The world-famous murder mystery play, The Mousetrap, is making history by moving from the West End to Westcliff for a one-off performance. It will be the first time the play, which has just celebrated an amazing 20,000 performances in London's West End
A middle-aged woman has died after choking on a brussels sprout. Janice Ling, 51, got into difficulties on Christmas Eve when she was eating a meal at her home in Key Road, Clacton. Her partner was there at the time and he tried to help her when she started
Aquatels is among the fisheries to have suffered during the recent cold weather blitz as its lake has been frozen over for much of the time. But Kevin Bailey, 14, was among several keen fisherman who defied the weather to land some good catches. Kevin
One of the county's top police officers has received recognition from the Queen in her New Year's Honours List. Charles Clark, Deputy Chief Constable of Essex Police, was awarded the Queen's Police Medal in honour of his 30 years' service to the community
The new leader and deputy leader of Castle Point Council's Conservative group have just three years experience as local councillors between them. However, that is not all that counts when it comes to serving the public locally, according to former police
Emergency contraceptives are now legally available without prescription - although stocks have not yet got through to Southend's chemists. Health Secretary Alan Milburn cleared the way in Parliament last month for the so-called morning after pill to be
Health Secretary Alan Milburn has announced a £2.6million investment in heart disease equipment for eastern England - and not a penny is coming to south Essex. Mr Milburn made his announcement on Tuesday, saying that 28 health groups from across the eastern
Some vital public service job vacancies in Essex can take up to six months to fill, a GMB Union report has shown. In a study of the Eastern region, the union found that public administration, defence and social services vacancies in the county were taking
Pensioner Charles Wiseman got the shock of his life when the man jailed for mugging him turned up on his doorstep to say sorry and give him a Christmas card. The former criminal also handed Mr Wiseman, 84, who lives in Gay Bowers, Basildon, a bag full
The Shepherd Neame Floodlit competition, organised by Southend Rugby Club, has now reached the semi-final stage. Both semis will take place on February 19 when Rochford, the holders, take on Billericay, and Canvey Island meet Dagenham. The competition
After the rains came the snow. That was the story for the local non-league soccer scene as the elements again conspired to make it a miserable weekend. The Schweppes Essex Senior League lost their entire eight-match programme due to frosty pitches but
Billericay Town started 2001 by winning through to the fourth round of the Essex Senior Cup on Monday. An improvement in weather conditions allowed their round three home tie with Schweppes Essex Senior League Hullbridge Sports to go ahead. They will
Tony Lock has been handed a New Year free transfer by Colchester United. The 24-year-old striker, who has spent most of the past two seasons on the substitutes bench since U's boss Steve Whitton rescued him from the scrapheap, has been told for the second
BALDOCK TOWN ... 1; CHELMSFORD CITY ... 1 (Dr Martens League Eastern Division) City will feel satisfied enough with this hard earned point in the top-of-the-table clash in the mud at Norton Road on New Year's Day but they did have a handful of second
Springfield Striders gained a narrow, but impressive victory on Sunday in the latest Harpers Intersport Cross Country League fixture. In wintry conditions at Hylands Park, the Striders took a step closer to winning the league with a mere two point win
Good homes and loving owners are desperately needed for hundreds of animals at the RSPCA Danaher animal sanctuary in Wethersfield. Kelly Brooks, deputy shelter manager, said: "We're full up to the brim right now, we've got no more room. We had a large
A teaching union in Colchester has said the crisis facing the county's schools is not unexpected. Recent newspaper reports have revealed how staff shortages across Essex has put some schools at risk of temporary four day weeks. Neil Finbow, the secretary
The campaign to restore a historic Leigh cockle boat to its former glory was today (Wednesday) snowballing. The Resolute, which took part in the Dunkirk evacuation, is slowly sinking in nettles in a boatyard on the Medway but there are now plans to restore
A car crashed into a cottage in Rayne, engulfing it in flames, just as the owners had finished their Christmas Day dinner. The Ford Escort hit a wall and somersaulted into Dennis and Brenda Ryan's 17th century home on the A120. Neither they nor the driver
High winds which swept across north Essex caused misery with power cuts striking outlying areas. Residents of about 50 homes and businesses in Dedham started the New Year in darkness when an overhead line fault blacked out the Ardleigh Road area. A spokesman
Commuters are set to face continued disruption on the Southend Victoria to Liverpool Street line despite efforts by rail engineers to repair miles of track over the holiday period. Speed restrictions on First Great Eastern trains and an emergency timetable
Bus drivers and rogue motorists have ended up at loggerheads over the new Middleborough roundabout in Colchester. The police have been called in to try and quell confusion about how the new-look roundabout works. Despite signs explaining how the roundabout
Students applying for medicine-based degree courses are being offered the chance to win a £500 bursary to help fund their studies. The bursary is being offered by the Essex Nuffield Hospital in Brentwood and is available to nurses, physiotherapists and
Colchester United defender Joe Dunne has handed manager Steve Whitton an early New Year present by reporting fit for action again. The big-hearted Layer Road favourite has recovered so rapidly from the horrific injury he sustained during the U's 3-0 win
For Essex wicket-keeper James Foster, the New Year could not have arrived soon enough as he prepared for the England A tour to the West Indies. The 20 year-old who is still a student at Durham University, has played just three first-class matches for
Ryman League Premier Division title-chasers Canvey continue to be a howling success as they bid to win the Essex Senior Cup for a third season running. Having already disposed of Schweppes Essex Senior League Barkingside at Park Lane, Gulls went to runaway
Chelmsford Chieftains ended 2000 in the worst possible way with a crushing home defeat at the hands of local rivals Romford Raiders on Saturday. Chieftains, still without replacements for Andy Hannah and Ian Cooper, faced a large Raiders' squad with new
Newborn babies have brought new year joy to parents across Essex. Little Emily was the first baby to be born in 2001 at Colchester General Hospital. She arrived at 6.23am on New Year's Day, weighing a hearty 9lb 11oz. Proud parents Lucy Archer and Tim
Shops in Basildon town centre are being asked to unite and open their doors regularly on Sundays. Businesses in the town including Marks and Spencer, Allders, Woolworth's, BHS, Savacentre, Argos, Wilkinsons, Primark, WH Smith, Rosebury's and the Holiday
Heroic lifeboat crews on the Tendring coast saved seven lives during the year 2000. Six people were saved by Harwich lifeboat and 18 people were assisted to safety by the crews during the 12 months. In Clacton, lifeboatmen saved one person's life and
On Saturday Ipswich Town left the Portman Road turf to rapturous applause, basking in the glory of their most emphatic display of the season against Tottenham Hotspur. Two days later and the scene could not be more contrasting. Outclassed, outfought and
Southend United made the perfect start to 2001 with an impressive New Year's Day victory at Brighton. And Blues should have got off to a flyer after just seven minutes when midfielder Scott Forbes was guilty of a glaring miss. Shrimpers defender Leo Roget
Hundreds of family and friends of Rachel Middleton packed into Pitsea Crematorium to say their goodbyes to the teenager who touched the nation's hearts. Eighteen-year-old Rachel, of Lytton Road, Chadwell St Mary, suffered from cystic fibrosis and died
Security in Essex schools is to be stepped up thanks to a national £22 million cash grant to boost CCTV surveillance and safety in schools. The county's learning establishments will get £560,231 to improve security - half from the Government and half
