Archive
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Colchester firefighters tackle thatched cottage
FIREFIGHTERS from Colchester have been called to help deal with a large fire in Sudbury. The aerial ladder platform and rescue tender were called to the blaze in a thatched cottage in Tilbury Road, Ovington, at 4.05pm on Friday. There
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Authors in town for big read
PLANS for Frinton’s big read next month have now been finalised. The town’s eighth Literary Festival will run from October 9 to 11 and includes a feast of literature, authors and poets. New for this year is the Philomena Dwyer literary lunch at the
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Fallen heroes remembered
A PRESTIGIOUS art exhibition by a Turner prize-winning artist is to be held at Essex University. Steve McQueen’s Queen and Country commemorates British servicemen and women killed in Iraq and will run at the university’s gallery from October 8 to November
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Do Darwin’s ideas mean no to God?
IF Darwin’s theory of natural selection is true, does it mean there is no God? The debate rages on. The compatibility of theology and science form the subject matter of a new play, Re:Design, by Craig Baxter. It takes the audience back to the start
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Appointment to promote towns
PLANS to help breathe new life into flagging town centres have been given the go-ahead. Braintree Council cabinet leaders have appointed a town centre development manager for Braintree, Witham and Halstead, who will be tasked with getting new businesses
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Youngsters help cheer up hospice with bright graffiti mural
YOUNGSTERS from a crime reduction charity have created a graffiti mural at a hospice. The 12 youngsters from Nacro created the work of art for patients and staff at the St Helena Hospice Day Centre, in Jackson Road, Clacton. The mural will be displayed
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Better roads in Jaywick would be ‘waste of cash’
CAMPAIGNERS’ hopes for better roads in Jaywick have been dashed after the coastal regeneration leader branded them “a bit of a waste of money”. Lord Hanningfield, leader of Essex County Council, said the £7million spent on the resort’s potholed roads
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Travellers set up camp at university site
TRAVELLERS have been threatened with legal action if they fail to leave private land in Colchester. Twelve caravans set up near Salary Brook nature reserve, on Essex University land. Five remain, and the families, there with children and dogs, have
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Mum told to leave cafe after tot burst into tears
A QUIET cup of coffee turned into a nightmare for one mum when tempers reached boiling point. Claire McNally was enjoying a drink in Cuppa Coffee, in High Street, Harwich, with her daughters when Scarlett, two, began to cry. Much to Claire’s shock and
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Heads asked not to shut schools hit by swine flu
SCHOOLS re-opening today are being asked to do all they can to remain open in the event of a new swine flu outbreak. Pupils across north Essex went down with swine flu before the start of the summer holidays. Seven youngsters at Elmstead Primary School
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New crime-busting trial makes its mark in first hour
TRIALS of a new crime prevention scheme claimed their first successes within an hour. The Safer Colchester Project was launched in Monkwick on Tuesday, with the aim of reducing both crime and the fear of crime. Some 60 minutes into it, police had arrested
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Shopping village signs up M&S for Christmas
A SHOPPING village has received a massive boost after high street giant M&S announced it was opening a new cut-price store. The big-name retailer is launching a 10,000 sq ft shop at Clacton Factory Outlet, creating scores of new jobs. Work on the store
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Junkies litter Domesday church and its ground with syringes
DRUG addicts have been using a historic church and its grounds to shoot up. Discarded needles and drug paraphernalia have been found in the churchyard and upstairs gallery at St Peter’s Church, Colchester. The Rev Fred Woods, of the North Hill church
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Brewery's winter ale is twice blessed
A NORTH Essex brewery’s strong winter ale can now be said to enjoy a double blessing. Sint Niklaas, the creation of the Harwich Town Brewing Company, was formally blessed by the town’s Anglican priests the Rev Erwin Lammens and the Rev Peter Mann when
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Castle grounds' TV makeover
THE grounds of the historic landmark which gave Castle Hedingham its name are being given a makeover for a TV show. A film crew from Channel 4 has been visiting 860-year-old Hedingham Castle every month to capture progress on the grounds for a programme
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Air show faces a major revamp for 2010
CLACTON’S annual air show could be in for an overhaul next year, in an effort to boost the local economy. Town hall bosses say they may expand next year’s event to include other features, including a concert and a funfair. This year’s show attracted
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Lack of helicopters for our Aghanistan troops is shocking, says colonel
THE lack of helicopters in Afghanistan remains “shocking” to the decorated officer who first led British soldiers into lawless Helmand province more than three years ago. Colonel Stuart Tootal stood at the head of Colchester-based 3rd Battalion, Parachute
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Tribute to talented Ivan
I am extremely saddened by the news of Ivan Reshetilov’s death. I was privileged to be a teacher of Ivan in his Colchester Grammar School days and was his form tutor for some of his time there. He was a wonderful young man who was always well mannered
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Recalling 1966 and all that...
Those frantic voices pushing for technology to solve what they see as practical injustices in football, might care to reflect that, had technology been available in 1966, England would not have won the World Cup. Collin Rossini Coggeshall Road
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Our policeman will be missed
The news that our local police officer Neil Gibson is leaving Wivenhoe for the Essex Police Traffic Division is sad news – it will be our loss and the traffic division’s gain. Neil leaves today. This officer has shown considerable enthusiasm
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New Bank may benefit the few
New bank may benefit the few WITH reference to the idea of reallocating some of the Colchester council taxpayers’ cash back to individuals in Colchester in the form of mortgages. As I see it, the beneficiaries would be Colchester estate agents
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Annaul Air show failed to live up to the hype
Local radio said the Clacton Air Show was record-breaking and the event’s director called it “fantastic...a big success”. Did I see the same air show? Since moving to the area 13 years ago, I have seen virtually all the shows during that time
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Annaul Air show failed to live up to the hype
...May I express my thanks to all concerned for the annual Clacton Air Show. I never fail to be amazed by the speed and the agility of the pilots. When the older fourengined plane flew over with a twin escort, my eyes filled with tears when I
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Second chance for man behind hoax 999 calls
A HOAX caller who repeatedly summoned police and paramedics when there was no emergency has escaped a jail sentence. Cameron Jordan claimed he had been burgled but each time the police attended his home in Forest Road, Colchester, his story changed,
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Theatre takes over old bus depot
DING, ding. A theatrical journey through Colchester’s past is coming to a bus depot near you. Preparations are now under way for the Mercury Theatre Company’s tenth anniversary show, which will take place in the old tram shed, located in Magdalen Street
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Last pub in the village announces its closure
A VILLAGE’S last remaining pub, the Kings Head, in The Street, Pebmarsh, has closed, leaving locals a two-mile trek to the nearest pub, the Five Bells, in Colne Engaine. Landlords Kevin and Sharon Smith, who had run the Kings Head for about three years
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Shop all the dirty dog owners
FED up residents can mount their own patrols to catch dog owners who fail to clean up after their pets. Frinton Residents’ Association says there has been an increase in the number of people allowing their dogs to foul in the town. The association’s
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Boothroyd to give players a chance
Aidy Boothroyd has pledged to give every Colchester United player the chance to impress him over the coming weeks. The newly-appointed U’s manager has inherited a squad which currently lies fifth in the Coca-Cola League One table. However, several of
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Colchester's carnival queen is dumped
Colchester's carnival queen has been ousted at the 11th hour amid claims she is "not a good role model". Sharnie-May Allwright will be replaced by Joanna Peagram, 22, a former Miss England hopeful from Frinton, at Saturday's carnival.
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U's still seeking Lambert compensation
Colchester United will continue in their quest to secure compensation for the loss of Paul Lambert to Norwich City – despite the appointment of Aidy Boothroyd as their new manager. Lambert quit the U’s to take over at Carrow Road last month, after ten
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Pett Sounds: It's in our hands now
IT’S all in our hands now. Our brilliant form has pushed us up to second place in the LV County Championship division two table and I was left watching from the sidelines as we claimed plenty of points in the draw against Leicestershire. My back seems
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Edwards: Sunderland made it clear I'm getting old
Carlos Edwards has explained why he chose to leave the Premier League for Ipswich Town. The Trinidad and Tobago International has joined for a fee in the region of £1.35m from Sunderland, with team-mate Grant Leadbitter making the same trip from Wearside
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Leadbitter wants to push career on
Grant Leadbitter has revealed he has joined Ipswich Town to push on with his career rather than play a bit-part at Premier League Sunderland. The £2.6m midfield signing said: “It’s a fresh challenge for me, one I was looking forward to as soon as I heard
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Rosenior joins Keane revolution
The rebuilding of Ipswich Town’s underachieving squad has seen Liam Rosenior join on loan for the rest of the season from Reading. The 25-year-old full-back (pictured), who is out of contract in June 2010, has played in all five of Reading’s games this
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Trader avoids jail for selling stolen games
A YOUNG businessman has narrowly avoided prison after police discovered a hoard of stolen computer games in an upstairs storeroom. Nikki Mistry, 22, of Main Road, Dovercourt, admitted handling stolen goods when he appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court.
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Why one police job isn't enough for Jo
FEW of us could match Jo Van Zanten’s passion for her job. The 38-year-old loves working for Essex Police so much, she actually does two jobs. By day, she is the civilian youth development co-ordinator for the force’s children and young
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Knockout event at Clacton Cricket Club was a big hit
THERE was fun in the sun as It’s A Knockout came to Clacton Cricket Club. More than 100 competitors took part in wacky events based on the classic Saturday-night TV show. They dressed up as kangaroos and giant sprouts as they tried to manoeuvre a
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Demolition of burnt-down primary school in weeks
WORK to transform a former primary school building from a charred wreck into flats will begin in weeks. Planning permission has been granted to create 39 flats on the site of Harwich Primary School, in Main Road, Dovercourt. The building went up in
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Care home in Kirby Cross opposed by town councillors
A DEMENTIA care home should not be built in Kirby Cross as it is too close to a busy road. Lamaid Developments has permission to build five bungalows and a two-story building in Holland Road, but now it has applied to build a care home at the site instead
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Man jailed for leaving sick dogs untreated
A DOG owner has been jailed for mistreating his two German shepherds by failing to give them adequate healthcare. Frederick Varley, of Morris Avenue, Jaywick, originally denied four charges of causing unnecessary suffering to the animals, Bobby
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Can Colchester bank on Tory election pledges?
TORY proposals to set up a Bank of Colchester if the the party wins control of the Town Hall at the next election have been welcomed by some local businesses and community groups. Others remain sceptical the party’s manifesto pledges would
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£104m rail work finished
THE final touches have been put to a £104million upgrade of north-east Essex’s rail lines. Rail bosses predict millions of passengers on the Clacton branch line and the Great Eastern main line will now begin to enjoy the benefit. The
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Rotary help for families
SEVERAL thousand pounds were raised by the Rotary Club of Colchester during a murder mystery evening. Rotarian Mark Beesley presented Heidi Kimber, from Colchester HomeStart, which supports families with children under five, with £3,000.
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Send some boxed cheer
A CHILDREN’S charity is urging residents to give generously this Christmas, despite the recession. Operation Christmas Child is launching its annual Christmas shoebox appeal on Monday. The scheme aims to take Christmas cheer to children in deprived countries
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RNLI heroes who died to be honoured on memorial
HERO lifeboatmen who made the ultimate sacrifice saving others are being remembered at the royal unveiling of a new memorial. Seven crew from Tendring are among almost 800 who died and are being commemorated by the RNLI. The Duke of Kent is unveiling
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Val is woman of the year
A SLIMMING star has lost three and a half stones in five months. Val Hazell, from Heybridge, has also won the local round of Slimming World challenge. The group, which meets every Monday from 6pm until 8pm at Plantation Hall, Heybridge, voted for Val
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Griff launches town’s renovated lifeboat
TELEVISION star Griff Rhys Jones will launch the world’s oldest motorised lifeboat in Walton this weekend. The ceremony will mark the conclusion of ten years of painstaking work and fundraising to restore James Stevens No.14. Mr Rhys Jones will be at
