Archive
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Colchester: Tom's aim is to make the town a better place at night
A NEW police officer has been appointed to work specifically with pub landlords in Colchester. Neighbourhood specialist officer PC Tom Walker took on the role a few weeks ago, with the sole aim of liaising with pubs, clubs, off-licences and take-aways
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Colchester: Spanish club shows schools how to celebrate Christmas down Mexico way
A NATIVITY play with a Latino twist was performed in front of delighted primary school pupils. Pupils from Colchester County High School’s Spanish club, led by Eri Hobbs, are learning to celebrate Christmas in a traditional Mexican way. After visiting
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Essex: more police horses being trained for service on our streets
ONE year after police horses were reinstated in Essex they are continuing to have a good effect. The mounted unit returned to the county last December after being axed eight years ago. It is now made up of eight horses, nine police officers
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North Essex: fundraising football clubs hit by big electricity bill
TWO football clubs which are raising cash for a community project will be left thousands of pounds poorer because of a blunder on their electricity bill. Energy provider Eon – the multi-millon pound FA Cup sponsor – has hit Lawford’s football clubs with
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North Essex: Gazette reader captures dramatic extent of cliff erosion
AN amateur photographer has captured the “dramatic” collapse of the Naze at Walton. Peter Clarke, of Columbine Gardens, Walton, took pictures of the cliff edge, in front of the Naze car park, before and after the most recent collapse.
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North Essex: Essex Book Festival promises a feast for bookworms
BOOKworms are going to be in seventh heaven next year with another starry line-up at the Essex Book Festival. Writers of all kinds will be descending on the county in March, with Melvyn Bragg, Joan Bakewell and Roy Hattersley among the literary celebrities
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Colchester: Blockheads are back for special gigs
A DOUBLEdose of Blockheads is on offer this Christmas. One of the nation’s most impressive backing groups is back, once again, at the Colchester Arts Centre for what is now an annual pre-festive treat. As in previous years, the gig is a sell-out, but
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North Essex: The unsung heroes for whom Christmas is just another day
IF a power cut puts your Christmas lunch in jeopardy on Thursday, chances are it will be Ian Clarke who comes to the rescue. The 40-year-old, of Stanway, Colchester, works for EDF Energy and is among dozens of engineers and linesmen who will be on call
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North Essex: Business briefs from the area
WALLIS Shipping has secured a major deal with a Korean shipbuilding manufacturer. The Colchester-based firm will transport eight large generators, setting sail from Liverpool, to the Far East. The generators will be used to build liquid gas carriers
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North Essex: Pupil plans educational chat website
A PUPIL is hoping to get every school in Essex signed up to a new educational chat website. Harry Williams, 14, of Cherry Tree Avenue, Clacton, has been in talks with schools throughout the county to get them involved with a new message board. It would
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North Essex: Plans afoot for £350,000 improvement to Wivenhoe Trail
HUNDREDS of thousands of pounds will be spent resurfacing a popular path. Essex County Council has set aside £350,000 to pay for the Wivenhoe Trail to be improved. The trail, which links Colchester and Wivenhoe, will be upgraded so it is easier to use
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North Essex: Airport boss says expansion is the key to business take-off
AIR travel has become a fact of life and despite the current financial squeeze, people have not abandoned trips on budget airlines. Figures released last month show that Stansted Airport generated nearly £200 million income in the first nine
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Tendring: Charity appeals for help to give pensioners a free Christmas lunch
A CHARITY is appealing for kind-hearted residents and businesses to share the cost of transporting elderly people to a Christmas Day lunch. Tendring Community Transport will ferry residents who would otherwise spend yuletide alone to Clacton
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Colchester: Boss who faced court for illegally imprisoning thief speaks out
THE company boss who frogmarched an employee to the police for allegedly stealing said the resulting court case had been “a big waste of time and money all round”. Simon Cremer, the owner of In-house flooring in Witham, was one of the four defendants
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North Essex: Friends club together to help young cancer-sufferer seek treatment
A COMMUNITY is clubbing together to help a young cancer sufferer seek alternative treatment abroad. Leala Milleare, of Arnold Road, Clacton, has undergone six weeks of unsuccessful chemotherapy. The 29-year-old was diagnosed with cervical cancer in
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North Essex: Call for St Osyth youth curfew to be extended to Clacton
A VOLUNTARY curfew should be extended to Clacton, according to a parish council. Letters were sent out to the parents of 1,250 pupils who attend Brightling-sea’s Colne Community College in October, asking them to comply with a voluntary curfew to help
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North Essex: The cancer sufferer who has turned her life around and now plans to help others
THERE are many reasons people start to slim – but few are as arresting as Janis McCarthy’s. As a mother of two young girls, she was told at the age of 43 that she had breast cancer. It was to be the first of two diagnoses of the disease
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North Essex: Pensioners to drive refurbished ambulance in Plymouth to Banjul Challenge
TWO retired friends are driving a refurbished ambulance 4,000 miles to an African hospital. Doug Nixon, 62, and Barry Folds, 64, have been restoring the vehicle since February and will set off for the Plymouth-to-Banjul Challenge on January
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Colchester: Sent home before the fun began
A MUM says her young daughter has lost her Christmas “sparkle” after being sent home before her school disco. Regular transport to pick up ten-year-old Leah Oakley from St Andrew’s Junior School in Colchester arrived just before the annual party last
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Colchester: Late night litterpicks a great success
LATE-NIGHT litter picks are being hailed a success. Colchester Council’s street care team has introduced an extra set of litter pickers in the town centre as part of its involvement with the Night Time Economy pledge. The pledge was signed by Colchester
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Tendring: Ruling coalition plans to form new political group
THE ruling coalition on Tendring Council plans to form into one political group. The rainbow administration of Tendring First (12), Labour (6), Liberal Democrat (6) and Independent members (6) will put their political allegiances aside and
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North Essex: Multi-million pound community centre's future hangs in the balance
HOPES to build a multi-million pound community centre on surplus land could be dashed unless community leaders agree to a vital study. Harwich mayor Dave Rutson has been in talks with officials from Essex County Council, which owns the site
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North Essex: Business briefs to keep you in the swing
THE next breakfast meeting organised by Fisher Jones Greenwood solicitors will be held on January 14, when the guest speaker will be Bob Sherer, of Essex Community Foundation. The event will be held at the Food Factory in Colchester from 8am. For more
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North Essex: Fire and Rescue Service urges shops to put safety first
SHOPS and businesses are being urged to put safety first over the festive period. As people take advantage of huge discounts in stores – and that is before the January sales have begun – Essex County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS) is asking store managers
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Colchester: Gazette winner reports record growth for 2008
A WINNER at the Gazette’s Colchester Business Awards has seen record growth this year. Mackman Group, which picked up a business-to-business award at Charter Hall last month, saw its figures soar by 60 per cent on last year, despite the economic downturn
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North Essex: Hunt for vandal with strange fetish
PENSIONERS say they are being tormented by vandals with a “fetish” for knocking down walls. Lorna and Allan Blackmore, of Ramplings Avenue, Great Clacton, say the wall at the front of their house has been damaged three times in the last 18 months. They
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North Essex: Booze is to blame for nearly half the district's crimes
DRINK is behind almost half of all crime in north Essex, a special Gazette investigation has revealed. We looked at more than 120 cases brought before Colchester magistrates over the past fortnight. More than 50 of them – more than 40 per cent – were
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North Essex: Man breached Asbo by emergency call to police
A MAN who dialled 999 in a non-emergency breached an antisocial behaviour order, a court heard. Gerald Morgan, of Queen Anne Drive, West Mersea, admitted breaching the order which was put on him in September last year. The court heard he had seen “something
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North Essex: Turkey to share Christmas dinner - not make it
WHILE for most, Christmas is a time of celebration, it must be a season turkeys do not look forward to. All except Terence the turkey – who will spend Christmas Day at the dinner table of the Barron family before moving to a new home.While poultry farming
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Colchester: Patrols score success in fight against graffiti vandals
PROACTIVE patrols and intelligence-led arrests have played a vital role in the fight against graffiti in Colchester. In the south of the town alone, ten people were arrested for causing criminal damage by graffiti over the past four months. The result
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Colchester: Vandalism forces closure of public conveniences
PUBLIC toilets have been closed for the foreseeable future following a spate of vandalism and graffiti. Colchester Council officers have decided to shut the toilets at Old Heath Road playing field until further notice because of the damage caused by
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Colchester: Judge 'would not be surprised if alcohol declared a dangerous drug'
District judge David Cooper, who sits every Thursday at Colchester Magistrates’ Court,has said he would not be surprised if alcohol is one day reclassified as a dangerous drug. This year, he has castigated a series of offenders who have appeared before
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Frinton: hundreds flock to seaside town's shopping event
THOUSANDS of festive shoppers turned out in force for Frinton’s Christmas spectacle. The Frinton Christmas Festival, which included the resort’s stores opening late, took place in Connaught Avenue. The festivities included a parade led by a horsedrawn
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Amnesty shines a light in dark cells
Just imagine being locked in a cell alone. You may not even know why you are there and you certainly don’t know when – or if – you will be released. Then, suddenly, the door opens and you are handed a bundle of envelopes. You
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Colchester: Youth glassed in town bar
A teenager was glassed after a large fight broke out in a Colchester bar. A number of people were involved in the altercation in the Silk Road lounge and cocktail bar, in St Botolph’s Street, on Sunday night. Police were called at about 9.30pm, following
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Round-up of youth football results
COLCHESTER AND DISTRICT YOUTH LEAGUE UNDER-NINES League Cup - round two: Team Player Youth 0 Feering Falcons 5 (J Stevens 2, S Docherty, H Doubleday 2). Andrews Blues League: Cornard Dynamos blues 5 (E Chance 2, D Wison, J Bonner, C Fuller) Tempest
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Round-up of junior football results
ESSEX JUNIOR CUP round three: Holland FC Res 5 West Bergholt Res 2, Southminster Res 2 Brightlingsea Regent Res 1. ESSEX SUNDAY PREMIER CUP round three: AFC Pegasus 1 Bell Sports 2. KENT BLAXILL ESSEX AND SUFFOLK BORDER LEAGUE: Premier Division: Alresford
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Runners to take on riders
THE annual runners versus riders clash will be taking place on Boxing Day morning at Friday Woods. It has been part of the festive sporting scene in Colchester since the 1930s with a healthy rivalry between runners and cyclists from local clubs competing
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Mersea able to taste victory at long last
In an absorbing London League division three north east derby, Mersea Island finally bounced back to winning ways at the Youth Camp, beating Braintree 15-5. With this being the last league game before the Christmas break, Mersea entertained a Braintree
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Kev's hoping for a festive points haul
Kevin Lisbie believes Ipswich Town can fire themselves back into the play-off picture over Christmas. The striker was on target with both goals as his side shared the points from a 2-2 draw at Coventry City on Saturday. Now they switch their attention
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North Essex: Blink and you miss it ... this was the clifftop at Walton just 13 days ago
AN amateur photographer has captured the “dramatic” collapse of the Naze at Walton. Peter Clarke, of Columbine Gardens, Walton, took pictures of the cliff edge, in front of the Naze car park, before and after the most recent collapse. “The first picture
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Door is left open for Oakley move
West Bergholt failed to grab all the points from their Kent Blaxill Essex and Suffolk Border League premier division encounter at Dedham Old Boys, as they drew 1-1, leaving the door open for Little Oakley to join them at the top after their stunning
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U’s Ladies set up Gunners clash
Colchester United Ladies can settle into the Christmas holidays in the sure knowledge they have earned themselves an exciting New Year present. Their 1-0 defeat of Enfield Town means they will travel to Ladies National Premier champions Arsenal in the
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Colchester end the year on a high
Colchester finished the year on a high with a 24-3 victory against fellow promotion contenders Ipswich, in London League division four north east. The Suffolk side were the only team to have beaten Colchester this season and the win put them three points
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Cowling: it was the best atmosphere so far
Colchester United chairman Robbie Cowling has praised the club’s fans for creating the ‘best atmosphere so far’ at the Weston Homes Community Stadium. Cowling was delighted with the U’s supporters, who got behind their side throughout the club’s goal-less
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North Essex: Half of all crime 'alcohol-related'
Alcohol abuse is behind almost half of all crime in north Essex, a special Gazette investigation has revealed. We looked at more than 120 cases brought before Colchester magistrates over the past fortnight. More than 50 of them – or
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Coast: man admits killing teenager
A man has admitted killing a teenager in a Walton street. Mark Brewer punched 18-year-old Dominic Barritt during an incident in Walton High Street last August. When he fell, the teenager hit the back of his head on the ground and died
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Wivenhoe: arty cafe bid has backers
A NEW cafe and art gallery could open its doors soon. Council planners gave permission for a change of use on the retail premises in High Street, Wivenhoe, to allow it to become a gourmet grocer, cafe and art gallery. A report to the planning committee
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Colchester: composer Alan's carol to be part of BBC Christmas Eve Nine Lessons and Carols service
A CAROL by Colchester composer Alan Bullard will be making a star appearance at a world-renowned service. The Christmas Eve Nine Lessons and Carols service, held at King’s College, Cambridge, is possibly the world’s most famous carol concert, broadcast
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Essex: farmers hope that new year will bring stability to crop prices
NORTH Essex farmers who survived “extraordinary” ups and downs in this year’s crop prices are hoping for more stability next year. Chris Butler, who runs his farm, farm shop and cafe from Greenstead Green said prices of wheat, barley and oil