Archive
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Basildon: Who nicked my milk float?
A Basildon milkman whose float was stolen from under his nose proved he'd gotta lotta bottle when he chased after it on foot. Martin Twelftree was unable to catch up with the thieves as they disappeared into the distance weaving dangerously across the
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Wickford: Funfair boss in home battle
Furious funfair impresario George White has vowed to continue his six-year fight to win a permanent home. Mr White was left disappointed at a third rejection by councillors to an application to use the site where the family currently live as permanent
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Soccer: Colchester forced into pre-season re-think
Colchester United manager Steve Whitton will be working hard this week in a frantic bid to salvage the club's pre-season friendly programme. The U's warm-up programme, due to kick off on Saturday, July 15, is disintegrating by the day following Ford United's
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Chelmsford: Matching children with new parents
Social workers turned matchmakers at a unique event aimed at bringing together children who need families with prospective adoptive parents. More than 100 people were invited by Essex County Council to County Hall, Chelmsford to hear about the children
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Basildon: Web hope to help stray dogs
A desperate attempt to rehome Basildon's many stray dogs has seen the police and council turn to the world wide web. An influx of homeless pooches has seen kennels at the police station and Basildon Council over-run - and few offers of a new home. The
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Brentwood: Retailers slam car park schemes
Suggestions for the future of Brentwood's North Service Road car park, including a possible major leisure or housing complex, have been slammed by retailers who claim the loss of car parking will create problems for the town's centre. The ideas were two
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Colchester: New threat to Royal London jobs
More jobs could be on the line at Royal London Insurance in Colchester, it has been revealed. A major announcement is expected next month about the number of employees and amount of property owned by the firm. Last month 300 employees - about a quarter
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Mid-Essex: Farmers hoping for a fine spell
Farmers in mid-Essex whose fields have been waterlogged by heavy rainfall over the past eight weeks are hoping the weather will turn fine this month. Essex National Farmers' Union chairman John Jolly, who farms at Burnham, said the spring deluge had dealt
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Tennis round-up: Arthur serves up tough time...
The men from Westcliff Hardcourts faced their toughest test in the National Singles League when they met the David Lloyd Centre Bushey. For the Hertfordshire team included Wayne Arthur who played Andre Agassi in the fourth round at Wimbledon last year
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Disabled sports: Dovedale make a fine start to the new season
Nine members from the Dovedale Disabled Sports Club won four gold, seven silver and four bronze awards at the Rochford and Southend Disabled Sports Club Disabled Sports Day in Rochford last Saturday. Club Secretary and team manager Beryl Hastie said "
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Braintree: Porn site move by chicken man
Insurance broker Simon Burgess is planning to set up a Braintree-based soft porn website - financed from the proceeds of a children's book. Father-of-two, Mr Burgess, 39, said that the site will be paid for by a £1 million book and film deal for The Finchingfield
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Chelmsford: CCTV for 'slum of Galleywood'
A barrier and closed circuit television are to be installed to help protect 30 people, including 19 frail residents, in sheltered accommodation from vandalism and abuse. Chelmsford housing committee decided to spend £3,000 on the move on Wednesday. Area
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Colchester: Fire destroys market stall
A father and son were left devastated after fire destroyed their family-run market stall in Colchester. Clive and Howard Barker, of Chelmsford, lost hundreds of pounds of stock in the blaze that broke out at Vineyard Street at around 11.15pm on Friday
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Dunmow: 'Stop fly tipping with refuse site'
Uttlesford councillors this week demanded that Essex County Council provides a permanent civic amenity site to cater for household waste from Great Dunmow and the surrounding villages. At present the whole of the southern half of the district, including
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Brentwood: A month of all seasons
Brentwood's rainfall last month was not only more than double the May average of 47mm over the last 20 years, but was more than seven times last year's figure of 14mm. Brentwood weather man Robert Veitch reports that May 2000 will not only be remembered
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Golf round-up: Last hole thriller at Hanover...
A crucial par four on the last hole gave Martin Hodson victory in the Hanover Georgian monthly Stableford. The three points earned left Hodson (15) with 45 points and a countback win over Keith Neild (21). In a high-scoring competition, Steve Jacobs (
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Cricket round-up: T. Rippon Mid-Essex Cricket League
PREMIER DIVISION Little Waltham hosted unbeaten High Roding in the big game of the day and after being put in, Waltham had a slow start, tight bowling from Terry Jones in particular restricting the home side to 34 for two after 20 overs. The second half
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Golf: New holes at Birch Grove
After more than a year's hard graft the new-look Birch Grove golf course is a few days away from its official opening. And for the members and owner Lawrie Marston it is not a moment too soon. The opening drive will be performed by the Essex Golf Union
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Angling: 70 turn out for stingray contest
The club's All England Stingray Championship was held on Saturday at Hutleys Beach, St Osyth. 70 anglers turned out and the winner of the £300 first prize was Phil Buy with a stingray of 49lb 8ozs. The fish was returned to the water after weighing. The
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Soccer: Football for the future
Nearly 170 teams took part in the Valley Green Youth five-a-side football tournament. Boys and girls from varying age groups were at the event held at Spa Road yesterday (Sunday). Results Under-7 boys: Winners Colchester Villa, R/up Hamlet Court. Under
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Cricket: Essex up to second
Ronnie Irani's revitalised Essex cricketers are within striking distance of Second Division leaders Worcestershire in the revamped County Championship. Essex, who go into their latest four-day outing against Glamorgan at Cardiff on Thursday looking for
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Walton: Woman hurt in cliff fall
A woman slipped while she was searching for fossils on cliffs at Walton and had to be airlifted to safety. The woman, who was described as about 60 years old, was flown to Colchester General Hospital after suffering a suspected ankle injury. She had been
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Essex: Great Eastern right on time
Mid-Essex commuter railway Great Eastern is second best for on-time trains in the country according to a new report. The Shadow Strategic Rail Authority put 89.5 per cent of the 115,377 trains run by the Kelvedon Witham, Hatfield Peverel, Chelmsford,
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Kirby Cross: Holiday blaze nightmare
A family's holiday turned into a nightmare after they were forced to flee their blazing caravan. Philip and Stephanie Newman lost everything, including their two year-old son Luke's precious Thomas the Tank Engine collection. Mrs Newman, 24, speaking
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Earls Colne: Saucy streak in front of Queen
Two pranksters who streaked in front of the Royal Box at the Derby said sorry to the Queen and vowed: "We'll never do it again." Cheeky pals Michael Dale and Spencer Cunliffe were under starkers orders as they stripped off and gave chase while horses
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Billericay: Blind resident shows the way to safer paving
Billericay High Street is a safer place for people with visual handicaps thanks to a campaign by a blind resident to improve paving in the town centre. Basildon District Council has installed tactile paving in two locations after officers walked the High
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Canvey: Joe's fury at tree vandals
The sign says it all. Furious Joe Thornton has branded yobs as "scum" after they damaged two young saplings planted by Castle Point Council just a few months ago. Mr Thornton and his neighbour paid the council a total £100 to have five trees planted outside
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Westcliff: Woman attacked by masked man
A masked man who attacked a young woman in Westcliff before trying to rip off her blouse is being hunted by police. Officers believe two men spotted by the victim moments before her terrifying ordeal may hold the key to catching the culprit. A police
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Colchester: Future of new store uncertain
The future of a large Colchester store which opened just three months ago at a key shopping site could be in doubt. The Home Place Holdings Group, which owns the furnishings and houseware shop the Home Place at Turner Rise Retail Park, has been placed
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Tendring: Receptionists give the cold shoulder
A plea has been made for more friendly receptionists in Tendring's surgeries. There used to be a booklet advising receptionists on how to treat patients but it was not widely used. At Tendring Primary Care Trust's board meeting onThursday a call was made
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Great Leighs: A-maze-ing attraction
A launch date has been set for this year's version of the record-breaking maze in Great Leighs. But there won't be any new world-beating attempts - because the four-mile maze will be the same size as last year. Organiser David Partridge hopes the new
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Benfleet: New car park pay machines are vandalised
Traders and council officers have slammed vandals who have been wrecking newly installed parking ticket machines. The equipment was installed last Thursday in the Richmond Avenue car park in Benfleet by Castle Point Council. The authority was criticised
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Cricket round-up (South Essex): Shepherd Neame League
For more information about the Shepherd Neame Essex League, click here Run chase too much LOUGHTON 259-6 dec BILLERICAY 224-7 (Match drawn) Loughton set Billericay a tough target when they visited Blunts Wall Road on Saturday. Their 259-6 declaration
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Pitsea, Wickford, Laindon: Pirates jailed in air alert
Bemused pilots were left listening to rave music when a pirate radio station interfered with an air traffic control system, a court heard. Martin Kelly and Terry McCormac's illegal pastime was discovered when frequencies from Klass FM were picked up by
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Athletics: Katie on course for national gold
Katie Flaherty, the golden girl of Southend athletics, stormed to new glory when Basildon's Gloucester Park staged the Essex Schools AA Championships in glorious sunshine on Saturday. Katie, also a leading netball star, led Southend High School for Girls
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Cricket: Essex out to slay Dragons
Essex players will be spending so much time across the Severn Bridge during the next few days they are in danger of returning home with Welsh accents. Their next three games are in Wales, starting with tomorrow's day/night National League clash against
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Ramsden Heath: Tim conquers a frozen challenge
A Ramsden Heath adventurer has returned home after completing a 35-day trek across the stark frozen landscape of Greenland's ice cap. Tim Burton, 23, a former Brentwood School student and qualified geography teacher, was part of a three man British team
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Clacton: Couple jailed for ill-treating children
A husband and wife were today (Monday) in prison after being jailed for charges including the ill-treatment of children. Bruce and Heather Hill, of Nayland Drive, Clacton, appeared for sentence at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday. Bruce Hill, 27, had
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Benfleet: Man accused of attack on wife
A man was due to appear in court today (Monday) charged with attempting to murder his wife. Robin Hall, of Kingston Way, Benfleet, was expected to appear before Southend magistrates today after the alleged incident on Saturday night. The 34-year-old is
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Chelmsford: Parents' petition for safe crossing
More than 100 parents concerned over road safety outside a Chelmsford school, have joined together to demand action. The parents from Lawford Mead Infant and Junior Schools have signed a petition protesting at the lack of safe crossings outside the Trent
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Clacton: Husband and wife jailed
A husband and wife were jailed today for ill-treating children. Bruce, 27, and Heather Hill, 34, of Nayland Drive, Clacton, were sent to prison by a judge at Chelmsford Crown Court. Bruce Hill was jailed for 18 months for a charge of cruelty and another
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Witham: Residents win nightclub fight
Witham residents have won their fight to stop a nightclub opening close to their homes which they feared would disturb their sleep and increase vandalism. Applicants for the Stuart Surridge Snooker Centre, Mr Paul Blower, and his son Mark Blower, who
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Colchester: Ha Ha plans to set up in town
A successful bar and canteen chain hopes to form the final piece of the jigsaw in the ambitious £10 million project to convert the old Colchester Post Office into a multiplex cinema. The old Post Office building in Head Street, Colchester, is already
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Cricket: Chelmsford lose out to Hainault
HAINAULT & CL'HALL...253-8 CHELMSFORD.......170 all out (Hainault & Clayhall won by 83 runs) Chelmsford's struggle to make the jump to Premier Division cricket and the all day game continued on Saturday with a disappointing defeat at Hainault
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Karate: Michelle and Warren pass gruelling exams
The Aikido Club, (Braintree Aiki Budo Kai) held its second martial arts course last weekend at The Four Seasons Centre, in East Street, Braintree. The event which is held annually was a great success with students and instructors travelling from as far
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Theatre (Westcliff): Busy Liza fears never working again...
Actress Liza Goddard feels she'll never work again when her present tour ends. "I always feel like that when I'm coming to the end of a job," she revealed. "It was terrible in the days when my children were in expensive schools - it was real nail-biting
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Braiswick: Cat strangled in snare
A cat's head swelled to twice its normal size after being strangled in a snare on a Colchester allotment. Ginger tom Max was caught round the neck in the twine noose at the allotments on Bergholt Road, Braiswick. A couple walking their dog discovered
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Braintree: Tributes to road crash victim
A teacher has paid tribute to a "nice, popular and most able student" who died in a road accident in Braintree. Richard Green, 17, died after the car in which he was a passenger was involved in a collision on the A120 at Braintree. Richard, who lived
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South Weald: Village festival fun
South Weald is gearing itself up for this year's village festival, with a millennium spin. The South Weald Festival runs from Friday June 30 to Sunday July 2, with events taking place at St Peter's School, St Peter's Church and at other locations in the
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Harold Hill: Pupils to teach IT skills in SA
Students from King's Wood School in Harold Hill will be travelling to South Africa to teach computer skills to local youngsters. The trip forms part of Expedition South Africa 2000, a project to educate young people in computing and enable Havering's
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Maldon: Call to identify flood risk land
Land at risk of flooding should be identified in Maldon's Local Plan agree councillors studying planning policy guidance on flood risks. New guidance notes from the DETR advises that susceptibility of land to flooding is a material consideration in the
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Dunkirk revisited...
Former soldiers descended on the beaches of northern France to mark the Dunkirk evacuation for the final time. Veteran Frank Grove gave CHRIS WEEKS a unique insight into this legend of glory and tragedy The same little ships we knew 60 years ago left
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Athletics: Berg has it all tied up
All tied up - Ty Berg overcame a star class field to emerge triumphant in the Vestall Vergins Southend Half-Marathon which took place from the Garon's Park Track at Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre yesterday. More pictures and results in tomorrow's
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Billericay: Church expansion plan is 'atrocious'
Plans for a controversial community church in Billericay are back under the spotlight. However, one councillor has branded the application "atrocious". Billericay Methodist Church received permission for the building on a site next to Alyssum Walk in
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Essex: Concern over fire control proposal
Fire union bosses have vowed to fight a proposal to amalgamate fire service control centres countrywide. The amalgamation, which will cost a rumoured £30 million, would almost certainly result in the loss of the Essex Fire and Rescue control room at the
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Clacton: Blackmailer's threats to set home on fire
A woman threatened to burn down an elderly care home, a court heard. Yvonne Bates, of Epping Close, Clacton, sent a string of anonymous letters to the manager of the town's Canters Meadow. And in a letter to Clacton police she vowed to make the Ramsden
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Billericay: Shop's safety warning over stolen suntan lotion
An urgent safety warning has been issued after thieves stole suntan lotion from a shop bin. Thirty eight bottles of Looney Toons lotion - specifically aimed at children - was incorrectly marked up as being factor 20. Sarah Cheatley, manager of Superdrug
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Cricket: Bristol victory boosts Essex
For more information about Essex County Cricket Club's 2000 season, click here A remarkable last session saw Essex capture all ten Gloucestershire wickets to complete victory inside three days by 109 runs. The home side needed 195 for victory with more
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Athletics: Veteran athletes turn in a vintage performance
The golden oldies shone when Southend AC staged an Eastern Veterans League match for men aged over 40 and women of 35 plus at Garon's Park. Stalwarts Neil Baker, Bill Garrard, Peter Binns and Peter Lawrence all turned in impressive displays, with decathlete
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Colchester: Fires heartbreak for family and traders
A father and son were left devastated after fire destroyed their fruit and vegetable stall at Colchester market. A caravan was gutted and hundreds of pounds of stock were lost in the blaze that broke out at around 11.15pm on Friday. The stall has been
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Rayleigh: Pub's towering tribute to soccer glory
Pubgoers were so intoxicated with football fever they decided to build their very own stadium - which even sports the legendary Wembley twin towers. The grandstand, designed to seat hundreds of football-hungry fans, has been set up at the Travellers Joy
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Billericay: Gorman shocked by cannabis speech reaction
Outspoken MP Teresa Gorman has urged people to move with the times after calling for cannabis cafes to be trialled in the UK - but has admitted that Billericay and Basildon may not be the right place for them. Mrs Gorman, Conservative MP for Billericay
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Billericay: Music's just great by the lake
Skies remained obligingly clear for this year's Music From the Lake event in Billericay, attracting a crowd of more than 1,500. Previous concerts held in the grounds of Lake Meadows Park have been marred by rain. However, music lovers were able to enjoy
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Dovercourt: Let's go fly a kite!
Up, up and away! From youngsters looking hardly big enough to take the strain to hardened enthusiasts in their 80s, they came for as far afield as Portsmouth to enjoy Tendring's first kite festival. More than 200 experts and beginners armed with kites
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Athletics: Gary leads the record breakers
Southend Athletic Club continued their triumphant ways in Division Two of the Southern Men's League with two new stadium bests being set at Garon's Park. In the javelin Gary Jensen left his rivals standing with a huge 68.91 metres effort - 21 metres clear
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South Essex: Treatment for surgery thugs
South Essex GPs are being asked to volunteer to treat violent patients who have been barred from other surgeries. Last year 40 patients were removed immediately from doctors' lists in south Essex for violent or threatening behaviour, 35 coming from Southend
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Pitsea: Body is missing man, 28
A decomposing body pulled from the Thames has been identified as missing Pitsea man Allan Nash. The 28-year-old disappeared in April after leaving his home in Woodhays, Pitsea, for a party in Kings Cross, London. Officers in Basildon had feared the worst
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Billericay, Wickford: High-speed thief slips police net
The hunt is on for a thief with a haul of fishing equipment who led police on a high-speed chase in south Essex. Using a car stolen from Lakeside last month, the thief made off with petrol from garages in Wickford and Billericay before being seen stealing
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Romford: National Safer Shopping Award for town centre
The main shopping centre for Harold area residents has become one of only three to receive a national Safer Shopping Award. Ian Moore, chairman of the Romford Partnership Against Retail Crime and manager of the Liberty Shopping Centre, accepted the award
