Archive
-
Date
Shoebury: Robber on bike strikes
A woman was dragged along the ground by a robber on a bike when she refused to let go of her handbag. She was walking along the alley between Bulwark Road and Eagle Way, Shoebury, when the attacker rode up behind her. He grabbed her bag and carried on
-
Date
Golf: Saitch still chasing title
Daphne Saitch was in great form when she represented Basildon in the Ida Bunting Inter Club Championship. She played excellent golf to beat her Hanover opponent 6 and 5. Daphne now goes through to the second round next month in pursuit of the title. Basildon's
-
Date
Golf: Matt is denied victory
Thirty-six members from Thorpe Hall,contested the April Midweek medal. Bill Preedy won with a net 71 off a handicap of three and is now cut to two. Technically he won on countback from cadet Matt Southgate, who is off six, but as a cadet is not allowed
-
Date
South Essex: A127 'could turn into a cemetery'
A police chief today demanded action to end the mounting death toll on a section of the A127 before it turns into a "cemetery". Chief Supt Peter Sheldrake, head of Basildon police, has joined forces with Basildon Council to insist highway bosses get their
-
Date
Brentwood: Get ready for Bikeathon
Children from Brentwood, Billericay, Wickford and Ongar will be showing just how much you can achieve with pedal power when they take part in the Blue Peter Bikeathon. This is third time bikers and trikers will ride out in support of the appeal to fight
-
Date
Soccer: Southend sign £35k sponsorship deal
Southend United have signed an incentive-based £35,000 main sponsorship deal with GKC Communications for next season. The Wickford-based firm have agreed the lump sum with Blues and will have their name emblazoned on the Shrimpers' home shirt during the
-
Date
Pitsea: Women PCs are attacked
Two women police officers were attacked as they attended a disturbance in Pitsea. The incident happened at about 1.15am todayg in Wimbish End. The officers, from Basildon, had been called to a house where three windows had been smashed. One officer was
-
Date
Harwich: £300m port plan launched
A £300 million bid to develop Bathside Bay at Harwich was officially launched today. Harwich International Port's owners today submitted three planning applications for a new container terminal, which it has said will generate 722 new jobs. Development
-
Date
Witham: Residents close on green funding target
Residents of Witham's Templars estate were jubilant after achieving most of the funding needed to rejuvenate their four-acre green. The Templars Green Management Committee has now raised a total of £190,000 in grants and donations, including money from
-
Date
Leigh: Parking arrangement is fine by us
Parking arrangements in Leigh are just the ticket and should stay as they are, councillors insisted. Leigh Town Council feared plans to introduce controlled parking zones could deter shoppers. Transport and highways committee chairman Jean Rowswell said
-
Date
Billericay: Hunt for cricket vandals
Police are appealing for help in catching vandals who caused £500 damage to a cricket pavilion. They climbed on to the roof of the pavilion, in Lake Meadows, Billericay, a police spokesman said. There, they caused damage to the skylight and to a water
-
Date
Fencing: Golden wonders from Cyrano
Three youngsters got straight to the point when they fought their way to major awards at the Essex County Junior Fencing Championships. Under the watchful eye of British number one fencing champion James Beevers, the talented trio from Canvey-based Cyrano
-
Date
Basildon: Girl, 11, says no to would-be abductor
Police today appealed for help in their hunt for a driver who tried to abduct a schoolgirl from a zebra crossing. The 11-year-old was on her way to Barstable School in Timberlog Close, Basildon, when a red Ford Mondeo pulled up beside her in nearby Timberlog
-
Date
Dunmow: Dad's marathon effort for Hope
Two-year-old Hope Fletcher, who is waiting for a kidney transplant, proudly displays her father's Flora London Marathon medal. Matt Fletcher, 31, head of PE at Helena Romanes School in Dunmow, raised £9,000 for the British Kidney Patients Association
-
Date
Brentwood: Nun parachutes for parish hall
A Brentwood nun is gaining a name for herself as a bit of a daredevil. As head of a 350-pupil junior school, Sister Rosario is not one for a cloistered existence. While her dangerous exploits might seem enough to raise the eyebrows of even the most radical
-
Date
South Essex: Watch out for dodgy clothing collections
Beware bogus charity-type appeals to donate clothing for Eastern Europe, families were warned today. Leaflets have just been delivered to Benfleet homes urging people to search out unwanted garments for needy people abroad, but sharp-eyed residents and
-
Date
Braintree: Sars insurance policy launched
A Braintree-based insurance broker has launched the first policy offering cover against the Sars virus. Goodfellows said it had launched the policy after being inundated with calls from people wanting to take out protection against Severe Acute Respiratory
-
Date
Colchester: Mum is grabbed by man
A young mother was dragged to her knees by a would-be thief who tried to steal her handbag. Police are linking the incident to a handbag snatch, an hour later, two streets away. The woman was out with her four-year-old child in Lisle Road, Colchester,
-
Date
Southend: New look for holiday kids
Scorching weather and face painting formed the perfect cocktail for a children's fun day out in Southend. In disguise - Gina Chapman, nine, and Charlotte Skelding, eight, give themselves a spectacular new look Picture: MAXINE CLARKE Youngsters had a chance
-
Date
Castle Point: People power wins the day as elections change
People power is set to be even stronger in Castle Point thanks to new election procedures. Following the council elections on Thursday May 1, elections will be held every year for one third of Castle Point Council seats, meaning voters can more quickly
-
Date
Yachting: Jackson takes spring series victory
Harlow Blackwater Sailing Club's Spring series got off to a flying start, the race officer setting a long course, which led to some excellent beats and long spinnaker legs. The race started with a brisk wind of Force 4-5, which gradually dropped during
-
Date
Thorpe: Village street sinking
Part of a village main street is mysteriously subsiding. Parish councillors in Thorpe are concerned at the discovery of a dip in the road. Now they are planning to write to Essex County Council highways department to ask for investigation work to be carried
-
Date
Billericay: Action call on parking
A councillor has called on newly-appointed traffic wardens to take action against motorists who park illegally. Philip Turner (Con, Billericay West), warned motorists parking in High Street, Billericay, that wardens would target offenders. "Billericay
-
Date
Southend: Chiefs could get a grilling
Southend's most senior councillors could face a Commons-style grilling by backbench members under proposals revealed today. A shake-up of the controversial cabinet and scrutiny committee system is set to be launched because some councillors feel they
-
Date
Pitsea: Head gets the chop at the Salon
Trendy headteacher Alan Roach surprised an ex pupil - by appearing on national television to get his hair cut. Mr Roach, of Chalvedon School, in Wickford Avenue, Pitsea, found fame on Channel 4 cult show The Salon. He appeared on the Big Brother-type
-
Date
Athletics: Marathon heartache for Mussett
Leading athlete Adrian Mussett has spoken of the 'freak' sequence of events which left his London Marathon dream in tatters. The Colchester Harrier was one of the favourites to win the Open class at Sunday's prestigious event - until illness forced him
-
Date
South Woodham: Dad launches £5,000 marternity unit campaign
Determined dad Stuart Robertson has kicked off his £5,000 fundraising campaign for a maternity unit with an event in South Woodham Ferrers. Stuart's baby daughter, Bethany, spent the first weeks of her life being cared for in the special care baby unit
-
Date
South Essex: Call for blood donors
A call has been made to blood donors in Brentwood, Billericay, Wickford, Ongar and Harold who have not given in the past four months to help save lives over the Easter weekend. The clinic at the National Blood Service (NBS) Centre in Crescent Drive, Brentwood
-
Date
Cycle Speedway: Rebels set for Sunday pm appeal
Great Wakering Rebels are set to appeal to South East League chiefs in a bid to get their fixtures switched to Sunday afternoons. The current morning matches conflict with team members' other interests and have led to rider shortages. "We are going to
-
Date
Essex: Chance to nominate safe route to school
Pupils are being given the chance to nominate someone for a Safe Routes to Schools Travel Award. The competition is being run by sustainable transport charity, Sustrans, and pupils can nominate schools, parents and councils for an award. Categories include
-
Date
Canvey: Bid to save our running track
Hundreds of sport fans have thrown their weight behind a teenage athlete's solo mission to save a popular running track. Campaigning Jane Elmes, 14, of Fifth Avenue, Canvey, has remarkably collected 663 signatures from island folk in the last two days
-
Date
Southend: Our beaches can fly the flag...again!
Beaches in Southend have scooped four more awards - as the town gears up for a bumper Easter weekend with scorching temperatures. Boost - head of pier and foreshore Marjory Hall, left, celebrates the award with her team on Three Shells Beach Picture:
-
Date
Westcliff: £1m new pub all set for trading
Pubgoers in Westcliff have a smart new venue to enjoy - a £1million pub in a former bank building. The new pub, The Trading Room, is set to welcome its first customers when it opens its doors tonight. Room at the top - The Trading Room manager Stuart
-
Date
Tendring: Parents to face pay-to-play plan
Parents look set to have to pay for the first time for a scheme to keep children off the streets of Tendring during the summer holidays. Coastal Fun, which has been running free of charge for a number of years, has been under review for several months
-
Date
Tendring: Blue sky and flags for beaches
Holiday bosses in Tendring were today basking in glory after discovering that three of its golden beaches have scooped prestigious seaside awards. The successful trio of Clacton West, Brightlingsea and Dovercourt will be flying the distinctive blue and
-
Date
Harwich: Foot ferry to set sail again
The Harwich foot ferry is set to take to the water again this Easter. The Harwich-Felixstowe-Shotley ferry will be relaunched on Good Friday and will run a special service throughout the four-day Easter period. After that, it will run on Saturdays and
-
Date
Soccer: Youngsters put on the spot
Some of the area's youngest footballers will be put on the spot on Saturday week when they take part in a fund-raising penalty shoot-out. Spot on - Leigh Ramblers' under-six stars with (from left) Dave Johnson (coach), Mark Holmes (secretary) and Gary
-
Date
Colchester: Concerns over school fencing plan
A school boasting of its £3 million development plans has come under fire for fencing in a school playing field. The number of computers at a Colchester school is set to nearly double as a result of improvement plans. Philip Morant Technology College
-
Date
Colchester: Larger Asda and Pizza Hut set for Turner Rise
A drive-through Pizza Hut and an expanded Asda store are on the cards for Colchester. Pizza Hut is hoping to create a drive-through restaurant, capable of seating 140 diners, at the Turner Rise Retail Park between Fitness First and the Asda petrol station
-
Date
Cricket: County faces whole new set of targets
Forget about opposing sides setting any challenging targets. That is the message from Essex head coach Graham Gooch to his players as they are about to embark on their First Division Championship campaign against Middlesex at Chelmsford on Friday. Ready
-
Date
Harwich: In-spire-ing tale of church appeal donation
A mystery donor has given £1,000 in cash towards an appeal to restore Harwich's church spire. An envelope containing 20 £50 notes was dropped through Canon Stephen Hardie's letterbox for the St Nicholas' Church Spire appeal. Mr Hardie said he was delighted
-
Date
Clacton: Indecent show to youths
Police are appealing for information after a man indecently exposed himself to a number of children playing in a park. Children had been playing near Alton Park Junior School and Windsor Avenue. The alarm was raised just before 11am Tuesday after two
-
Date
Chelmsford: Check your taxi plea
Chelmsford taxi drivers are urging people to make simple checks before getting into a taxi in the wake of two alarming incidents in the town last week. Vice-chairman of the Chelmsford Taxi Drivers Association Peter Shervill has made the plea following
-
Date
Braintree: Nappy road show comes to town
A real nappy road show hits Braintree on Wednesday April 23, offering free starter packs to residents. Visitors to the road show, in George Yard, from 9am to 3pm, will be able to pick up a pack of nine re-useable nappies, two waterproof wraps, a roll
-
Date
Witham: Jo's petition against eviction
More than 230 people have signed a petition in a bid to stop the eviction of a former Witham carnival queen. Joanna Hendricks is battling to stay in the council house which has been her home for 20 years. Jo, 27, who suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome
-
Date
Cricket: Club in hunt for players
Ashingdon Cricket Club are eagerly looking forward to the new season as last term's successes have seen them promoted from Division Ten to Eight in the Mid-Essex League. But elevation has led to problems due to the death during the close season of opening
-
Date
Cricket: Hussain relishing Essex mission
Stepping down from England's one-day captaincy is something of a step back in time for Nasser Hussain, who is back at Essex after a well-earned rest. "It's going to be a bit like doing what I was doing a few years back: playing for Essex and a few Tests
-
Date
Soccer: McGreal dreams dashed again
John McGreal has described his year as an 'absolute nightmare' as he comes to terms with yet another injury setback. The Ipswich Town defender was hoping to stake a place in the Blues' first team for the remaining two league fixtures as they battle for
-
Date
Maldon: New units cut patient journey times
Lengthy journeys to Chelmsford for treatment have been reduced for Maldon patients - thanks to the opening of two new units. A new assessment and rehabilitation unit has been officially opened at St Peter's Hospital in Maldon, to help ensure that older
-
Date
Cricket: Irani sets top three goal
It comes as no surprise to learn that skipper Ronnie Irani is upbeat about Essex's chances this summer. Irani reckons his team have had a good pre-season and is confident the players will do themselves justice while giving members plenty to enthuse over
-
Date
Southend: Lip-smacking menu
Food author Mary Berry will be at Waitrose supermarket in Southend to demonstrate a mouth-watering seasonal menu. Mrs Berry, who has written more than 40 cookery books, will be at the superstore in Fossetts Way today at 10.45am. She will create a range
-
Date
Witham: Grandmother gains masters
A grandmother proved she is still top of the class by getting a masters degree at the age of 61. Grace Waight, of Barwell Way, Witham, graduated with an MA in European Art from Essex University in Colchester. Grace Waight with her degree After early retirement
-
Date
Southend: School help over job cuts
Special advisers costing more than £300,000 are to be drafted in as schools consider axing staff over severe budget cuts. Advertisements for the seven posts at salaries between £32,847 and £55,929 have been placed on Southend Council's website. It comes
-
Date
Soccer: Rochford Town Sports 1-3 Chelmsford City (Essex County Womens League Division One)
Two goals from Lisa Foakes and one from Emma Ridings saw City claim three more points and move themselves up into fourth place from their penultimate league fixture on Sunday. City's last fixture is on Sunday 27th April when they entertain Champions,
-
Date
Holland-on-Sea: Legal bid to move travellers' camp off seaside park
There were urgent moves today to shift travellers who have moved on to a council car park. But Tendring Council has warned they are likely to be at the seaside park over the Easter Bank Holiday. The 15 caravans went to the the main car park at Holland
-
Date
Chelmsford: Chance to get 'Fit for Life'
The Chelmsford branch of Arthritis Care will encourage people to get 'Fit For Life' when they celebrate national Arthritis Care Awareness Week. The group will be holding an information day in the Meadows, Chelmsford, between 8am and 5pm on April 23, information
-
Date
Soccer: Wednesday football shuts up shop
The final whistle is to be blown on the Southend and District Football League at the end of the current campaign -- just two years short of the competition's centenary. Full-time has finally arrived for the midweek event because there are no longer enough
-
Date
Golf: McNally is leading star two times over
There was no success for local golfers when the first major Essex amateur golf event of the season, the Keating Trophy, was staged at Orsett. Sixteen players qualified to battle for the trophy in match-play competition after two rounds of strokeplay the
-
Date
Great Notley: The Oval wins entertainment bid
Great Notley's new pub The Oval has been given the all clear to provide entertainment. Councillors faced with over 70 objections from residents and local groups ruled that the show can go on, but only up to certain times. Approval for a public entertainment
-
Date
Soccer: Magpies move mystifies Cort
Southend United's highly-rated defender Leon Cort today denied any knowledge of an imminent £200,000 move to Premiership giants Newcastle. St James' Park boss, Sir Bobby Robson, is believed to be an admirer of the 23-year-old, who is the brother of Toon
-
Date
Southend: Laundry ruined by blaze
A laundry business went up in flames after an electrical fault caused a devastating blaze. Fire engines from Southend, Leigh and Rochford were called to Choice Laundrette, in Prince Avenue, Southend, at 6.15pm last night. Wrecked - the Choice Laundrette
-
Date
Basildon: Motorbike club raid
Thieves cut through a locked shipping container to steal three motorbikes and gear worth £6,000 from the Essex Motorcycle Training Club in the early hours of yesterday. Theft victim - Alf Viccary at the motorbike track Picture: LUAN MARSHALL The owner
-
Date
Witham: Council to use soldier street names
In spite of a warning that choosing names of soldiers killed in action for local street names would be fraught with problems, Witham Town Council is to go ahead and choose 30 names from local families. If all goes well, they will appear on road signs
-
Date
Basildon: I'm alive and well - honest!
Health Secretary Alan Milburn is under fire after his department sent condolences for the death of a Basildon man - who is alive and well. Alive and well - William with son Mark and wife Jill Picture: DAVE HENDERSON Mark Langford complained to Mr Milburn
-
Date
Soccer: Colchester United reserves 1-0 Northampton Town (Avon Insurance League)
Pat Baldwin scored a rare goal as Colchester United Reserves maintained their top three position in the Avon Insurance League. The 20-year-old scored the only goal of the game, a volley from a knock-down, as the U's saw off Northampton Town second-string
-
Date
Angling: Trio bag a monster
A South Benfleet team has won a prestigious fishing championship in the Caribbean and caught some massive 350 plus pound fish in the process. The South Benfleet Social Club Sea Angling Club won the Rolex IGFA International Game Fishing Association Offshore
