Archive
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Wickford: Police and business step up crime fight
Police and shops in Wickford are joining forces in the fight against crime as rogue galleries are dished out to traders in the town. The tough new initiative will see shops in the High Street who have signed up to the scheme receive photo albums of convicted
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Wickford: Vandals strike at school
Three teachers' cars have been vandalised at a Wickford school while their owners were teaching, police said. A black Peugeot 206, a new Mini Cooper and a Volkswagen Golf were all scratched with what was believed to be a brick, a spokesman said. The vandals
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Clacton: Trust HQ ban on nuisance youths
A ban has been put on youngsters congregating around offices in Clacton town centre after the building has been vandalised and staff intimidated and assaulted. Bosses at the Tendring Primary Care Trust (PCT) in Carnarvon Road are particularly concerned
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Golf: Foursome glory paves the way for Basildon win
There were mixed fortunes when this season's Essex Amateur Golf Union team competitions got underway with the staging of three preliminary round matches in the junior event for the Leslie F Wood Cup. Basildon got off to a splendid start with an 11.5-3.5
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Cricket: Shocking start for Essex
Darren Robinson and James Foster helped themselves to half-centuries as Essex recovered from a disastrous start in their two-day friendly against Middlesex at Chelmsford. But their efforts still left the county trailing by 117 on first innings. It was
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Witham: Parking blitz at schools
Illegal parking outside schools is the next target on Witham police's zero tolerance hit list. Inspector Alan Cotgrove, the town's police chief, said that after a successful zero tolerance crackdown on parking in the town in March, the blitz would be
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South Woodham: Man dumped sub-machine gun in skip
A man who dumped a sub-machine gun and other firearms components in a skip at South Woodham Ferrers has been jailed - just a week after a nationwide gun amnesty began. Norman Morgan, 34, of Celeborn Street, South Woodham Ferrers, pleaded guilty at Chelmsford
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Colchester: Egypt trip beats hernia op wait
A woman facing a painful nine-month wait for an operation travelled to Egypt for a cut price, fast-track solution. And despite having to travel east just as war was breaking out in Iraq, Marianne McKeon says it was an absolutely wonderful and luxurious
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Soccer: U's are going Dutch
Colchester United could be in line for some Dutch inspiration - thanks to former Ipswich Town ace Romeo Zondervan. U's coach Brian Owen is hoping his links with the Blues' former flying Dutchman could net his club the new Ruud van Nistelrooy. My ball
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Colchester: Town road used in danger case study
People living in a Colchester street have been surprised to learn their road is being used as a case study to promote a competition to find the country's most dangerous highway. Michael Blackwell, of Irvine Road area Residents' Association, said today
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Bowls: Reed's on U18 glory trail
Basildon's Dominic Reed, of Woodlands Short Mat bowls club, reached the semi-finals of the national under-18s singles competition at Milton Keynes. But he was knocked out in the last four by eventual winner Anthony Faultly of Hainault Imps. Dominic returns
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Castle Point: Traders winning fight against shop vandals
It seems to happen day after day in Castle Point. Complaints of vandalism and anti-social behaviour at the hands of yobs are commonplace. Facts - minister Hilary Benn, second from right, gets the message from councillors and police Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY
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Essex: 'Americans shot at me three times'
Essex soldier Matthew Stant has been shot at three times during the Iraq war - by the Americans. Royal engineer Mr Stant, 26, is currently attached to the Desert Rats near Basra in southern Iraq. His wife Paula, 26, said he had written back to say he
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Colchester: Doctor has mixed feelings over Iraq
Like most of Colchester, consultant radiologist Dr Mohammed Aldabbagh watched the extraordinary scenes of the toppling of the statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad. But Dr Mohammed watched with mixed feelings. His family are in the unliberated city of Mosul
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South Essex: Police identify A127 road death victim
The man who died in a crash on the A127 was today named as Darren Hornsey. Mr Hornsey, of Wood Farm Close, Leigh, died on Tuesday night. The 28-year-old was travelling on the London-bound carriageway in Leigh when his silver Vauxhall Vectra struck a tree
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Southend: Clothes shops on the move
Closing down sales are being held as two men's clothing stores prepare to change their standing in Southend town centre. While Ciro Citterio, in High Street, prepares to move to a bigger store in the town, the Officers Club, in the Royals shopping centre
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Clacton: New plan to save coastline
A major new coast protection plan for Clacton has been drawn up, after two years of research, and will cost £34 million to put into action. The preparations, revealed in the Evening Gazette today, have included extensive data collection and modelling
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Essex: Our cars take toll on deer
Deer are being killed in their thousands as their search for food takes them across the county's roads. On average, one animal is killed each week around the A120 as they move from wood to wood and are hit by vehicles. PC Barry Kaufmann-Wright, Essex
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Stansted: Safe landing for stricken passenger plane
A damaged Boeing 737 carrying 180 passengers has landed safely at Stansted Airport following an incident involving bird strike. Cyprus airline Helios runs the plane which had a damaged tail. The flight took off from Luton Airport this morning and was
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Thundersley: Lessons on violence in the home
Students were taught a lesson in the problems surrounding domestic violence by workers from Basildon Women's Refuge. The way it is - Pam Young, of the Basildon Women's Refuge, shows a picture of a victim's bruised leg Picture: TERENCE BUNCH Pupils at
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Southend: Police fundraisers want all your coppers
A gang of police officers are preparing to go on the run - all in the name of charity. But the officers are not breaking the law, just supporting Southend Hospital's Building Blocks Appeal. Classic Gold Breeze presenter Peter Holmes will also don constable's
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Southend: Dirty dog owners told to clean up
Beware all pet owners who fall foul of the law! A new undercover poop scoop team will be out to catch irresponsible early-morning dog walkers who fail to clean up after their canine friends. Southend Council's park ranger service is clamping down on guilty
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Pitsea: Car-crazy youth is locked up again
A Pitsea teenager with an obsession for cars has been locked up again. The 17-year-old was first cautioned for car offending at 11, received his first conviction at 13 and has now been banned from driving for the fourth time. The youth, whose ambition
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Billericay: Tories' tax cut temptation for local voters
Conservative councillors have promised Billericay they will reduce council tax if they are re-elected at the local government election. Basildon's Tory council leader Malcolm Buckley has pledged to reduce the tax increase if David Dadds, Stephen Horgan
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Clacton: Ronnie's royal roller fit for a princess
It cuts quite a dash cruising along Clacton seafront. The Silver Wraith Rolls-Royce once carried Princess Margaret to glamorous venues across London. Now you are more likely to see Kay Allwright in the back seat being driven by her husband, Ronnie, who
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Chelmsford: Woman raped in car
A woman was subjected to a terrifying double rape in a car near Chelmsford railway station in the early hours of Tuesday. The 25-year-old Chelmsford woman told police that she was attacked after getting into a car with three men. She had been sitting
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V Festival: Super Furry Animals, Mis-teeq and Big Brovaz at V
The Super Furry Animals, Mis-teeq, Big Brovaz, Dirty Vegas and Slovo are the latest to be added to the line up for this years V festival. Festival Director, Bob Angus said: "This is the third time that The Super Furry Animals have played at V. Mis-teeq
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Eastwood: We'll bring back good old-fashioned decency
A gang of teenagers, some as young as 14, have been wreaking havoc on the streets of Eastwood and making residents' lives a nightmare. Now police have said "enough is enough," and are working on a whole range of initiatives to crack down on the arson,
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Soccer: Magilton is injury doubt
Jim Magilton has joined Thomas Gaardsoe as a major injury doubt for Ipswich Town's weekend showdown at Coventry. The midfielder is struggling with a groin problem and only has an outside chance of being fit. Gaardsoe picked up a similar injury against
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Maldon: Pit is a hole lot of trouble
Engineers are trying to discover the history behind a mysterious underground pit that has thwarted plans for a junction. Essex County Council contractors, working on the latest phase of Maldon town centre improvement works in West Square, were under instructions
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Braintree: Teacher gets drenched to help school's science bid
Pupils at Tabor High School got their own back on a teacher and raised cash for the good of the school in the process. History teacher Joe Hales was soaked after pupils paid money to throw buckets of soapy water at him at the school in Panfield Lane,
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Harwich: Pupils say goodbye to their old school after 107 years
Pupils and staff were today saying good-bye to their 107-year-old school and looking forward to their new one. Time to say goodbye - pupils are getting ready to move from the Harwich County Primary School in Main Road which closes today Today was the
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Harwich: Ship's maiden voyage
A new ship is due to make its maiden voyage into Harwich this Easter. DFDS Seaways' ferry Duchess of Scandinavia arrives at Harwich International Port on Good Friday at 10.30am. It will run between Harwich and Cuxhaven, Germany, and will sail for the
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Weightlifting: Hawkins lifts the championship title
The strongest men and women from all over East Anglia converged on Colchester in Essex to do battle in the Anglian Powerlifting Championship. Thirty competitors battled it out for the title at Hamiltons Fitness Centre, Colchester. A handicapping system
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Bowls: Hart beats Falcon
Indoor bowler Richard Hart was on cloud nine after being crowned Essex's singles champion. It is the ninth time Hart has taken the title and his latest success came with a 21-19 win over Falcon's David Gildersleve. Hart -- a member of Essex County indoor
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Little Clacton: Farmer Bill's meter trouble
Confused chicken farmer Bill Brown hoped he had laid his problems with electricity firm TXU Energi to rest when they came to read his meters. Mr Brown, of Thorpe Road, Little Clacton, had complained to the company after he received estimated bills for
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Braintree: Caravan blaze investigation begins
The Environment Agency has begun an investigation into a blaze which swept through three derelict caravans and rubbish including dangerous asbestos. Three fire crews were called in to tackle the flames off Coggeshall Road, Stisted on Sunday. Braintree
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Angling: Feeding frenzy in Tiptree
Carp catches at Brookhall lake Tiptree have topped the 300lb mark in a feeding frenzy since the warmer weather arrived. Steve Havard took the staggering catch of 44 carp and bream in a hectic days sport. Fishing meat and pellet baits he had carp to 14lb
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Basildon: Benefits staff are a credit
Basildon's benefits office provides an excellent public service, according to independent assessors. The service at Basildon Council was given the prestigious Charter Mark for the second time by assessors from the Government cabinet office. Judges praised
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Basildon: Guided tour lures teachers to town
Newly qualified teachers are being lured to Basildon - with a guided tour of the town. They are being shown the sights and sounds of the area and all it has to offer in a bid to get them to commit their futures to schools in the district. Fifteen teachers
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Canvey: Police officer hurt as he stops suicide jump
A police officer fell several feet and broke his leg in two places as he grappled with a potential suicide jumper from Canvey who was about to throw himself from the top of a Basildon car park. Basildon Council workers watched in horror from their offices
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Maldon: New shops open in time for Easter
Six of the ten empty shop units in Maldon town centre are due to be occupied within the next few weeks, and two more shortly after. Murray Foster, town centre manager, said: "The number of people wanting to set up in Maldon is increasing and I've got
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Maldon: Summer opening for lake?
Maldon's marine lake could be open in time for the summer holidays. Councillors discussed ways in which the area, at Promenade Park, could be spruced up and made safer in time for the holidays, which are now about 13 weeks away. But there are still plans
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Angling: At last Mayes gets his fish
Basildon angler Rob Mayes had pal Mark Acton to thank for the superb 24lb 8oz personal best mirror carp he landed at Northlands Park Lake. Not only had he borrowed Acton's gear but he was using his homemade boilies as well. The carp, known as "the caesarian
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Soccer: New U's stadium faces extra delay
Colchester United's new stadium faces a delay. A planning application for the stadium on the Cuckoo Farm and Severalls site was set to go before committee this month but has been put back awaiting further negotiations. Colchester MP Bob Russell is calling
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Thurrock: MP angry at mercenary recruitment
British people are being recruited by specialist firms to work as mercenaries overseas but the Government is doing nothing about it, according to Thurrock's Labour MP. Andrew Mackinlay, who serves on the Government's foreign affairs committee, says he
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Golf: Champ Peters squeezed out
Orsett provided the setting for the first stage of this season's opening County event, the invitation Keating Trophy, where golfers were bidding for a top-16 place after two strokeplay rounds. This saw them through to the matchplay part of the competition
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Dovercourt: Staff celebrate pure hard work
A school was celebrating today after being taken out of special measures. Staff and governors at Mayflower Primary School, Main Road, Dovercourt, has been told by Government inspectors the school had met improvement targets. Now the school is looking
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Basildon: Flying squad on car patrol
The honeymoon is over for illegally parked cars in Basildon, the district's new warden "flying squad" warned today. The team is compiling a list of unlawful parking hotspots just a week after taking over responsibility for parking from police. After the
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Golf: Rough time at Rochford
Rochford Hundred golfers found the going tough in the April medal over the weekend with none of the competitors able to play under their handicap. The cold, biting wind took its toll but nevertheless the competition for places was very fierce. Mick Curran
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Rochford: Bureau wants to expand
Rochford Citizen's Advice Bureau was today planning a major expansion to cope with increasing demands on its services. It is asking Rochford District Council as the landlord of its premises in Back Lane what its views would be on proposals to expand the
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Canvey: Jackie's Brownies nicked for tour of cells
Excited Brownies had their fingerprints taken and were shown police cells as part of a scheme to introduce youngsters to a work environment. PC Jackie Barber is the police schools liaison officer for Castle Point and in her spare time runs the 1st Thundersley
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Rayleigh: Centre to be unveiled
Final plans for a new sports centre at the former Park School in Rawreth Lane, Rayleigh, are set to be unveiled later this month. Rochford District Council's leisure contractor Holmes Place will be giving a presentation to the full council meeting on
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Tennis: County cups bring mixed blessings
There were mixed fortunes for south-east Essex's clubs as the county LTA's cup competitions got underway. Westcliff Hard's seconds ensured their progress in the Men's Senior Cup with a 4-0 win over Great Baddow. John Harris, Alan Hill, John Handelaar
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Colchester: Thinking of you
Wives and families in Colchester are sporting yellow ribbons to support troops from the garrison who are in Iraq. The ribbons were handed out at the regular welfare briefing for families at the garrison. Several hundred Army spouses and their children
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Soccer: Sinha's a saint
Southend United physio John Stannard today hit back at Darlington captain Craig Liddle's condemnation of Blues' club physician Dr Sinha. The big defender accused the doctor of keeping him in the treatment room for as long as possible, handing the Shrimpers
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Netball: SEEVIC are best of British
SEEVIC College's high-flying netball team are British champions. They won the British Colleges National Cup at Loughborough University with a superb performance that saw them continue their proud record of being unbeaten all season. Top team - the girls
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Braintree: Do developments in town make the grade?
An award and audit scheme is to be introduced by Braintree Council to improve the quality of development in the town. Recommendations for the scheme were approved by members of the area committee which met on Tuesday night at council chambers. The scheme
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Witham: Travellers move on
Nine travellers' caravans went from the Spa Road playing field, Witham, at the weekend. A police officer said: "We spoke to them the day they arrived and they promised they would be gone in seven days. They kept their word. "There have been very few complaints
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Canvey, Southend: Help put halt to tragedies, pleads father
A campaigning dad who lost his daughter in a motorcycle accident today urged people to back a charity which helped him cope with his tragedy. Melanie Leighton, 25, of York Road, Southend, died in a collision with a car in Kiln Road, Thundersley last April
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South Essex: Masks on sale to combat Sars
Virus protection masks are being sold in south Essex to defend against the mystery respiratory disease Sars. The severe acute respiratory syndrome - which presents symptoms including fever, aches, coughing and shortness of breath - has killed at least
