Archive
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Colchester: Tragic loss of links to father
A grieving woman has lost a treasured locket containing her late father's ashes and a lock of his hair. Tracy Rowlands returned from a shopping trip in Colchester town centre to find the gold keepsake missing from her neck. It contains some of the ashes
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Soccer preview: Essex Intermediate League
After a two week break, there is a chance to look forward to see where the honours may be heading come the end of the season. In Senior Division One, current champions Bishops Stortford Swifts are sitting at the top of the pile, but there is a close chasing
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Soccer: Third time lucky for Billericay?
Billericay Town are to make a third attempt at staging their Essex Senior Cup fourth round tie. On the first occasion the Ryman League Premier Division side were due to host Third Division Aveley the New Lodge pitch was frostbound. Then, two days before
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Westcliff: Care centre is up for auction
A former respite care centre in Westcliff is set to go under the hammer in an auction later this month. Lulworth Court on Chalkwell Esplanade is being sold off by estate agents Dedman on January 19, following its sudden closure in December. It had been
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Stansted: Airline suspends flights
Korean Airlines has announced it is to suspend all its flights from Stansted Airport until further notice. Thursday's move comes two weeks after a Korean Air 747 fell from the sky and crashed in a ball of flames two minutes after taking off from the airport
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South Essex: Much-loved Tory stalwart dies
Tributes have poured in for former MP Sir Bernard Braine, who has died aged 85. The long-serving Tory sat in the House of Commons for 42 years - first as Billericay MP for five years from 1950, then as member for south-east Essex. He then took on the
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Canvey: Plan for lamp-post phone mast
A lamp-post on Canvey could become home to three mini mobile phone masts under new plans revealed today. Orange Personal Communications hopes to replace the light outside 174, Link Road, with a new one, complete with three antennae and an equipment cabin
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Southend: Seafront bosses backing for Swine
Bosses at Southend's seafront theme park today welcomed news that cash has been found to build a record-breaking rollercoaster at the end of the pier. Peter Pan's Adventure Island bosses have "no reservations" about the proposed Swine rollercoaster. We
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Chelmsford: Woman, 80, saved from blazing flat
Two Chelmsford Ambulance paramedics helped four Chelmsford fire fighters rescue an 80-year-old woman from her blazing flat in Great Baddow on Thursday morning. The woman was revived by oxygen given to her by Paul Whiting and Mike Richards of Chelmsford
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Witham: Grieving mum's video joy
A Witham mother whose 21-year-old daughter was killed in a car crash three years ago has been given 'the best New Year present ever' - a video tape of her, which she did not know existed. For 50-year-old Rose Page, of Samphire Close, viewing the moving
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Brantham: Pupil hurt in crash
A schoolgirl was hurt after a school coach and an empty bus were involved in a crash. The coach carrying about 35 schoolchildren was on its way to Brantham when the accident happened. The First Eastern Counties bus was also travelling towards Brantham
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Angling: Cameras to make Leigh fishing a little safer
A safer seafront could be on its way to Leigh Old Town thanks to a European grant. Just over £7,000 has been awarded to help fit five spy cameras in the Old Town. Another £7,000 in match-funding will come from Leigh Town Council and Southend Council.
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Wethersfield: A home for Bobby?
said: "Bobby is a nice little dog who is well behaved. He was a little bit thin when he arrived, but not in bad condition." Miss Gillespie hoped that annual RSPCA campaigns not to give a pet as a Christmas present Bobby the collie cross's New Year's resolution
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Tendring: Improved service hopes as group wins trust status
A group committed to providing better health care services for residents across Tendring was today celebrating being one of the first in the country to be granted trust status. The Tendring Primary Care Group's bid was officially approved yesterday. It
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Harwich, Dovercourt: Residents' festive spirit draws praise
The efforts of individuals to put up their own Christmas lighting in Harwich and Dovercourt have been praised. But Marian Rowland, co-ordinator of the Teen Talk service from Dovercourt High Street, has joined calls for the town to unite to ensure a proper
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Colchester: University challenge beckons for town students
A record number of students at Colchester Sixth Form College have been offered places at the top universities in the country. Opportunities to study at Oxford and Cambridge colleges have been offered to 17 students on condition they achieve the right
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Cross Country: Dobson in fine form at Colchester
A busy festive period for the Springfield Striders ended with a superb winning performance from Paul Dobson in the latest North Essex Cross Country fixture at Abbey Fields, in Colchester. Dobson took control of the race from the start and was out of sight
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Clacton: Woman, 78, disturbs burglars at her home
A pensioner returned from visiting a sick relative in hospital to find burglars had ransacked her home. The 78-year-old woman is believed to have disturbed two men after she had returned from Clacton Hospital where she was visiting a close relative. The
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Ice Hockey: Rage rocked by superb Chieftains
Chelmsford Chieftains started the new year with a bang as they thrashed basement club Cardiff Rage on Sunday at the Riverside Ice & Leisure Centre, and in doing so, they consolidated top spot in the English Premier League. In front of a good crowd
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Soccer: Little looks for more away success
Alan Little has ordered his Southend United team to continue their good run of form away from Roots Hall at Third Division pace-setters Barnet. Blues have failed to pick up a solitary win from their last six outings on home soil, but have only lost one
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Soccer: Dozzell winning fitness battle
Colchester midfielder Jason Dozzell is winning his fitness battle to play against high-flying Bristol Rovers. The former Ipswich and Tottenham star faces a late fitness test on a bruised foot but should be ready for the visit of Ian Holloway's in-form
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Soccer: Morris goal seals win
City should have romped home far more convincingly against poor opposition in this Bank Holiday Monday game at New Lodge, but a hatful of missed chances meant that an opportunist goal by the ever alert Steve Morris on the hour proved to be the winner.
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Athletics: Burrell is a five star runner at Witham
On Boxing Day, 14 members of Chelmsford Athletics Club competed in the annual Witham five-mile road race. It was a successful day as four of the individual event medals went to Chelmsford club runners. In the senior men's race, John Burrell came first
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Soccer round-up: Pope & Smith Sunday League
When the season began, all the smart money was riding on Cherry Tree Sports for the Premier Division title, particularly after they had attained an influx of talent from the now defunct Melbourne United. But to date it is Mark Hawkes' Heybridge Social
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Action stations for sporting youngsters
A group of youngsters have been keeping busy during the school holidays by enjoying a sporting bonanza. Those attending the Sport Action course at Thorpe Hall School, Wakering Road, Thorpe Bay, were able to take part in basketball, badminton, table tennis
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Hockley: Safety officer's suicide followed 'panic attack'
A health and safety officer leapt to his death from the same multi-storey car park where he had seen another man commit suicide, an inquest has heard. Stephen Edward Pawsey, 39, of Jubilee Close, Hockley, died from multiple injuries in Southend town centre
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Basildon: Cabbies shrug off a quiet new year
'A one-off slump' is how the millennium has been described by Basildon's taxi drivers. Free all-night trains, the millennium hype, mild weather and a number of Essex's top nightclubs being closed, all contributed to a startlingly low demand for cabs.
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Harwich: Man lost job after just two hours
A man has been given thousands of pounds after claiming he was unfairly dismissed less than two hours after getting a job. John Tipple was awarded the money in a settlement after he lost the job as a deckhand with Westminster Dredging. The company declined
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Colchester: Son slams hospital after mum's death
A grieving son has criticised the health service because his mother died a day after being sent home from hospital with painkillers. He branded the standard of care given by doctors at Colchester General Hospital "unacceptable". It follows the death of
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Essex: Sickness absence costs county £11.5 million
Sickness absence cost Essex County Council around £11.5 million with an average absentee rate of 14 days for every full-time employee during 1998/99. The highest incidence of sickness was in social services, with 17.6 days per full-time employee, and
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Southend: Befriending scheme gets some help
Staff at a Southend company paid to wear casual clothes to work and raised more than £400 to help a local charity. Jane Littlejohn, supervisor at Lloyds TSB Card Company, is a befriender with the shared leisure and advocacy service which helps out people
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Colchester: Baby-faced Tories are getting younger
Talk about starting them young! A week-old baby is set to become the youngest ever Conservative party recruit. Little Amy Yalland, who was born just 36 hours before the dawn of the new millennium, has been signed up by her father Adrian, chairman of Essex
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Southend: Airport plans delayed again
Expansion plans designed to turn Southend Airport into the gateway to Europe for the millennium will not be made public for another two months. Plans for a new terminal building, visitor centre and railway station, which airport bosses vowed would be
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Refugees set for homes in Maldon
Asylum seekers look set to be housed in the Maldon district, a report to councillors has revealed. And already a hotel group which specialises in accommodating refugees has purchased a property in the district which is being converted to accommodate 40
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Wickford: Love-sick barn owl returns home after escape
Love-lorn barn owl Oki was today back home safe and sound after breaking out of his aviary in search of his lost mate. Oki has become something of a worry to his owners on The Wick estate, Wickford, by mastering the art of escape. This was the third time
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Braintree: Girl speaks for first time
Little Paige Furner's condition means she has been locked in a world of her own since she was born. The three-year-old, of Lister Road, Braintree, has struggled to speak and had never called parents Karena and Jerry 'mum and dad'. But now Paige is making
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Colchester: Schools merger showdown
Angry parents grilled County Hall officers about their plan to merge two Colchester schools. Nearly 200 parents from Prettygate infant and junior schools confronted Essex County Council officials and county councillor David Westcott on Wednesday night
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Rugby preview: Caution is the key says Rochford boss...
Rochford manager Graham Pratt has warned his players not to take anything for granted as they prepare forSaturday's big London League Division Three derby game at Canvey Island. Rochford, who haven't played a competitive match since their victory over
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Soccer preview: Swifts fly off in search of points...
Heybridge Swifts are in search of Ryman League Premier Division points on Saturday when they visit Aldershot Town, a side who have won their last five league games. But Swifts have a good record at the Recreation Ground, and will be looking to return
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Basildon: No change of fortune
Basildon's notorious Fortune of War roundabout is set to stay - for the time being at least. Highways bosses said today it would cost more than £1 million to "straighten out" the A127. The 'roundabout' stopped serving as a roundabout in 1994 after earning
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Braintree: Man, 84, escapes gas blast at home
A Braintree pensioner escaped from his blazing home after a gas explosion set the house on fire. The 84-year-old man escaped with minor burns and smoke inhalation. The incident happened at about 11.30am on New Year's Eve, when the elderly man, who does
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Stansted: Vital fault on crash 747...
Air accident investigators have revealed a vital navigation aide failed seconds before a Korean Air jumbo crashed near Stansted Airport. A fault had developed with the altitude director indicator, which tells crews the exact position of an aircraft at
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Marks Tey: Man jailed after bootlegging fraud
A trusted member of a bootlegger's inner circle has been jailed for four years for his part in a £23 million duty fraud. Graham West, of London Road, Marks Tey, was one of the main suppliers of alcohol to the organisation run from behind bars by "mastermind
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Colchester: New shop opening date
Shoppers left wondering when a newly refurbished sports shop in Colchester High Street will open, finally have an answer. JJB Sports will start moving stock into the former Co-op store at St Nicholas House on January 23, a spokeswoman for the company
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Soccer preview: City facing injury crisis
Injuries will force Chelmsford City manager Gary Bellamy to have a match day roll call on Saturday before selecting his side for the difficult Dr Martens League match away to Sittingbourne (kick off 3pm). Definitely out is goalkeeper Paul Catley (another
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Soccer: Billericay held at Harrow
Town had the ill luck to play a side propping up the table on Bank Holiday Monday and very nearly found their opponents' desperation for points too much for them. Having gone behind to a soft goal early on, Town did not take long to get back on terms
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Golf: Cook's winning recipe...
Roger Cook and Dave Shevill won Basildon Golf Club's New Year Foursomes competition. They scored a total of 39 points - 20 out and 19 back - in the Foursomes Stableford, which was held in conjunction with new captain Colin Hodges's drive-in. Kim Bishop
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Billericay: Work starts on £1m pub
Work has started on Billericay's controversial new £1 million pub. The old Co-Op building in the High Street's was today being transformed into the Blue Boar as part of ambitious plans by pub chain J D Wetherspoon. Bosses have promised 30 jobs for local
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Wethersfield: War veteran, 80, pens battle book
A second World War veteran once stationed at Wethersfield has written a book charting his varied experiences on battle lines across Europe. David Powis was based at the Essex camp at the beginning of 1944 as a member of the Devonshire Regiment, also known
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Colchester: More DIY jobs for town?
A big-name retailer could close its two Colchester branches and build a huge new superstore creating an extra 130 jobs. Sainsbury's Homebase outlets in St Andrew's Avenue and Tollgate, Stanway, could be closed down. And a big new DIY store and garden
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Chelmsford: Youth attacked in convenience store
A teenager is being treated for serious injuries after he was attacked at a convenience store. The 16-year-old victim was assaulted by a youth outside the Co-op in Kings Road, Chelmsford. Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident, which happened
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Chelmsford: Hopes for city status
Chelmsford must wait a bit longer to discover if it will finally be awarded the coveted, and, many consider, long overdue, city status. The county town is one of 39 which have applied to become a city in this millennium year, but no announcement was made
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Let's be proud of Castle Point...
A campaigning former councillor has called for support to give Castle Point its own identity. Terry Norman, who lost his seat at the local elections last May, is urging people to stand up and take pride in their borough. He has written to the council
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South Essex: Hague's sadness at MP's death
Tory leader William Hague today hailed Sir Bernard Braine as a "loyal colleague, a fine parliamentarian and one of the Commons' greatest characters." He spoke following the death of the former MP who served much of south Essex during his distinguished
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Colchester: 250 jobs on way at B&Q
A major expansion by a DIY store could create 250 jobs in Colchester. Household giant B&Q has already secured planning permission for a DIY and garden superstore in the Hythe area of the town. Yesterday (Thursday) it announced it hoped to launch the
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Soccer preview: Town and Gulls face home tests
For entirely different reasons, Billericay Town and Canvey Island will be anxious to record home wins in the Premier Division on Saturday afternoon. While Gulls, desperately searching for consistency, host third from bottom Aylesbury looking for maximum
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250 jobs on way at B&Q
A major expansion by a DIY store could create 250 jobs in Colchester. Household giant B&Q has already secured planning permission for a DIY and garden superstore in the Hythe area of the town. Today it announced it hoped to launch the new superstore
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Soccer: Greene denies transfer plea
Colchester United's David Greene hasdenied he has handed in a transfer request. The defender is in dispute with the club after talks on a new contract broke down earlier this week. A statement issued by the club claimed the player asked for terms which
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Colchester: School tribute to tragic pupil
A Colchester school has paid tribute to a teenage pupil who died after an epileptic fit. Elizabeth Haher, 13, of St Paul's Road, Colchester, suffered a seizure while in the bath on December 29. St Benedict's College pupil Elizabeth was enthusiastic and
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Mundon: Mum leads safety call
Mundon Parish Council has taken up a mother's campaign to get traffic improvements in the village. Mrs Sharon King whose daughter is recovering after a recent accident in the road has raised the issue with the parish council, and plans to write to county
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Athletics: Sarah holding Olympic ambition
In one way or another, it's going to be a big year for Colchester's star athlete Sarah Claxton. The ultimate prize will be selection for the Great Britain Olympic team for the Sydney 2000 Olympics and to that end Sarah has been training throughout the
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Soccer: Colchester boss lays down the law
Colchester United boss Steve Whitton is urging his fringe players to buckle down and start challenging for a first team place. Several players at Layer Road are sweating on their U's futures as the club goes into the second half of the season. And with
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Colchester: Neighbour facing assault charge cleared
A neighbour's dispute has ended with one of them being cleared by a court of an assault charge. Trouble between Amalia Clemens and Greta Clampin flared last summer after a long-running dispute over a right of way between their adjoining houses in Colchester
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Golf: Driving in for space
On the second day of January in the year 2000, the new Channels' Golf Club captain, Mr Tony Stubbings, put one of his two reserved car parking spaces up for auction for this coming 12 months. Tony, as club president, already has a parking spot and he
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Rugby preview: Islanders aim for quarter-final ticket
Mersea Rugby Club are looking to book a place in the quarter-finals of the Tetley Bitter Vase. Standing in their way are fifth round opponents Surrey division two's Old Wellingtonians. Mersea will again have home advantage, so far they have not been draw
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Darts: Bobby's out to dazzle
Prepare to be dazzled! Bobby's back. Essex's Bobby George, Britain's most flamboyant and best-loved darts professional sets out on Sunday to capture the title he covets most - the Embassy World Professional Darts Championship. After successfully making
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Soccer: Witham make a point
This was a relegation battle as both teams had struggled this season with Witham introducing Jamie Gold, formerly of Maldon Town, while Ben Bartlett was making his first start since rejoining the club. The home side had the better of the first part of
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Soccer: Iron lose again
Braintree were encouraged by taking the lead three times at Maidenhead on Monday, but still lost again, beaten by a last minute decider. At times the exchanges were little more than a lottery with the ball skidding or plopping depending where it came
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Ross rules in the draw
Ross Taylor was outstanding as Swifts earned a hard fought point in Monday's game at Scraley Road, with a point probably a fair return. Swifts' Nicky Simpson had a super first half and on 24 minutes he saw a cracking shot headed off the line and he then
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Pitsea: Time is called on the Cornhusker
The doors of a landmark Pitsea pub were today closed with a sign attached saying the company which runs it had ceased trading. Enquiries concerning the Cornhusker Carvery, formerly Aunt Fanny's and originally the Gun, are being directed to Begbies Traynor
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Wrabness: Farewell to village pub
A village has lost its last pub. Last orders were called at The Wheatsheaf in Wrabness for the final time this week - and it now looks set to be turned into a private house despite last-minute pleas to save it. A planning application submitted by owners
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Braintree: Villagers unite to fight threat to post offices
Communities across the Braintree and Witham district are united in protest over Government plans which they say threaten the survival of the village post office. Petitions are being signed in post offices throughout the area, as customers voice their
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Mid Essex: Crisis in casualty
A continuing bed crisis at Broomfield Hospital's has led to 17 patients staying overnight in the accident and emergency department, union members have claimed. Health union UNISON also claims that nurses are being put in an impossible and dangerous situation
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Southend: Three men (and a woman) in a boat
Southend sailor Tony Bullimore regained his sea legs for the opening of the 46th Boat Show at London's Earl's Court. Tony, who is best known for his dramatic survival in a capsised boat, grew up in Southend before moving away. More than 1,000 different
