Colchester News, Colchester Sport, Leisure and local information from The Gazette

Stories for 18 July 2000

Essex News

Essex: Soaring crime shocks county

Crime in Essex has shot up by seven per cent in the past year - although it remains one of England's safest counties.  more...

South Essex: Coach firm in rail deal

Commuters in south Essex are waiting to see the effects of a takeover of Prism Rail, which runs the London-Fenchurch Street line.  more...

Mid-Essex: Projects win praise and cash

Projects in Witham and Dunmow have been given prestigious Essex Environment Trust Awards in the millennium year.  more...

North Essex: More tests ordered on effect of blasts

More tests have been ordered on the effect of explosions from a firing range on coastal homes.  more...

Essex: New libraries service online

Essex library users can now browse the web for books, audio tapes, videos, DVD or CDs any time of the day or night.  more...

South Essex: Charities scoop lottery jackpot

Voluntary and community groups across south Essex are celebrating after hitting the lottery jackpot.  more...

Essex: Lasting tribute to Land Army

The contribution of women who kept the agricultural life of Essex up and running during the Second World War has been recognised.  more...

Essex: 'Boycott film for Leah'

The father of Ecstasy victim Leah Betts has slammed the hit film Essex Boys and urged cinemagoers to boycott the movie.  more...

Essex: Sean's playing the bad guy again...

He's played a few baddies in his time but none of them compares to the drug dealing, wife-beating character Sean Bean has to portray in his new movie.  more...

Essex: Doctor's warning over sun menace

A doctor from Essex County Hospital in Colchester has urged parents to protect their children from the sun in holiday hotspots.  more...

Mid-Essex: Bypass is set to start in October

Plans for a multi-million pound village bypass between Braintree and Chelmsford have moved a step nearer.  more...

Mid-Essex: Bypass is set to start in October

Plans for a multi-million pound village bypass between Braintree and Chelmsford have moved a step nearer.  more...

Essex Sports

Soccer: Dowman boosts squad

Clacton Town manager Steve Dowman has boosted his squad by signing AFC Sudbury centre-back Richard Codling.  more...

Rugby: Rayleigh club's HQ crisis

A plea from rugby club bosses for a last-ditch meeting with disgruntled residents to resolve its future have been rejected.  more...

Soccer: Rod tops Swifts' Scraley Road bill

Heybridge Swifts are staging a Charity Fun Day at their Scraley Road ground on Sunday.  more...

Darts: Steve secures triple top in contest

Steve Maish was on target for major honours at the Rochford Festival of Sport darts tournament.  more...

Athletics: Havering youngsters are cream of the crop

Young sportsmen and women from Havering were in jubilant mood on Sunday as they celebrated victory over 32 other borough teams in the 23rd London Heathrow Youth Games.  more...

Cricket: Law doubt for Worcester clash

Essex are hoping Stuart Law is fit enough to take his place in the side facing Second Division leaders Worcestershire at Chelmsford today.  more...

Cricket: England star will play at Hadleigh

England star Mark Ramprakash has been confirmed to play in Hadleigh and Thundersley's 10th annual cricket match.  more...

Soccer: College lads set to take on world

Thirty-two students have left for Sweden determined to carve the name of Colchester on the European soccer map.  more...

Cricket: Ricky plots county return

Injury-plagued Essex paceman Ricky Anderson has pencilled in next month's annual Colchester festival to make his return to first class cricket.  more...

General: Bid to boost Witham sport

Sports organisations in Witham are being invited to a `summit meeting' to help boost facilities in the town.  more...

Bowls round-up: Rayleigh clinch title...

Jubilant Rayleigh clinched the Essex Area B title in the Travelsphere National Club Bowls Championship with a 3-1 home victory over Ingatestone, taking all but the triples.  more...

Athletics round-up (South Essex): Southend stay on promotion trail...

Despite missing eight regulars due to injury and the clash with the English Schools' event, Southend AC returned to winning ways in their Southern Men's League Division Two meeting at Brighton.  more...

Athletics: Seven up for Essex

Young athletes in Essex are a hop, skip and jump ahead of the rest of the country after clinching victory at the English Schools Athletics Championships for the seventh successive year.  more...

Soccer: Colt heroes do the final double

Elmwood Colts proved to be the mini-marvels when the soccer competition was the central attraction of Rochford Festival of Sports finals day at King George's Playing Field, Rayleigh.  more...

Cricket: McGrath test for Essex

Glenn McGrath, widely acknowledged as the world's best fast bowler, will provide Essex batsmen with a severe test at Chelmsford over the next few days.  more...

Soccer: Ipswich pair out of Baltic tour

Mark Venus and Richard Naylor have been ruled out of Ipswich Town's pre-season tour to the Baltic States.  more...

Speedway: Ray leads way at Arena

Ray Morton had his gating skills to thank as he scooped the annual Essex championship at the Purfleet Raceway.  more...

Athletics: Colchester clubs urged to merge

Athletics coach John Hyland has slammed the "foolhardiness" of having two athletics clubs in Colchester.  more...

Soccer: Brothers are back in U's squad

Ross and Gavin Johnson have been drafted into Colchester United's squad for tonight's pre-season friendly at Canvey Island.  more...

Cricket: Shock debut for youngster?

Youngster Andrew McGarry could be set for a shock Essex debut in their crunch division two promotion clash with Worcestershire tomorrow (Wednesday).  more...

Boxing: Lee suffers first loss

Lee Georgiou was unceremoniously brushed aside within a round at York Hall, Bethnal Green on Thursday.  more...

Cricket: Club celebrates 50 years

Memories of cricketing matches past were the order of the day last week as Harold Park Cricket Club staged a reunion of players who have represented the club over its 75 year history.  more...

Soccer: Narrow opening defeat for Colchester students

Colchester Sixth Form College suffered a 1-0 defeat in the opening match of their Gothia Cup campaign.  more...

Cricket: Law doubt for Worcester clash

Essex are hoping Stuart Law is fit enough to take his place in the side facing Second Division leaders Worcestershire at Chelmsford tomorrow.  more...

Windsurfing: Tips from the top

Former British Windsurfing Champion Guy Cribb passed on tips to members of West Mersea Windsurfers and Ardleigh Watersports Centre during a visit to Essex.  more...

Essex,Billericay News

Billericay: School's £500,000 merger plan

A bright new future is on the cards for a Billericay school which has drafted ambitious plans to take it into the 21st century.  more...

Essex,Billericay,Wickford News

Billericay, Wickford: Police hunt for master burglar

A master burglar is being hunted by police for a frightening one-man crimewave spate of break-ins.  more...

Essex,Boxted News

Boxted: Police in drugs racket smash

Three men are starting jail sentences totalling 18 years after police smashed a drugs organisation.  more...

Essex,Braintree News

Braintree: Councillors' cash boost

Councillors are set for a cash boost if a proposed pay rise of more than 50 per cent goes ahead.  more...

Braintree: Sponsor a brick plan for new Tabor school

Former pupils of Tabor High School's Panfield Lane site are being offered the chance to take their place in school history.  more...

Essex,Canvey News

Canvey: Celebration time for `failed' school

A headteacher in charge of a school found to have series weaknesses in its last inspection is celebrating after pupils achieved a bumper crop of exam results.  more...

Canvey: Roof gang grabs haul

A hole in the roof gang broke into a Canvey firm and made off with a £134,000 haul.  more...

Essex,Chelmsford News

Chelmsford: MP's backing for football hooligans bill

West Chelmsford Tory MP Simon Burns backed the government last Thursday in the vote on the planned new emergency powers to combat football hooliganism.  more...

Chelmsford: Traders celebrate prestigious award

Traders and Chelmsford Borough Council officers got together to celebrate a prestigious award for the recent major facelift of the historic Baddow Road area.  more...

Chelmsford: Thousands at Elton concerts

Thousands of people flocked to Hylands Park this weekend for the Essex leg of Elton John's Stately Homes Tour.  more...

Chelmsford: Dad's hope for missing son

The father of a missing backpacker feared dead in Central America said yesterday (Monday) he had not given up hope of finding his son alive.  more...

Essex,Chelmsford,Burnham News

Chelmsford, Burnham: Dawn's knight in shining armour

Every woman wants to say "yes" to a knight in shining armour.  more...

Essex,Clacton News

Clacton: Refugee meeting clash

Placard-carrying residents clashed verbally with asylum seekers at a public meeting at Clacton.  more...

Essex,Colchester Business

Colchester: Law firm to fight Government

A Colchester firm of solicitors could face a legal battle with the British Government as it represents five Serbian victims of a NATO bombing raid in Belgrade.  more...

Essex,Colchester News

Colchester: Postman 'wilfully delayed' the mail

A Colchester postman has been suspended after more than 120 items went missing.  more...

Colchester: Pupils get to run hotel for day

School pupils were given the chance to run one of Colchester's top hotels for the day.  more...

Colchester: Law firm to fight Government

A Colchester firm of solicitors could face a legal battle with the British Government as it represents five Serbian victims of a NATO bombing raid in Belgrade.  more...

Colchester: Woman flees pavilion blaze

A woman was evacuated from her home when a 19th century pavilion was destroyed by a fire.  more...

Colchester: Charity worker Merlin has malaria

A charity campaigner was yesterday (Monday) seriously ill with malaria.  more...

Colchester: Car park jams anger drivers - again

Angry drivers had to endure hours of inching their cars along when traffic problems once again left a Colchester car park at a virtual standstill.  more...

Colchester: Man is robbed in street

A man was robbed in the street as he walked home after a night out.  more...

Colchester: Stop this car park chaos

Robust action to tackle a car park gridlock has been called for to stop people being put off visiting Colchester.  more...

Colchester: Lucky escape for motorist

A motorist escaped serious injury after his car hit the central reservation of the A12 and overturned.  more...

Essex,Dovercourt News

Dovercourt: Bogus caller search

Police are looking for a man who posed as a worker for the water board to try to get into a woman's house.  more...

Essex,Great Notley News

Great Notley: Villagers quizzed in beliefs survey

Plans a permanent church in Notley Village have moved one step further, with a `personal beliefs' survey carried out on residents.  more...

Essex,Heybridge News

Heybridge: Hospice performing well

St Clare's Hospice at Heybridge is meeting its financial targets but is not complacent said chairman, Chris Thorby.  more...

Essex,Hockley News

Hockley: Eco-warriors facing action

Eco-warriors who were at the centre of two protest camps now face another eviction after squatting on land in Hockley.  more...

Essex,Kirby-Le-Soken,Walton News

Kirby-le-Soken, Walton: Kylie's secret date - bowling at Walton!

He should be so lucky!  more...

Essex,Laindon News

Laindon: Police storm coach... and find toy guns

Armed police officers were left red-faced when they set up a motorway road block only to find their gun-wielding villains were brandishing harmless toy laser guns.  more...

Laindon: £12,000 wages grabbed in raid

Around £12,000 was taken in a wages snatch outside a Laindon store, police have revealed.  more...

Essex,Langford Business

Langford: Water recycling plant is backed

A controversial water treatment works has finally been given the go-ahead.  more...

Essex,Langford News

Langford: Water recycling plant is backed

A controversial water treatment works has finally been given the go-ahead.  more...

Essex,Lexden News

Lexden: Naked man shocks walker

A completely naked man leapt out on a woman exercising her dog on fields in Colchester.  more...

Essex,Little Clacton News

Little Clacton: Pupils spring surprise on sir

He is top of the class as far as his pupils are concerned.  more...

Little Clacton: Firemen free two trapped drivers

Police have issued an appeal for witnesses after a crash on the new bypass at Little Clacton in which two drivers were trapped.  more...

Essex,Maldon News

Maldon: Robber jailed for holiday park raid

An armed robber has been jailed for six years for a terrifying raid on a Maldon holiday park.  more...

Maldon: A glutton for punishment

Pupils at the Plume School in Maldon have raised about £1,000 for charity.  more...

Maldon: Library sale is a record

The £12.6 million raised from the sale of William Foyle's private library is a record.  more...

Essex,Panfield News

Panfield: Cheques altered by hairdresser

A hairdresser got away with more than £300 by altering a customer's cheques before her forgeries were discovered.  more...

Essex,Rochford News

Rochford: House witness to the whisper court...

Old houses up for sale are not exceptional in south Essex, but Rochford's Kings Hill has a history - and a whipping post - all of its own, says TOM KING  more...

Essex,Southend Business

Southend: `Our gas site plan will boost tourism'

A company taking over a derelict gasworks site in Southend has revealed its preliminary development plans.  more...

Essex,Southend News

Southend: Police and traders condemn Essex Boys website

Seafront traders and police have reacted angrily to a violent game - involving shooting "grasses" outside a fictitious Southend nightclub - which can be found on the Essex Boys film official website.  more...

Southend: 'We won't forget our war heroes'

The "forgotten war" of Korea will be remembered this weekend on the 50th anniversary of a conflict which saw 1,200 British troops lose their lives.  more...

Southend: Bonnie gets stuck in wine rack

Firefighters were called out to free a hapless hound whose head got wedged in a wine rack.  more...

Southend: `Our gas site plan will boost tourism'

A company taking over a derelict gasworks site in Southend has revealed its preliminary development plans.  more...

Essex,Stebbing News

Stebbing: Probe into plane incident

Investigations are underway after a replica aircraft was damaged in an incident at Andrewsfield airfield, Stebbing.  more...

Essex,West Mersea,Colchester News

West Mersea, Colchester: Dan's a high flyer

Flyer Dan Holford, a former student at Colchester Royal Grammar School, has become the youngest navigator in the RAF.  more...

Essex,Wethersfield News

Wethersfield: Police boss swaps job with constable

A boss of the Wethersfield-based Ministry of Defence Police went on armed patrol with the police constable who challenged him to "see how we do the job."  more...

Essex,Wickford News

Wickford: Store gang grabs £10,000 cigarette haul

Thieves grabbed more than £10,000 worth of cigarettes in a raid at Wickford's Somerfield superstore.  more...

Essex,Witham News

Witham: Teenager starts petition against high petrol prices

A teenager from Witham is taking her protest about the high price of UK petrol straight to the Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown.  more...

Essex,Woodham News

Woodham: School aid to end long treks to loo

A long trek to the loo will soon be a thing of the past for children at a pre-school.  more...

Essex,Wrabness News

Wrabness: Two trapped in road smash

Two people were trapped after a bus and a car were in a collision in Wrabness today (Tuesday).  more...

  
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