Archive
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Girls win places in youth ballet
THE fairytale dreams of three Colchester dancers have become a reality. Sisters Bethany and Sophie Pike, along with Tiffany Smith, have earned places with the National Youth Ballet of Great Britain. Bethany, 16, will be taking centre
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Swine flu cases falling during the summer hols
THE number of people newly diagnosed with swine flu continues to fall. There were an estimated 25,000 new cases in England in the last week. Trials on swine flu vaccines are taking place in England and across Europe this month. A total of 371
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Stem cell cures are still a distant hope
THE idea of stem cell therapy whips up emotions of hope and despair in equal measure. For those suffering from serious illnesses, developments in stem cell therapy could be their saving grace, the chance to live a more fulfilling life, and they are fully
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Teen helps disarm woman wielding razor blade
A TEENAGE waitress helped wrestle a woman waving a razor blade to the ground days into her new role as a Special Constable. By day Sally Chapman works in the George hotel, on High Street, Colchester, but on a Saturday night she puts on her police volunteer
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Rape trial: Girl’s 999 call is played to court
IN a tearful 999 call a teenager named two of the three men she claims repeatedly raped her. The call to police, made by the 18-year-old immediately after she was “chucked out” of the Colchester flat where the alleged incident took place, was
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Chemical scare at university blamed on fridge
TWO people needed hospital treatment after a chemical scare at Essex University. Cleaners smelled ammonia as they entered the computer suite, on the main campus of the Wivenhoe-based university, at about 6.45am yesterday. Some of the staff immediately
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Monks' mission on Greenstead estate
TWO monks and a nun, who take vows of poverty, obedience and chastity, are moving onto the Greenstead estate in Colchester and are hoping to find local families to take them in. The Franciscan monks, Brother Philip Barthomew and Brother Martin
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The deadly devil plant growing in Greenstead
A DEADLY hallucinogenic Amazonian plant has been discovered on a footpath where children play. The datura stramonium plant, or devil’s weed as it is also known, was found by a woman in a pathway on Greenstead yesterday just a few steps from her front
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Council 'wasted £15,000 on town traffic survey'
ESSEX County Council has “wasted” £15,000 on a traffic survey to help it come up with alternative ideas to a bypass for Halstead, it has been claimed. But the county council has described its “many ideas” as simply “musings”, refusing to say any more
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Back to the land...
FIVE years ago, things were pretty quiet down at the allotments in Bergholt Road, Colchester. Only a handful of hardy souls were growing tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce and raspberries, while scores of plots stood untended. How things have changed since
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Plan to lift town’s tourism prospects
CLACTON needs to drop its “bucket and spade” image and to attract more visitors, according to town hall bosses. Neil Stock, the leader of Tendring Council, claimed the town needs to find new ways of selling itself to visitors. He has revealed new strategies
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Let's all take a lead from Leeds!
We returned yesterday from a short break to Leeds (don’t mention the cricket) and if ever there was a city that was switched on, then Leeds is it. The city centre was packed, I’d say 95 per cent or more of shops were open (as in not boarded
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Lyrics in praise of Shrub Man
Our borders are bare. The council is in despair. But the Human Shrub leads the way. Volunteers including “Bill and Ben” are here to stay. Councillors cry it is too soon! But people power is making Colchester bloom. Andy Hamilton Acland Avenue
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Advice to blue badge holders
As a disability adviser and campaigner, I would like to inform blue badge holders of their requirements and rights. If you are the named holder of a badge when you are in your car, or a car being driven by relative or a friend, you can use your
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Fire service as vital as ever
The proposals by the Essex Fire Service are not clear. Is there to be a reduction in front-line staff ? Is there to be a reduction in available equipment? These are serious concerns for the following reasons: We rely on the fire service to attend
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Autocracy at Count Hall
There are signs of an emerging political tyranny at Essex County Council that should disturb everyone who cares about the future of local democracy. Essex Conservatives won 80 per cent of the seats on the county council in June, despite the Liberal
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Traffic experiements have ruined our high streets
Our dying town high streets and seaside towns really sadden me. It’s terrible how high paid chief executives have ruined our high streets with their barmy road parking ideas and pedestrianisation which have failed. I question why they are allowed
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Platt admits his actions were regrettable
A frustrated Clive Platt has admitted he regrets his red card against Leyton Orient. The lofty striker will sit out Colchester United’s next three matches, following his dismissal in the Carling Cup defeat. Platt was sent off after aiming a head-butt
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Cook and Ravi fail ahead of Ashes decider
The slim chances of Essex batsman Ravi Bopara playing in next week’s Ashes decider at the Oval seemingly evaporated with a nine-minute batting failure against second division strugglers Middlesex at Lord’s yesterday. The attacking 24-year-old right-hander
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Rising star Wickham to be handled properly
Man-of-the-moment Connor Wickham will be ‘handled properly’ by Ipswich Town boss Roy Keane. The Colchester-based striker underlined his growing potential with two brilliant goals in Tuesday’s Carling Cup first-round success at Shrewsbury. The sides
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More than one abuse charity
I would like to correct a misleading impression that may have been given by your article “Fund Saves Group Dumped by Council” (Gazette, August 7). The article refers to funding received by Heal from the Government Equalities Office special fund
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Lack of action on bad behaviour
I was surprised by councillor Sue Lissimore’s total lack of action over the antisocial issues in Baden Powell Park in Prettygate, Colchester. I also note there were no residents featured. Apart from getting her picture in the paper, as she is
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Clacton, Harwich: Swine flu centres to close as cases drop
SWINE flu arrangements in north Essex have been scaled back as the number of cases drops. From today antiviral collection points at Kennedy Way in Clacton and Fryatt Hospital in Harwich will be closed. Opening hours for the collection
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Does this council care about our town's looks?
It is outrageous for Colchester Council to deny cutting the budget for plants in Colchester. At previous council meetings this year’s plant budget was clearly stated to be cut by £17,000. In previous years Chris Rawlinson, the town centre manager
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My leaky roof hell
A DISABLED man who has put up with leaks in his housing association property for two years has been told the wait for repairs will have to go on. Stan Ager, of Bartram Avenue, Braintree, has lived in his home for 19 years, but problems arose in 2007
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Home-grown food-swap day
A FOOD swap event is being organised in north Essex to get people thinking about becoming more self-sufficient. People are being invited to search the hedgerows for berries and other non shop-bought ingredients which can be brought to the event in Manningtree
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David's long locks get the chop
WOULD-BE soldier David Watkins knew he was going to have to bite the bullet and have his lengthy locks chopped off one day ...so he decided to do it for charity. The Clacton Marks & Spencer sales assistant arrived at work with shoulder-length hair –
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Reunion for pals of tragic James
A FORMER Harwich School pupil, who died after a fall from a hotel roof, is to be remembered at a reunion. James Callendar, 20, died in 1999 while he was at a sporting festival on the Isle of Man. An inquest a few months later was told he had drank
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Striking train drivers defend action
TRAIN drivers have defended their decision to strike today for a third time. The latest two-day walkout by members of the RMT and Aslef unions, looks set to cause misery for thousands of commuters. Aslef wants a minimum pay increase of 2.5 per cent,
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More children are getting free meals in Essex
THE county’s children are bearing the brunt of the recession, it has been claimed. Department for Children, Schools and Families figures show more Essex children are claiming free school meals now than two years ago. A total of 9,652 nursery and primary
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TV actor Tony opens NHS exhibition
A DOCTOR-turned-actor has officially opened an exhibition of Colchester NHS memorabilia. Tony Gardner, star of the ITV comedy series Lead Balloon, opened Colchester’s Caring Past, at the Primary Care Centre in Turner Road. Mr Gardner, who lives in Colchester
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Scouts return with memories of Danish trip
EXPLORER Scouts have just returned from a Danish adventure. A total of 31 youngsters from the Halstead and Colne Valley District Scout Group went to the Bla Sommer Danish Jamboree. The youngsters and seven leaders joined nearly 20,000
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Community planting
A COMMUNITY spruce-up day is on the cards for a Colchester street to provide shrubs and plants in place of those not provided by the borough council. St Anne’s ward councillors want residents will come together for the clear-up and planting session in
