Archive
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Parkeston: Church hit by vandals
Congregation members fear for the future of their church after a "sickening" spate of vandalism. St Paul's Church in Parkeston has been so badly damaged over the past few months that members fear it will have to close. Police patrols are now being stepped
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Dovercourt: Fired up for the future
As four firefighters haul a motionless figure to safety, it is like a scene from a film. On target - youngsters take part in a firefighting exercise at Dovercourt fire station. Picture: NIGEL BROWN (39995-3) They burst from a smoke-filled bunker, struggling
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Clacton, Colchester: Man's break for freedom
A man vaulted a court dock and fled into a town centre after hearing he would be spending Christmas behind bars. Glen Hill, 18, of Melbourne Road, Clacton, made his escape from Colchester Magistrates' Court, where he appeared facing a string of charges
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Dovercourt: Store demolition plan opposed
Plans to demolish a town centre store and replace it with flats have met with fierce opposition. Developers want to knock down the Co-op Homemaker store in Kingsway, Dovercourt, and build 21 flats with a car park next to it. The development would be four
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Chelmsford: Present thieves spoil Christmas
Christmas has been ruined for one mid-Essex family. Burglars stole nearly £1,000 of presents after breaking into a shed at Julie Hutchings' home in Beeches Road, Chelmsford. They took a mini-motorcycle, a mountain bike and a children's quad bike. Mother-of-four
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Soccer round-up: Essex and Suffolk Border League
West Bergholt stayed in hot pursuit of AFC Sudbury Reserves at the top of the premier division as they played host to Stowmarket Town Reserves. In a hard-fought match, West Bergholt won 3-1 with a penalty, and then a fluke goal from Michael McLachlan,
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Soccer: Hero Darren buoys Blues
Ipswich Town goal-hero Darren Bent has nailed his colours to the blue-and-white mast and insists he is not looking to leave Portman Road in the near future. Goal-den moment - Richard naylor is congratulated by Jason de Vos after his vital equaliser at
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Manningtree: Frustration rises for commuters
A second week of delays and cancellations has left Manningtree rail commuters even more angry than they were already. Now Manningtree Rail Users' Association is planning to set up a public meeting with rail company One as soon as possible in the new year
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Essex: A12 roadworks are removed for Christmas
Essex motorists can breathe a sigh of relief as roadworks are removed from the county's roads during the Christmas period. The main works for the £9 million scheme to resurface the A12 in Essex between Kelvedon North and Marks Tey finished in mid December
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Colchester: Booking anniversary
A leading Colchster businesss travel firm is marking the second anniversary of its online booking system. The system, launched by Gray Dawes at the Manchester Business Travel Show in 2002, is designed to save both time and money to business clients. The
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Football: Pardew pledges happy new year
Defeat at Preston has come as another disappointment to West Ham, but manager Alan Pardew is not too unhappy with the first half of the season. Hammers are in almost exactly the same place they were at this stage last season, on the tails of the leaders
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Football: Prior happy to be boring
Southend United centre back Spencer Prior is urging the Shrimpers to continue their recent run of clean sheets. The Seasiders' rearguard have secured three shut-outs in their last four games and the former Manchester City man is hoping that resolute record
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Southend: Swimmers prepare for Christmas plunge
A group of swimmers in their 50s and 60s will appreciate their piping hot Christmas dinners more than most - they will have just climbed out of the freezing sea. Brian Cooper, 66, of Inverness Avenue, Westcliff, and about ten friends plan to take a dip
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Fishing: Cracking Christmas start for Del
Basildon Matchman Del Smee got into the festive spirit by winning the Gloucester Park Christmas Fayre Open with a cracking 32lb haul. Not only did he take the lions share of the pools money, he also went home with a bumper Christmas hamper. Smee fished
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Colchester: Drivers face rise in parking fees
Drivers in Colchester are being hit in the pocket by the latest round of inflation-busting parking hikes. Motorists living in resident parking zones will have to fork out an extra £7 a year to leave their cars outside their own homes. The planned increase
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Southend: Cruise night success
The first two official cruise nights in Southend have been hailed a great success - but the full effect will not be clear until next summer, according to the council. Council leader Howard Briggs said while there had been a decrease in antisocial behaviour
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Essex: Murderer could be cleared in 2005
The wife of convicted murderer Michael Steele told how she has real hope he could be a free man in the new year. Jackie Steele, whose husband has been in prison for almost nine years on a triple life sentence, said his case has been referred to the Court
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Colchester: No power, no turkey!
Turkey was off the menu after a Christmas party was stuffed by a power cut in Colchester. Hotel apologies - Duncan Burdorf, sales manager for the Holiday Inn, said the power failure was beyond the control of the hotel. Picture: NICK OBANK (40194-1) Revellers
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Colchester: Drivers face rise in parking fees
Drivers in Colchester are being hit in the pocket by the latest round of inflation-busting parking hikes. Motorists living in resident parking zones will have to fork out an extra £7 a year to leave their cars outside their own homes. The planned increase
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Table tennis: Hayden's return adds spice
Life at the top of the Braintree League has been given an extra bit of spice with the return of a former men's singles champion. Peter Hayden, winner of the title in 1992 and 1994, has picked up his bat again after a six-year lay-off and was in the BUSC
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Mid-Essex: Traders hope for late rush to buy
Traders in Braintree and Witham are hoping for a last minute rush in the run-up to Christmas Day to offset disappointing sales so far. They say trade has been slower than last year and are banking on it picking up by the end of the week. But in Maldon
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Brightlingsea: Looking good up on top
A new roof will help see in the new year down on the waterfront in Brightlingsea. We have lift on - members of Colne Yacht Club look on as a new roof is put on to Bateman's Tower in Promenade Way, Brightlingsea. Picture: TERRY WEEDEN (40144-1) Thanks
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Essex: Seven firms praised
Seven award-winning Essex companies have been praised for their innovative ideas and good business practice. Alexandra Uhlmann, of Ashridge Business School, was speaking at a Celebrating Business dinner attended by representatives of the Essex firms.
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North Essex: Gazette readers foil phone scam
Telephone fraudsters are being foiled in their attempts to con people out of hundreds of pounds. Gazette readers are heeding the warnings of the scam, which tempts people by saying they have won a holiday. People get calls to landlines and mobiles, where
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Maldon: Unlit pole 'putting cyclists' lives at risk'
An unlit pole stuck in the carriageway on a major route into Maldon town centre could cause death or injury to cyclists, says the chairman of the town's road safety committee. Danger spot - the unlit pole at the junction of Spital Road and Fambridge Road
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Colchester: MP calls for inquiry
Colchester MP Bob Russell has called for a public inquiry into the St Botolph's Quarter regeneration, which he described as a "charade". Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Russell launched a scathing attack on Colchester Council, accusing it of "dancing
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South Essex: Post office Christmas strike action
Post Office staff in south Essex will strike on Christmas Eve in protest of having to work until 4pm. Managers will fill in for counter staff from 12.30pm during the walk-out at the branches in High Street, Southend, East Square, Basildon, Laindon Centre
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Walton: Police use new power
Officers in Walton have seized their first vehicle under new powers. Under section 59 of the Police Reform Act, 2002, police officers and police community support officers (PCSOs) have the power to seize motor vehicles such as cars, mopeds and motorised
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Colchester: Hospice appeal reaches £20,000
The Light up a Life appeal run by Colchester's St Helena Hospice has raised an estimated £20,000. Light up a Life - crowds gather for the appeal at St Helena Hospice. Picture: STEVE ARGENT (40185-7) The campaign, supported by the Gazette, saw families
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Soccer: Ipswich Town 2-1 Wigan Athletic (Coca Cola Championship)
Christmas puns about crackers and presents crop up all the time in football reports at this time of year. Rarely, though, could they carry more significance than in this seasonal showdown at Portman Road. The match was every bit as exciting - not to mention
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Bradfield: Woman dies in crash
A former Bradfield woman has died in a road accident in the West Country. Caroline Huffey, 23, whose parents live in Cansey Lane, Bradfield, died after her car was in collision with two ponies near Meare in Somerset. The accident, in which both horses
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Chelmsford: Chinese visit APU
Business people from the other side of the world took a trip to Chelmsford. The delegation from China were welcomed at Anglia Polytechnic University as part of a drive to match Essex businesses with Chinese enterprise. Representatives of 14 Chinese companies
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Southend: Air dash to give birth to twins
A mother had to be flown to a Norwich hospital to give birth to identical twins because there were not enough incubators at Southend's premature baby unit. Kelly Rush, 27, of Dorothy Gardens, Benfleet, and dad Roy Carter, 37, were flown by air ambulance
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Dovercourt: Worker saved by the belt
A workman was saved from a fall after his colleague grabbed him by his belt. The men were repairing a roof at the Harwich School in Hall Lane, Dovercourt, about 8.40am yesterday, when one of them, a 36-year-old of Romford, fell towards an uncovered skylight
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Essex: Ex-Marconi staff ask for a change of heart
The Marconi Veterans Association has pleaded with the board of Marconi Corporation to give the historic Marconi archive collection back to Chelmsford instead of sending it to Oxford University. Association vice chairman, retired Marconi Comms director
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Football: Town move second
Despite an honest admission that his side had "won ugly", Billericay Town boss Justin Edinburgh was delighted to see his troops move into second place in the Ryman Premier table with a 2-0 home win over Slough. What particularly pleased Edinburgh was
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Colchester: Hunt for shop raid trio
Three armed robbers are on the run after holding up a Colchester shop with a shotgun. Crime scene - the convenience store in Hunwicke Road, Greenstead, which was held up by three armed raiders. Picture: STEVE BAINBRIDGE (40167-b) The masked men went into
