Thousands of residents have joined a campaign to save Clacton's largest market. The market could be under threat as plans have been unveiled to build an Aldi food store on the Warwick Castle site in Pier Avenue. A petition with 3,000 signatures has been
She's got legs! In fact, Lisa Hall may well have the longest legs in the world. After a national newspaper ran an article on a Brazilian model who claimed to have the lengthiest pins in the business - 45ins from heel to hip - it was inundated by British
Billericay Town are in a fix over fixtures. The New Lodge side have turned down Cambridgeshire village side Histon's appeal to play their FA Umbro Trophy fourth round tie in two weeks time on the Sunday. And they are also calling on the Ryman management
Southend United hitman Ben Abbey destroyed Leyton Orient's proud unbeaten home league record with a clinical double strike at Brisbane Road on Saturday. Abbey took his tally to nine goals in just 18 appearances for the Shrimpers during this Third Division
Thirty-one days and still no game - that's how long Colchester United's fans have been waiting to watch football at Layer Road. And now U's boss Steve Whitton is keeping his fingers crossed tomorrow (Tuesday) night's rearranged Division Two home game
Actress Helen Mirren, a former pupil at St Bernard's, in Westcliff, has been shortlisted for the Olivier Awards. Ms Mirren, who used to live in Leigh, faces stiff competition in the best actress category from Julia Ormond, Julie Walters and Hollywood
Special measures have been put in place by the Government to speed up the dispersal of asylum seekers from Southend. Home Office Minister Barbara Roche admitted there had been a build-up of new arrivals in Southend - previously referred to as a "dumping
The ''local heroes'' who raced to help after the Stansted jet crash last December are being told they should see their doctor if they are concerned about health risks from depleted uranium in the wreckage. Fears have resurfaced with publicity about warheads
A charity is to pay £250,000 to fund a cancer doctor in Colchester. In a pioneering move Macmillan Cancer Relief - which has previously only funded nurses - will pay for the oncologist for three years. Essex Rivers Healthcare Trust will then pick up the
Essex Youth Service is to open the Chelmsford Youth Action Drop-in Centre later this month. The centre, at 11B Broomfield Road, is the latest project to be set up by the service and is aimed at supporting young people wishing to work or become active
AJN Steelstock Lexden recorded their third consecutive 4-1 victory in the National Squash League beating Edgbaston Priory. Both teams were understrength, with many players away playing on the American circuit. In particular, Lexden were without their
The week in review November 18-24 Weekend Sport Colchester United were victims of a classic FA Cup giant-killing story when they were thrashed 5-1 by non-league by Nationwide Conference leaders Yeovil Town. Ryman League side Canvey Island netted twice
The week in review November 25-December 1 Weekend Sport Tony Lock's red card capped a week to forget for Colchester, held to a goalless draw by Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday. Lock's 80th minute foul on Alan Beeton led to the red card being shown to the
The week in review Dec 2-8 Weekend Sport Southend United went down 1-0 to Hartlepool while Colchester United enjoyed a reversal of fortune with a 2-0 victory against Notts County. Ipswich, meanwhile faltered against lowly Derby County, losing 1-0. In
The week in review Dec 9-15 Weekend Sport In a weekend dominated by football, Southend United came out on top in 'the battle of Essex' - although non-leaguers Canvey bowed out with honour. The FA Cup tie everyone in the county had been waiting for failed
The week in review Dec 23-29 Weekend Sport Barry Conlon was the man of the match for Colchester during their 3-2 victory over Oxford United. Billericay Town hammered a giant dent in the Ryman League Premier Division title ambitions of near neighbours
The week in review Jan 6-12 Weekend Sport Dagenham and Redbridge were four minutes and a deflected goal from making FA Cup history on Saturday. John McDougald's 42nd minute strike had put the Essex side ahead against Charlton at The Valley but John Salako
The week in review Jan 13-19 Weekend Sport Colchester United were cruelly denied three points away at Oldham Athletic after a last-gasp equalizer which left the U's drawing 1-1. Visitors Cardiff City helped Southend United get a point with a 1-1 scoreline
A homeowner may be forced to give up part of her back garden. The owner of a house in Tiptree Road, Wickham Bishops, has been using a piece of a field as part of her garden. But when she asked Maldon District Council for retrospective permission to use
A visionary plan by a giant investment group could radically transform Chelmsford town centre. La Salle Investments that own Chelmsford's High Chelmer want to buy the borough council's multi-storey car park and replace it with a new shops and offices
The closure of the High Street for three months for road improvements is excessive, says Maldon's Chamber of Trade. The road closure, from the junction of West Square to its junction with Market Hill from 7am to 7pm Monday to Saturday, started on Monday
Essex Fire Service may have been 'too hard on itself' in producing statistics for the latest Home Office performance standards. The service itself reckons it is in the top five per cent of fire services but is warning that the national statistics will
Police are appealing for information after an elderly man on his electric wheelchair was involved in an accident with a Renault Clio car in Daiglen Drive, South Ockendon. The man received injuries to his right leg. If you can help call 01268 541312. Converted
Regulars and staff from a Hockley pub raised their glasses in memory of a friend when a bench bearing his name was unveiled. Paul Hammond, a 24-year-old former barman, died in June when he was in collision with a passing lorry as he stopped in a lay-by
The restructured Slazenger Essex Summer League sees three south Essex teams in the top flight of the men's doubles competition. Westcliff Hard, Westcliff Lawn and Thorpe Bay will be battling it out in the eight-strong Division One. Joining them will be
Basildon people have overwhelmingly backed calls for an arts centre in the town. Results of a straw poll conducted at a town store have delighted the Basildon and District Arts Society. Only five people out of the 155 questioned did not think there was
David Sheepshanks has blasted the Football League following the postponement of Ipswich Town's Worthington Cup semi-final at Birmingham City. The second-leg clash, plunged into doubt last week after police raised objections about two matches being staged
A new teen soap opera set exlusively in Stanford-le-Hope and Corringham will soon hit the small screen. The pilot episode of the serial - called Bisbrooke - has been snapped up by ITV and if it proves a ratings winner could be turned into a full-blown
Never give up hope! That's the advice from one Canvey family who have finally realised a dream of owning their own shop - after four arduous years earning their living out of a suitcase. Elaine Cox, 53, and her two daughters Karen 32, and Denise 26, are
Police have appealed for witnesses to an accident in Rayleigh which left a motorcyclist with serious injuries. The accident involving a Suzuki and a car happened on the London-bound A127 at Rayleigh Weir at around 8am on Wednesday. The 27-year-old biker
Freak weather this winter could cost Braintree Rugby Club up to ten per cent of its annual turnover. Torrential rain and floods late last year meant many matches had to be postponed and annual social events were cancelled or ruined. Even now, two months
Southend United were one of the few Essex sides to survive the freezing conditions and play over the weekend. Ben Abbey's double strike saw the side take all three points against Leyton Orient. Colchester United's match against Millwall was called off
Road traffic levels in the Braintree area are set to rise dramatically, believes the Braintree Green Party. The Braintree area traffic growth is predicted to be 19 per cent between 1998 and 2011. That is probably half as much again as the rest of Essex
Godfrey was very much alright for Old Rochfordians as his side beat fellow Hadleigh Carport Southend Borough Combination rivals Thames Park in the Southend Charity Competition Section B second round. For he scored two goals in his team's 3-1 victory with
RYMAN LEAGUE Premier Division: Dulwich 1, Grays Ath 2. Division 3: Aveley 3, Clapton 1. SCHWEPPES ESSEX SENIOR LEAGUE Eton Manor 2, Brentwood 5; Leyton 3, East Ham 2. ESSEX JUNIOR TROPHY Round 5: Stanford Wanderers 3 (Suckamore, MScott, Richardson), Shoebury
Essex is getting more money for protection from flooding. The Environment Agency's Essex Local Flood Defence Committee, LEDC, has been given over £9million for major improvements on flood defences and flood warning systems. The Agency will increase the
Youngsters could get free use of sports centres in Tendring - if they put in a good performance at school. A new initiative is being investigated to reward pupils who do well in the classroom. A pilot scheme being held at Colne Community School at Brightlingsea
A Colchester infants school has been put on special measures amid fears it is likely to fail education standards. St Andrew's Nursery and Infants School, Greenstead, has eight weeks to draw up an action plan of improvements after a critical Ofsted report
A new eye hospital in Thundersley would cause crippling parking problems say residents. They claim parking in Downer Road North is already a nightmare and if planners give their approval to the conversion of a small bungalow at the end of the street,
Fixture secretaries across the country were left in despair over the weekend as an already mounting fixtures backlog got considerably worse. Freezing temperatures and snow flurries wiped out the weekend's sporting activities. Essex's Jewson League sides
A jury has cleared a Basildon man who strongly denied attacking two sisters with an iron bar. It took the jury 35 minutes to unanimously find 40-year-old Mark Scaresbrook, of Timberlog Lane, not guilty. The dad-of-two maintained the young women were the
Ambitious plans for Canvey Lake have been given a fresh boost after a seven-month stalemate. Schemes to restore the lake and landscape its banks were unveiled in June last year but only now the initiatives appear to be moving forward. Members of a forum
Forget the beast of Bodmin - the people of South Woodham have their own wild cat to contend with. And what this crazy character lacks in size, he more than makes up for in ferocity. Debbie Parr, of Melville Heath, South Woodham, needed medical attention
Postbags stuffed with letters are being regularly left in a garden while they are waiting to be delivered. The Royal Mail today (Monday) defended the practice, but householders are alarmed and fear letters and vital legal, financial and medical correspondence
A hoax bomb containing nuts and bolts sparked a major alert when it was placed outside a school. The fake device could have been the work of a cruel hoaxer who wanted to cause chaos and scare pupils and residents. An eagle-eyed passer-by raised the alarm
Celebrity couple Posh and Becks could be about to dip into their millions to buy their own private island - near Maldon. Spice Girl Victoria Beckham and her Manchester United star hubby David could well afford to buy their own tropical paradise, but instead
Chaos hit the A12 today (Monday) after a lorry driver died and his vehicle blocked the road. Motorists were at a standstill for up to three hours as police closed the southbound track and one northbound lane at Margaretting. The lorry, driven by a 56-
Three people were taken to hospital and ten others were rescued after a flat fire in Southend. Crews using breathing equipment led residents in the flats in York Road. The blaze was caused by unattended cooking and damage caused by smoke was confined
A bullet-proof floor to ceiling dock, costing more than £20,000, has been installed at Chelmsford Crown Court. The dock, in Number One Court, is being appraised in a trial which will result in a decision at the end of the year as to whether all crown
A new quad-biking project has been revealed in a bid to bring more people to the countryside. Ed Abbott is hoping his £50,000 scheme may be on track to open in the summer. Plans have been submitted for a quad-biking track at Spinnels Farm, Harwich Road
Reaching a £1 million target was just the tip of the iceberg for Macmillan Cancer Relief. Once that had been achieved at the beginning of 1999, work began on the next target of £1.1million at the end of the year in a bid to pay for eight new cancer care
A man is facing 14 indecency charges - some dating back more than 20 years. The 63-year-old from Dovercourt is charged with nine counts of indecent assault, all relating to different children. The alleged victims were all aged between eight and 12 years
A Chelmsford mother whose 12-year-old son was refused entry to the town's Odeon Cinema vows she and her family will never go there again. Mrs Christine Sewell, of Shire Close, Chelmsford, said her son, a regular visitor to the cinema, had a non-pupil
This is the first artist's impression of council plans to give Braintree's Market Square a new look and bring a continental caf culture to the town centre. The pedestrian-friendly plans, which include outdoor seating and tree-lined walkways, will go out
The search is continuing for a Rochford pensioner who has been missing for a week. Alice Orme, 92, has not been seen since leaving her retirement home on St Luke's Place last Friday. Police have carried out extensive searches of the Rochford area throughout
Good ground for our concern It should not come as any great shock to hear that Southend council have put Blues plans to redevelop Fossets Farm on the back burner. The club has endured more false dawns than I care to remember when it has come to relocating
Community groups and clubs with ideas for a new community centre in Tiptree are urged to get in touch with the village hall fund committee for a questionnaire. The committee has commissioned a feasibility study and is keen to hear what sort of facilities
Soaraway Stansted is way out in the lead as fastest growing of the UK's 'big seven' airports, says a new report. Over the year 2000, Stansted was still jetting ahead of rivals, falling just short of 12 million passengers a year, an increase of a quarter
A sailing club is counting the cost after a hit-and-run boating accident destroyed its jetty. Canvey jetty, owned by the Chapmans Sands Sailing Club, was struck by a vessel in the dead of night but nothing was ever reported. The devastation is all the
A man was due to be released from hospital today (Monday) after being stabbed in the chest in Lawford. Police were called to the Lawford Dale Estate after being alerted by Essex Ambulance Service at about 6.50pm yesterday (Sunday). A 34-year-old man was
Six men accused of conspiring to murder former chef Hok Wan Leung have been cleared of all charges. Mr Leung, 34, of Watford, died after being attacked by a machete-wielding gang at the Middleborough roundabout in Colchester in July 1999. Sales assistant
Animal cruelty protesters targeted two pharmaceutical firms in Braintree and Witham on Wednesday. Around 20 demonstrators from Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty protested at Novartis Pharmaceuticals in Braintree and Roche Products, Witham, claiming that
A post office door was attacked with a club hammer as vandals went on a wrecking spree in Colchester. About £200 of damage was caused to St George's Post Office, Canterbury Road. The same evening Monkwick Infants School was damaged by youths who drove
Traders at a threatened market are gearing themselves up for battle against a supermarket on the site. Plans have been unveiled for Clacton's largest market at the Warwick Castle site in Pier Avenue to become the site for an Aldi food store. A 3,000-signature
The week in review Dec 30 - Jan 5 Weekend Sport Southend United blew the chance to make up ground on their Third Division promotion rivals at a bitterly cold Roots Hall on Saturday. Despite taking a lightning quick lead through defender Leo Roget, Blues
Firefighters who were called to an abandoned car blazing in Daws Heath Road, Thundersley, had the flames out in a few minutes at midnight. Officers' reports blamed the fire on arsonists. Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and
An couple claim they will have to quit their home and find somewhere else to live unless a bus route they describe as a "lifleline" is reintroduced. First Thamesway has just axed the popular 111 - a staggered service for pensioners or disabled people
Chelmsford police could be the first in Essex to use anti-social behaviour orders. At a community consultative meeting at Melbourne Stadium on Wednesday, residents of the Melbourne, Boarded Barns, and Old Springfield estates insisted that youth crime
A hard-hitting anti drugs campaign piloted in 41 Basildon schools has been hailed a huge success - but "mountains still need to be climbed." The county council led £96,000 pilot project in the town has been branded positive and worthwhile by parents and
Organisers of Chelmsford's V2001 pop festival are facing the threat of a possible student boycott over sponsorship links with multi-national food company Nestl. The National Union of Students was quoted in a national music paper, urging its members not
Abandoned lurcher dogs and horses are causing increasing problems for the RSPCA in mid Essex. From 24 dogs rescued by the Maldon dog warden last year, more than half were lurchers. And the abandoned horse problem was highlighted this month when three
Southend Council faces a "major challenge" to improve its social services, a top-level report is expected to reveal. The full findings of a Joint Review Team, which visited Southend last spring to look in depth at the state of the department, are set
Kickboxer John Harvey is celebrating after winning a national event. The Dovercourt competitor took part in a Profight-sanctioned full contact tournament in Watford. Harvey, known for his explosive starts and even more explosive finishes, was up against
Uttlesford Primary Care Group has been awarded trust status - to the delight of many local people. Health minister Lord Hunt announced last week that a further 19 primary care trusts would start work on April 1. He said: "The Eastern Region now holds
Rock DJ John Peel was in Colchester to launch an extraordinary music session. The marathon sound session was due to end today (Monday) after more than 50 hours. The event was staged at the Colchester Arts Centre and featured 53 hours of work produced
Chelmsford Chieftains continued their improving form as they came back from the dead to get a well-earned point in a thriller at the Riverside Ice & Leisure Centre last Sunday. Chieftains paraded new signing Bryan Blair for his first outing and welcomed
Kingston Athletic edged their way into the fifth round of the Essex Junior Cup with a 2-1 win over fellow Southend Sunday League side Roche Meadow - Marchant and Enfield scoring the goals. In the Junior Trophy fourth round, Galligan's double helped Smallgains
Maldon District Council is playing its part in an ongoing campaign to help victims of domestic violence. National statistics show one in four women are subject to domestic violence during their lifetime and the council has produced an advice card. It
Cash has been secured to tackle community issues in two hot spot areas of Tendring, with the chance for residents to play a major role, it was revealed today. Tendring Community Voluntary Services made a successful bid for money to employ community workers
Angry parents have vowed to fight shock plans to close their children's school. More than 100 people, including former teachers and councillors, packed into a meeting with governors from Braintree's Chapel Hill School on Friday night. They set up an action
A worker struggled to alert emergency services to a serious chemical spill after being overcome with fumes. Firefighters and environmental health officers wearing chemical suits broke into a disused building in Towerfield Road, Shoebury, to clean up dangerous
The son of a woman who died from injuries resulting from a "freak" traffic accident in Southend has spoken of his heartache. Lilly Pattrick was hit by a car entering the Esso service station in Southchurch Road on January 4 as she walked along the footpath
Hide it away is the message from Maldon Police after crime figures for the last six months were revealed for Burnham. Crime prevention officer, Ray Stannard, said there had been 110 crimes and out of those 28 were committed without any kind of forced
