Archive
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Canvey: Our new country park is wrecked
Bikers are wrecking Canvey's first country park and turning it into a dumping ground, it was claimed today. Ruined - Dave Blackwell, Anne Wood and Jenny Wright survey some of the damage Picture: ROB BROWNE Leader of the Canvey Independent Party, Dave
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Canvey: Hunt is on to net flytipper
Spy cameras could be hidden in trees to catch a flytipper costing Castle Point taxpayers tens of thousands of pounds. Lorry loads of building waste have been dumped in Northwick Road, in Canvey. The most recent load was deposited in the gateway of the
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Wickford: Family tribute to dead motorcyclist
The devastated family of motorcyclist Keith Hardy today paid moving tributes to "one of the world's good guys". Mr Hardy, 47, was killed when his Yamaha Thunderace motorbike collided with a red Nissan Almera at the south end of the new A130 near Wickford
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Soccer: Rovers happy in defeat
Wakering boss Tony Cross was delighted to see his side begin their pre-season build-up with an entertaining home friendly against Essex neighbours Grays, despite a 3-1 defeat. Mark Stimson's visitors took the lead through Danny Foster, recently released
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Chelmsford: Wacky raft racers' watery end
Man-made rafts were launched in a mid-Essex town as part of the annual River Festival. Taking to the water - One of the creations from the Chelmsford Higgins Homes Raft Race The Higgins Homes Raft Race took place on the River Chelmer from Backnang Square
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Colchester: Soldier in driving ban after cyclist death crash
A soldier has been banned from driving after losing control of his car and killing a cyclist. Robert Pitkin, 23, admitted careless driving and driving without insurance, at court yesterday. Colchester magistrates heard the Meanee Barracks-based paratrooper
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Colchester: Woman caught up in wasp swarm
WASPS swarmed around a woman and stung her dozens of times after she disturbed their nest. She was airlifted to Colchester General Hospital showing early signs of anaphylactic shock. The 46-year-old Colchester woman was working in the garden of a house
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Essex: Pioneering traffic jam-buster opens
Traffic jams will become a thing of the past if staff at the Essex Traffic Information Centre get their way The new centre uses hi-tech equipment to monitor traffic flow, adjust traffic lights and keep motorists informed The centre, which is the first
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Maldon: Brothers in deep water for charity
A trickle of sponsorship looks like becoming a tidal wave of support for Maldon brothers Alex and Stafford Williams who have vowed to swim the River Blackwater for charity. Alex, 38, and Stafford, 41, are determined to raised thousands for the Maldon
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Speedway: Arena hit by injuries
Arena Essex have injury worries ahead of tonight's meeting with second-placed Wolverhampton in Purfleet. Josh Larsen's broken foot rules him out of action while he waits to discover if he needs an operation. Captain Kelvin Tatum cannot race on consecutive
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Essex: £15.5m boost for roads
Motorists are set to see major improvements to the roads they use thanks to an extra £15.5m being spent by Essex County Council. And although Marks Tey will not get the 30mph limit the Evening Gazette has been campaigning for, it is to get £200,000 of
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South Essex: Bikers nabbed
A police crackdown on "reckless" bikers reaching speeds of 110mph at a weekly race night on the A127 led to more than 20 drivers being cautioned. Madness - two biker fans dash across the central reservation as bikes fly past Picture: ANNA LUKALA The operation
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Thundersley: Ford dealership to relocate
A car dealership wants to build new premises on green belt land in Thundersley. Essex Ford is pressing ahead with plans to relocate to land behind the Sainsbury's store in Stadium Way, near Rayleigh Weir. The current Ford site in Stadium Way, just off
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Cricket: Irani battles to resurrect season
Ronnie Irani came out of his corner fighting today in a bid to silence the critics as Essex cricketers battled to turn their poor season around. Irani and his underfire team-mates start a four-day Frizzell Championship match against Leicestershire at
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Stansted: Hijackers can stay in the UK
Nine Afghan men who hijacked a plane which landed at Stansted can stay in the UK. The men were jailed three years ago for hijacking an Afghan Ariana Boeing 727 in February 2000. But in June last year their convictions were quashed when the Court of Appeal
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Cricket: Stars come out for Hadleigh's big day
Hadleigh and Thundersley Cricket Club enjoyed a memorable afternoon yesterday as a whole host of test stars attended their annual international challenge match. Going batty - Viv Richards signs for Mick Patel and Raj Patel at yesterday's charity game
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Soccer: Echo sponsors Southend
The Evening Echo are backing Southend United for success next season by becoming one of the club's major sponsors. Southend United's new away kit As part of the deal, the East Stand will now be known as the Echo Stand as Steve Tilson attempts to lift
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Soccer: Husbands wants to tame Lions
Southend United striker Michael Husbands is hoping to continue his fine pre-season form for the Shrimpers against Millwall at Roots Hall tonight. The speedy 20-year-old has impressed in victories over both East Thurrock United and Canvey Island and is
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Wickford: School's unique garden
A Wickford school has linked up with an Essex company to transform its old farm, buildings and land into a unique garden centre. Launch - work gets under way at Castledon School, watched by headteacher Carole Clift, back Castledon School, which is working
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Castle Point: Anti-speeding residents face fight to calm traffic
Campaigning residents may be one step closer to putting the brakes on speeding motorists in Daws Heath. Castle Point Council has agreed to carry out a site inspection of Daws Heath Road after more than 100 residents united to call for traffic-calming
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Wickford: Girl bit police officers
A drunken teenage girl who bit two police officers and assaulted four others has narrowly avoided being locked up. The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, lashed out at police who had been called out to move a group of drunken youths in
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Pitsea: Road chaos should ease
Essex County Councillor Ray Howard hopes motorists will continue to change their travel habits while the work at Pitsea flyover continues. Mr Howard said journeys should be made easier in the next few weeks. He said: "I thought the journey yesterday was
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Maldon: Convertible in collision
A Maldon woman was taken to hospital after her convertible car was in collision with a lorry in White Roding on the A1060. Following the incident, which occurred at 4.40pm on Tuesday, fire fighters had to cut the door from her car before paramedics placed
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Southend: Police drafted in to catch train crooks
Police from London will be seconded to Southend for a crackdown on train robbery. The sweep will mean an extra British Transport Police presence on the c2c and One rail lines in the next few weeks. The crackdown will begin as the school summer holidays
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Clacton: New driving test centre unveiled
Plans for a state-of-the-art driving test centre in north Essex have been revealed. The new site, in Clacton, would ease the backlog of pressure in Colchester, which sees learner drivers waiting 12 weeks for a test. Students waiting double the recommended
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Langdon Hills: Guns and knives theft
Police today urged the public to be on their guard after five air guns and hunting knives were stolen from a van. The weapons are a potential danger in the hands of children and should be handed into police if found. Officers believe the thieves could
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Colchester: Richard's difficult 'tusk' for research
Comedian Richard Herring mucked in at Colchester Zoo - all in the name of research. In preparation for his Edinburgh Fringe Festival show, he cleaned out the elephant enclosure, in an attempt to replicate Hercules' task of cleaning out the Augean stables
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Colchester: Trust loses star in latest figures
The Trust which runs Colchester's NHS hospitals and provides services around the county has slipped in new performance ratings. Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust gained two stars last year, but in today's Healthcare Commission figures it achieved only
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Soccer: Oxford United 1-5 Ipswich Town (Friendly)
Ipswich Town made up for their pre-season goal drought by routing Oxford United 5-1. The Blues roared back to form in last night's friendly at the Kassam Stadium. Oxford went in front early on but two goals from Tommy Miller, plus further strikes from
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Wickford: Quality control put on kennels owner
The owner of a kennels who sold sick and dying puppies faces a jail sentence if she breaks a court order following an investigation by trading standards. Loretta Bastin, who runs the Bailey Kennels and Hollies Hounds, at Dobe Farm, Wickford, agreed to
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Dovercourt: Mosaic in memory of Declan
Creative youngsters have unveiled a mosaic they made in memory of a fellow pupil who died of cancer. The art piece will be on permanent display at Mayflower Primary School, Dovercourt, in honour of ten-year-old Declan Heath. Headteacher Margaret North
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Angling: Capp measures up to monster cat
Hullbridge's Nathan Capp turned big game hunter when he tamed this monster catfish on a successful trip to the Chigborough Fisheries in Maldon. The 25-year-old angler needed all of his strength to land this 45lb 1oz beast,which was caught during a 24-
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Southend: Brave face of tragic fireman
This is the proud face of a brave Southend firefighter who died with a colleague tackling a blaze in east London. Diligent - Adam Meere joined station in May Adam Meere, 27, of St Leonard's Road, Southend, died while helping to tackle the fire at a three-storey
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Stanway: Villagers' fear at travellers' site
Angry residents voiced their concerns over a planning application for a travellers' site in Stanway. More than 30 people attended last night's Stanway Council's planning committee meeting to register their protests. The controversial application seeks
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Wickford: Schools battered by 'bored' vandals
Persistent vandals have been wreaking havoc at two schools in Wickford. Disgusted - Abacus Primary's caretaker Robin Watts surveys the damage Picture: LUAN MARSHALL Both Oakfield Primary School and Abacus Primary School were hit by vandals again on Monday
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Soccer: Farnborough Town 0-2 Colchester United (Friendly)
Livewire Colchester United striker Wayne Andrews struck again as the U's continued their 100 per cent record in pre-season friendlies with a 2-0 win against Farnborough Town. The pacy forward sped past the Conference side's defence to net Colchester's
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Tennis: Mixed start for County
Essex Ladies made a winning start to this week's Inter-County Cup tournament, but they were pushed all the way by Sussex. They eventually won their Group One fixture 5-4 against their hosts in Eastbourne, where they share a group with defending champions
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Wethersfield: Find church vandals plea
An appeal has been made to local villagers to find vandals and thieves after two separate attacks on a church which has recently been the subject of an £86,000 restoration. It is the third time the leaded light window in Wethersfield Parish Church has
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Braintree: Home Office scheme scrapped
A Home Office initiative which saw a convicted cocaine dealer from Braintree working with unsuspecting Customs officers has been scrapped. Enzo Defoe, of Blake Drive, was working at Felixstowe docks with customs while serving a three-year sentence for
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Harwich: Experts give train pledge
Passenger trains will continue even if a new container terminal is built, a rail expert has said. Nick Banks, of the Strategic Rail Authority, spoke yesterday at a public inquiry into the £300m Bathside Bay development. He responded to growing concerns
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Witham: £800,000 promise for travel scheme
A major cash boost to complete three long-awaited Witham transport schemes has been confirmed by transport bosses. The big surprise is that Essex County Council has agreed to earmark £300,000 for improvements at Witham railway station. The station footbridge
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Soccer: Husbands wants to tame Lions
The Evening Echo are backing Southend United for success next season by becoming one of the club's major sponsors. Southend United's new away kit As part of the deal, the East Stand will now be known as the Echo Stand as Steve Tilson attempts to lift
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Tilbury: Dad stopped PCs nicking son
A 43-year-old father pleaded guilty to obstructing police officers after they went to his home to arrest his son. Kevin Treffers, of Leicester Road, Tilbury, appeared before Basildon magistrates following the incident in January. The court heard how seven
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Stansted: Busy summer ahead
Stansted looks set for another busy summer, with passenger numbers at the airport continuing to grow last month. During June, the airport saw 1.84m passengers passing through it, a 10.7 per cent increase on the same month last year. There were two landmark
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Stansted: Money bags!
Having squeezed just about every other frill out of its service, low-cost giant Ryanair is considering charging people to take luggage. At a monthly media briefing the Stansted-based carrier's firebrand chief executive Michael O'Leary talked about introducing
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Colchester: Customer centre jobs joy
Colchester today got a major boost as it was revealed a new Essex County Council customer contact centre is to be set up in the town. The new centre will bring up to 100 jobs and will be based at The Cresent on Colchester Business Park. Kevin Bentley,
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Angling: Ross finds big fish elusive
Ross Ellis fished a night on the short arm at Rochford's Doggetts venue hoping his run of twenties would continue. The Shoebury angler landed numerous good tench and bream, plus three carp, but all between eight and twelve pounds. Gary Vandagen fished
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Shoebury: Explosion fears spark evacuation
Shoppers in Shoebury were evacuated from the Asda store for 20 minutes because staff feared there would be an explosion. But their concern soon subsided as firefighters reported it was a false alarm. When alarms started going off at the store in North
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Chelmsford: Ex-ward worker gets stuck in
A former hospital worker has spoken of how she donned gloves and cleaning materials to clean blood off a hospital bed Muriel Brien took the action after nursing staff at Broomfield Hospital's Accident and Emergency Department in Chelmsford said they were
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Soccer: Gulls thrilled over Joseph signing
Canvey coach Glenn Pennyfather admitted that the club were delighted to have captured the services of an experienced Football League player as they approach their first season at Nationwide Conference level. New man at Park Lane is Matt Joseph, who left
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Canvey: Town council bid picks up pace
The campaign for a Canvey town council was today gathering pace following a meeting to discuss a battle plan. The five lead members of Canvey Island Town Council Campaign are planning to write to Government ministers and organise petitions. The council
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Colchester: Shoplifter banned from every Co-op
A shoplifter has been banned from every Co-op store in Colchester. Damien Say had an anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) slapped on him at court yesterday. Store ban - Damien Say hands out a beer The 22-year-old, of Monkwick Avenue, Colchester, admitted