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National news and sport will be updated at regular intervals across the Christmas and New Year period.

From December 25 onwards, Local news and Local sport will be updated once per day on December 28, 29, 30, January 1 and 3. Normal service will resume on January 4.

Colchester United boss Steve Whitton has been handed a double dose of Christmas cheer - Ipswich Town defender Titus Bramble is set to sign and Gavin Johnson has pledged to stay.

As the U's prepare for a three-match festive programme -- Gillingham away on Boxing Day, Wycombe Wanderers at home on Wednesday and Blackpool away on January 3 -- Whitton also revealed he is keen to sign Luton Town's Alan White.

Bramble, a teenage central defender with four League outings for Ipswich already under his belt, will join the U's on a one-month loan period if he agrees to the switch from Portman Road.

He will come to Layer Road as a direct replacement for White, who plays the final game of his loan spell at Gillingham on Sunday.

Whitton was further heartened by the good news that Johnson, a Division Two and Three championship medal winner with Ipswich and Wigan Athletic respectively, has signed an 18-month contract that will tie him to the U's until 2001.

The cultured 29-year-old midfielder, who has also enjoyed a season playing for Dunfermline in the Scottish Premier Division, has proved a great success since arriving at Layer Road on weekly terms in mid-November.

"It's great news all round," said Whitton, who has been suffering with flu all week and has lost around a stone in weight.

"Gavin has done very well in the games he has played for us and I am pleased to have him on board.

"If Titus agrees to sign for us -- Ipswich manager George Burley is prepared to let him do so -- he will play his first game against Wycombe."

Whitton added he will gladly take both Bramble and White if Luton are prepared to let him go. White is keen to sign permanently, but his release depends heavily on whether Nigeria take Efetobore Sodje for their African Nations Cup quest over the next six weeks.

Whitton's Christmas cheer was boosted even more by the return to training of striker Karl Duguid following a thigh injury suffered at Stoke five days ago.

"Dugy might even be in the reckoning for Gillingham on Boxing Day," said Whitton, who is taking each of the three Christmas holiday games one at a time in his bid to collect another nine points.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.