail for 'greedy' care home boss
Callous care home boss Thelma Hitchiner betrayed the trust of the people she was supposed to be looking after by stealing their money. She even guided the hand of one blind resident to sign what he thought were small withdrawals. But a court heard how
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Southend: Road safety call
A ward councillor is calling for a 20mph zone to improve road safety around Milton conservation area in Southend. Councillor Ray Davy (Con) wants to see the new lower limit put in force to complement speeding restrictions which have already been put in
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Braintree: Tobacco tin clue to body in lake
A photograph of a tobacco tin has helped police identify the body of a man found floating in a water-filled gravel pit in a quiet corner of Braintree. Phillip Haines, 43, of Beech Avenue, Braintree, was seen in the water by a man walking his dog at Waterfield
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Southend: Very special day for baby Jack
Baby Jack Hatton was able to pose for the camera, thanks to the care and devotion of staff in Southend Hospital's neonatal unit. When he was born prematurely in May, he weighed just 2lb 9oz and needed all the skills and equipment available in the intensive
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Pitsea: Lucky escape for motor scooter boy
A motorcyclist was today lucky to be alive after being flung over the roof of a car in a terrifying road smash. Despite being dazed and injured, 16-year-old Steven Curtis called for help on his mobile phone as he lay dazed and injured in the road. The
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Basildon: Knocked out by chemist's error
A couple have received an apology from a chemist after young mum Samantha Foster was knocked out in front of her two children by a wrong prescription. The mix-up happened after Miss Foster picked up prescriptions for herself and her young son from AA
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Canvey: Demolition for old folk's home
An old peoples' home on Canvey will be knocked down within the next three years because its foundations are moving, it was revealed today. Little Gypps Court will be demolished and its 25 elderly occupants moved to other homes across Castle Point. More
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Wickham Bishops: Gang show funds help Jo to jamboree
Ranger Jo Wilks is off to New Zealand in January after fellow Guides, Brownies and Cubs staged a gang show to help send her on her way. Jo, 15, of Holt Drive, Wickham Bishops, will be one of ten youngsters representing this country at a World Jamboree
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Southend: Two jailed for cocaine plot
Two men who plotted to flood the streets of Southend with top-quality cocaine were each starting ten-year jail sentences today. They were part of an international cloak and dagger gang that smuggled about £20,000 worth of the drug from Holland. Undercover
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Grays: Shot fired in raid on post office
A gun was fired when two men raided a post office in Dock Road, Grays around 4.15pm yesterday. Two men wearing stocking masks entered the post office -- one with a gun and the other wielding a baseball bat. They demanded cash and a shot was fired. Nobody
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Basildon: Dean, 16, is a dad again
A 16-year-old dad who has just seen his second child born today confessed that life as a teenage parent is a struggle. Dean Grey's son Declan was born six weeks ago - two years after his first-born, a daughter called Tegan-Leigh. But he today admitted
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Soccer: Lua Lua to lead the line
Match-winning teenager Lomana Tresor Lua Lua will spearhead the Colchester attack when Steve Whitton's revamped side take on Swansea City today. Lua Lua, the U's hero in the Second Division clash with fellow-strugglers Chesterfield on Friday, will be
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Manningtree: Eight lives left for kittens
Legend has it that cats have nine lives. Well for a pair of tiny kittens the number has just been reduced to eight. The kittens were set to be killed unless someone was willing to adopt them. Discovered in a Manningtree warehouse and put into quarantine
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Greenstead: Employee stole crates of beer
A man who stole from his employer because he did not receive an expected bonus has been ordered to serve 60 hours community service. Jeremy Caparo, 25, of Hawthorn Avenue, Greenstead, admitted taking two crates of beer from his employers. Colchester Magistrates
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Chelmsford: Comedian and umpire get signing
Celebrity authors popped into Chelmsford to sign copies of their new books. Legendary cricket umpire Dickie Bird and EastEnders star Mike Reid made a flying visit to Chelmsford to meet fans and sign copies of their respective autobiographies. Dickie was
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Braintree: Tributes to man who died in lake
Friends and neighbours have paid tribute to a man whose body was found in a water-filled pit. The body of Phillip Haines, 53, of Beech Avenue, Braintree, was spotted by a man walking his dog at Waterfield Pit, off the town's Convent Lane. He was formally
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Gymnastics: Ribbon gymnasts take a big bow
Give us a twirl - that's the message for Sarah Evans (left) and Melanie Smy, the dynamic rhythmic gymnastics duo from Basildon's South Essex Club, after they had won a silver medal in the senior ribbon duet in a major competition in Northampton. The pair
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Rugby: Basildon have the edge...
A good-sized crowd turned out to enjoy this exciting game of end-to-end rugby which Basildon clinched by three points. Westcliff continously rucked their hosts off the ball, but the new towners were superior in the mauls, gaining possession which their
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Darts: Player dies after win
A darts player who collapsed during a match later died in hospital. Norman Double, known as Titch, was playing for the RA Club at the United Services Club in Dovercourt. Mr Double, of Willow Way, who was in his 70s, had just won his game when he collapsed
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Soccer: Tony toasts Ipswich spirit
Tony Mowbray is relying on adrenaline to carry Ipswich Town through tonight's match at Selhurst Park against crisis club Crystal Palace. The Ipswich player-coach, who played a key role in the 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest on Sunday, believes two games
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Soccer: Get on road to Wembley, Southend told
Southend United manager Alan Little has urged his side to hit the Wembley trail in this evening's Auto Windscreens Shield tie against Cheltenham Town. This competition, exclusive to Second and Third Division teams, is frowned upon by many clubs, but Little
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Soccer: Holland happy to see Ipswich winning
Ipswich captain Matt Holland is not worried about Town's latest failure to turn possession into goals - this time against Nottingham Forest. Holland scored the only goal to beat David Platt's expensive under-achievers at the City Ground on Sunday. But
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Soccer round-up: Southend District League
Sparkbridge moved up to second spot in the Southend District League Premier Division when they beat Sixty Acres 2-1 with goals from Kellard and Cox. Canvey Orient's Tandy was in electric form with five goals as his side took over third place by sinking
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Schools round-up: Fitz turn on style at Sweyne Park...
Rayleigh's Fitzwimarc School were the dominating factor when the Castle Point and Rochford Schools' Cross Country Championships were staged at Rayleigh's Sweyne Park. Having captured all four individual team prizes, they easily took the Gordon Irons Trophy
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Basildon: Angry man put pool balls in sock
Furious Colin Campbell armed himself with two pool balls in a sock when he went hunting a man who had threatened his mother. But he never had the chance to gain revenge because police saw him acting suspiciously in Long Riding, Basildon. The officers
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Witham, Hatfield Peverel: Urgent action on A12 plan
Action is being demanded to start work on a link road between Witham and Hatfield Peverel - two years after permission was first granted. Braintree MP Alan Hurst and a host of angry councillors want to get a link road between Witham and Hatfield Peverel
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Tilbury: Doll present for 'Dani'
Police in Tilbury are trying to trace the owner of a Christmas present and a child's clothing found abandoned. The present - which was found partially opened in Feenan Highway - is a speaking doll, which has "Dani" written on it. The clothes are a Ladybird
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Jaywick: Teenager, 15, tackles home blaze
A teenager has been praised after helping to put out a fire in his Jaywick home. Colbayns High School pupil Sean Humberstone, 15, was at home in Glebe Way when fire broke out at noon yesterday. Sean's sister Mandie, 24 and friend Alan Newcombe were also
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Colchester: Animal protest worry
Police were called to Petsmart, Cowdray Avenue, Colchester, after fears of a possible animal rights demonstration following TV reports of alleged animal cruelty in other Petsmart stores. Officers attended after two men drove up in a van blowing whistles
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Thorpe: Man jailed after attack on teenager
A man who rubbed blood in a teenage girl's face and hair during an unprovoked attack has been jailed. Andrew Parker will mark his 23rd birthday in custody after Colchester magistrates sentenced him to six weeks' imprisonment. Amanda Stear, prosecuting
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Stansted Airport to lead two-year study
Stansted Airport is to play a leading role in a £900,000 study into airport-related problems. Essex is one of nine European regional authorities and English counties to gain funding through a European Union community initiative for a study into the problems
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Clacton, Chelmsford: Crashes kill two pedestrians
Police are appealing for witnesses following two separate road collisions in which pedestrians died. The first happened at about 7pm on Friday at the junction of Skelmersdale Road and Granville Road, Clacton, and involved a pedestrian and a Vauxhall Cavalier
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Colchester: Shunt puts car through window
Shoppers had a lucky escape when a car was rammed across a pavement on a busy shopping day and through the front window of a wine bar. A motorist was waiting for a parking space at Crouch Street, Colchester, on Saturday when her automatic Rover leapt
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Sible Hedingham: Vandals destroy pupils' dome
Vandals destroyed a millennium dome built by pupils. They left broken glass strewn over the playground, ripped down goalposts and tried to uproot trees at Sible Hedingham Primary School. The next day vandals attacked toilets at the village recreation
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Showjumping: Felsted jumper in final
Felsted's Rowena Ockendon-Day has secured herself a place in the final of a major national show jumping championship to be held at the Royal International Horse Show in July. Rowena, 21, finished second in the Hunter Wilson Novice qualifying competition
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Chelmsford: Police in club brawl
Officers from an elite anti-crime unit wreaked havoc in a Chelmsford nightspot. Members of the National Crime Squad are thought to have been on a Christmas party when the trouble started at Chicago Rock Cafe. Chelmsford police were called to the Friday
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Bowls: Essex into the last eight
Essex County's bowlers have moved on into the quarter finals of the Liberty Trophy after beating Gloucestershire by 119 shots to 111 at Desborough in a thrilling match that would have graced the final. Essex soon got into their stride and were ahead and
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Colchester: Flat lobby fire traps residents
Terrified residents were trapped inside their burning block of flats after a suspected arson attack. A young family were poised to make a daredevil escape from the top floor of the block of six flats - Laurel Court, Magnolia Drive, Greenstead, Colchester
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Billericay: Gorman's Mayor of London bid blocked
Billericay MP Teresa Gorman has failed in her last-minute bid to become Tory candidate for the Mayor of London. She has told how Conservative party selectors rejected her bid, along with another five of the total 15 candidates, at an initial meeting last
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Soccer: Canvey coach keeps the faith after defeat
Keep faith in us - that's the defiant message from Canvey coach Glenn Pennyfather despite the Islanders' Ryman League Premier Division mini-slump continuing with defeat in Surrey on Saturday. Gulls had on-loan Colchester striker Neil Gregory and winger
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North & Mid-Essex: Waiting lists under fire
An MP has hit out at "appalling" hospital waiting lists across mid Essex. West Chelmsford MP Simon Burns is angry patients are not being treated within the Government's 18-month national standard waiting time and he is determined to press the matter with
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Great Easton: Mike's big screen role
Soap star and comedian Mike Reid is appearing in a new East End gangster movie opposite Hollywood heart-throb Brad Pitt. EastEnders' star Mike Reid, who lives in Great Easton, near Great Dunmow, is currently shooting the follow up to the successful Brit-movie
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Colchester: Passer-by to the rescue
A family were alerted by a passerby after firebugs set fire to leaves in the porch of their home. The large pile of burning leaves set fire to the front door of the house on Camulodunum Way, Colchester. Firefighters were called at 9pm last night and put
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Laindon: Ofsted report thrills school
Government inspectors struggled to find a bad word to say about a Laindon school during a recent visit. The inspectors from Ofsted visited Millhouse Junior School, in Tavistock Road, Laindon, in October and were more than impressed with what they found
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Soccer: Colchester give Brown new chance
Simon Brown has another chance to stake a claim for a new Colchester United contract in tonight's Auto Windscreens Shield first round tie against Swansea. The former Tottenham Hotspur keeper, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Friday, has experienced
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Soccer: Rangers' future secure
The future looks bright for Kingdown Rangers under-12 A side - after they were lucky to stay together last season. The team had gone through three managers and many of the boys left due to the continual upset. Then Steve Brookes, who has managed Benfleet
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Soccer round-up: Southend Sunday League
Benson served Ralee really well in the Southend Sunday League Second Division when he scored six goals for his side in a 12-0 success at Trinity 2nd. In the same division, Hallett's hat-trick, plus a Barnett brace, took Shoebury Old Boys to a 6-1 win
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South Essex: 'Hijack' fears hit A130 meeting
A public meeting to answer vital questions on the multi-million pound A130 bypass has been shelved amid fears eco-warriors would "hijack" it. Local residents called on county council officers in September to come to the village to answer their questions
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Southend: Hotline aid to end care charges problems
A special hotline will be open today for people forced to fork out for day care and other charges. Some of the new charges - for disability car badges, equipment and adaptions - came into force on December 1. However, the new £2 charge for meals-on-wheels
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Leigh: Euro MP to back true Brit butcher
Rebel butcher Dave Stephens has received backing from a Euro MP in his fight against being forced to go metric from January 1. Dave, who runs Mandy's Chop Shop in Leigh with his wife Mandy, has vowed to defy the latest edict from Brussels for all shops
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Basildon: Council tax rebates for the disabled
The disabled in Basildon could be in line for cheaper council taxes. Some residents living in band A homes may be eligible for reductions under a new Government initiative to be introduced next year. Bills could be slashed by up to a ninth - or around
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Civvies plug gaps in Essex Police ranks
Essex Police are 35 constables short of the manpower they can afford - but new moves in using civilian labour aim to make better use of trained officers. The head of personnel and training for Essex Police, John Rhimes, said that a shortfall in the number
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Colchester: Hunt for gunman who shot at house
Police are hunting a gunman who fired an airgun pellet through the front window of a Colchester house. The woman at the house in Magnolia Drive, Greenstead, was uninjured in the attack. She was upstairs on Saturday afternoon when she heard a bang and
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Braintree: Bosses donate lights money
A generous firm has stumped up cash to buy a new set of Christmas lights for Braintree. Kind-hearted bosses at Electronic Packaging Systems (UK) chose to buy the yuletide decorations for the town's Christmas tree after reading an article in This Is Essex
