Former world champion and Commonwealth multi-medallist James Gibson has left Loughborough University and joined the CN Marseille Swimming Club in France. After deciding he needed a new challenge ahead of his preparations for the Beijing Olympics in 2008
A solitary Marlon North strike was all that could separate STANWAY ROVERS and HALSTEAD TOWN after 120 minutes of derby action in the Essex Senior Cup third round. The opening 90 minutes had ended in stalemate on a chilly night at Rosemary Lane and it
Police are looking for the arsonists who set light to more than 150 tyres, causing 8m-high flames. The blaze, which forced residents living nearby, in Albert Street, Colchester, out of bed at 2.30am yesterday was started at Central Tyre, in North Station
A school has launched an investigation into claims that pupils were kept prisoner on a bus. Children have told teachers a Network Colchester bus driver trapped them inside his vehicle on Monday afternoon as he passed stop after stop, after collecting
The owners of a historic priory have angered villagers by fencing off a piece of land, which has been used by the public for centuries. The Bury in front of St Osyth Priory was granted to the village by Henry II in 1238, and has been used as a public
Play areas and swimming pools in Tendring could be in line for a £1.75 million boost. Leisure bosses hope to spend £250,000 on playgrounds across the district and £750,000 at both Walton and Dovercourt swimming pools. Tendring Council's finance committee
A new hotel could be built on part of a seafront coach park. Part of the Martello Coach Park in Clacton has been deemed surplus to requirements by Tendring Council. The Gazette has learnt Whitbread Group, which runs the Premier Travel Inn chain, wants
Hollywood star Clive Owen will get a lot Closer to his adopted town with a guest appearance. The A-list actor will be at a gala screening of his own film, Children of Men, at Harwich's Electric Palace on Friday. Mr Owen, who agreed to be patron of the
Emergency teams have taken part in a major incident exercise at one of Europe's busiest ports. Seven sectors came together at Harwich International Port yesterday to deal with the aftermath of a mocked-up collision involving several boats. The role-play
A primary school fireworks display has been axed after "shameful freeloaders" watched the spectacle for nothing. Hamford Primary School's Friends Association said more than 200 people stood outside to watch the show for free on Friday, and the crowd
Shamed Tory Kevin Bentley today revealed he "thought he was safe" to drive after he had been drinking at a dinner party. Mr Bentley, 42, who insisted he "does not drink a lot", has vowed he will never drink and drive again. He had been driving his Mercedes
A new Jamie Oliver restaurant venture based in Essex is up and running, and due to feature in a TV programme. The Cock Inn, in Beazley End, near Braintree has been bought by the celebrity chef's charity, The Fifteen Foundation, which helps disadvantaged
How does your Colchester of the future look? Residents and businesses are being asked to help draw out the future shape of Colchester. A survey is being carried out by Colchester Council to give people a say on how the borough should develop in the
The rapidly-developing new arts complex for Colchester can now be watched from the safety and comfort of your front room. Firstsite, the organisation behind the £16.5 million building project, has rigged up a real-time webcam (see link below) on the
Police today praised a pair of defiant pensioners who slammed the door in the face of suspicious callers. Detectives said the Colchester women's no-nonsense stance proved that the elderly were picking up on the force's no-ID no-entry message - promoted
A school is expecting a critical Ofsted report which could plunge it into special measures. The John Bramston School, in Spinks Lane, Witham, was inspected in October and has received a draft report. The report is believed to recommend the secondary
A man accused of murdering a pensioner caused his death in revenge for alleged sexual assaults against him, a jury heard. Mark Smith, 38, denies murdering Michael Bird at his bungalow, in Bunyan Road, Braintree, on December 7 last year. At Basildon Crown
Firefighters spent almost three hours tackling a blaze in a derelict building yesterday. Colchester's Red Watch fought the inferno at the former Severalls hospital site. The blaze broke out just after 5.30pm. Three fire engines and an aerial ladder
A £14.23 million community stadium is financially viable and should get the go-ahead, a report states. Colchester Council and the cabinet will be debating on Monday whether to go ahead with the stadium, and allow a loan to cover costs. The stadium would
An Essex village is still at risk from flooding because the Environment Agency (EA) has failed to gain Government funding for a scheme to protect it. A flood defence initiative to protect Heybridge was planned but an estimated cost of £8 million was
Overcrowding means hospital patients are still being forced to share wards with the opposite sex. Government guidelines say men and women should have their own separate wards. But bosses at Colchester General admit patients can't always be split up.
Police today launched an investigation after two bodies were found at the same flat within hours of each other. A contaminated batch of drugs is "one line of inquiry being taken" by detectives who confirmed both died of suspected drug overdoses. Officers
