A beach cleaner sinking into the mud on a beach in Jaywick was rescued after he called for help on his mobile phone. The emergency services pulled him to safety at around 7.30am today (Thursday). The cleaner had been stuck up to his chest in the mud and
Residents in south Essex have reacted angrily to the publication of a controversial study on the health effects of waste incinerators. The research, to be launched at a conference in London by the National Society for Clean Air, suggests the potential
The future of Brentwood's Hopefield Animal Sanctuary is in doubt after news that land-owners Tesco are planning to sell up. But the devastated founders of the sanctuary have pledged to "fight tooth and nail" to stay on the site. Ernie and Paula Clark
A wooden-clad bungalow has been attacked by arsonists for the second time in four days. Firefighters were called to the derelict building in Myland Hall Chase, off Ipswich Road, Colchester. Bedding in a back room had been set alight, and fire crews put
Staff at Colchester's Mercury Theatre are planning a production of their own - but it will be performed well away from the stage. With ropes, harnesses and hard hats as their props, they are doing a charity abseil down the ten-storey maternity ward at
Essex defeated Hampshire 3-1 in the National Over-65 Veterans League. County LTA official Ian Pitt, who plays at Westcliff Hard, partnered Mike Cunnew to win two events, while David Croll and Charles Hassell took the remaining rubber. Hockley lost 10-
Westcliff Hardcourts tasted double success at County Finals day on Sunday. The men's team retained their Essex Senior Cup by beating Connaught 2.5 to 1.5 at Brentwood Lawn. Simon Bonham and Richard Barham lost 3-6 6-3 3-6 to ex-Hardcourts player Vince
A Basildon boys soccer team claim that they are being outlawed from the local game after being involved in an incident at a Benfleet five-a-side tournament less than a fortnight ago. Following a semi-final match in the competition at Woodside Park, in
David Sheepshanks has defended Ipswich Town's decision to grant permission for Arsenal to speak to Richard Wright. The England goalkeeper is on the brink of sealing a multi-million pound move to Highbury after the Blues accepted a "substantial" offer
Children have returned to their school after a week-and-a-half break because of a fire in the main hall. Staff and pupils from Fairhouse infant school in Long Riding, Basildon, performed a textbook evacuation on June 8 after a sharp-eyed teacher spotted
People must invest in Essex and raise its profile. The call came in a rallying cry from re-elected chairman Joe Pike at the first meeting of Essex County Council since the election. Despite a gloomy General Election for their Party, Essex Conservatives
Two drug smugglers have been jailed for a total of 28 years after they were caught with £1m-worth of heroin at Harwich. Packets of the drug were hidden behind a panel in the boot, dashboard and seats of a car and Chelmsford Crown Court heard on Tuesday
A transport strategy for Colchester has been given the backing of the council's housing community safety and health policy panel. The strategy aims to reduce car use, encourage people to use alternative methods of transport such as cycling and improve
Developers want to build another 20 homes on top of the 96 already earmarked for a holiday camp site on Canvey. Revised plans for the multi-million development of the 11-acre Thorney Bay Beach Camp are set to be lodged with council bosses this week. Thorney
Long- term unemployment in Basildon has plummeted over the last year, it has been revealed. The latest figures released by Basildon Council show a whopping 69 per cent drop in the number of people who have not worked for six months or more. By April this
Plans are well underway for the Tillingham Flower Show - which has an extra country attraction this year. "It's still a rural show with country crafts but this year we've got a poultry show," said chairman, John Dorrington. The event on July 28 will kick
Traffic lights have been installed on a main route into Maldon for ten weeks to protect pedestrians. Motorists have been queuing single-file up to the top of Market Hill since Monday as scaffolding has taken over one side of the road. Essex County Council
Wivenhoe Town manager Steve Pitt has quit his post with the Ryman League division two club to become Steve Dowman's assistant manager at Heybridge Swifts. Pitt, who was reserve team manager during Dowman's time at the Broad Lane helm, resigned on Monday
Youth workers may be brought into a Maldon estate to tackle teenage troublemakers. The drastic move has been called for after reported incidents of damage on the Poets Estate caused by football-playing teenagers smashing windows and demolishing brick
Teenagers in a part of Colchester are to get "significant" free funding to dream up their own activity schemes to keep them off the streets and out of trouble. The project is being launched at High Woods Recreation and Sports Centre in a joint venture
Stay away from stray hedgehogs in your garden this summer. That was the message from the Rescuers Wildlife Sanctuary which has received many calls from people who have picked up the animals in their gardens. Some hedgehogs are pregnant at this time of
Police are changing their switchboard system in a bid to answer calls more efficiently. From Monday, July 2, all calls made to stations in Maldon, South Woodham Ferrers and Southminster will go directly to a service desk at Divisional Headquarters in
A hi-tech gadget designed to make home help visits to the elderly on Canvey more efficient has hit a technical setback. County council bosses introduced a pilot scheme where employees use hand-held devices to "clock in" and "clock out" of appointments
A new group - Friends of Riverside Park, Burnham - is due to be launched tonight (Thursday). Residents have been invited to the inaugural meeting to plan and enhance the town's biggest asset. "We're encouraging people to get involved in their town and
A swarm of up to 3,000 bees landed in Colchester town centre in search of a new home. Shoppers kept their distance and an underpass became impassable as the cloud of insects swirled around one of the town's busiest streets. The honey bees massed on the
A mayor has told how his Jack Russell dog was injured in a fight with a German Shepherd at a vet's surgery - and then he was charged to have it put down. Frinton mayor John Evans and his wife, Val, said the German Shepherd, which was being led by its
Chelmsford's Hockey Club goalkeeper Katy Roberts helped seal a 2-0 victory for England over Ireland in Belfast on Sunday. Roberts started for England in the second match of the two test match series at Lisnagarvey. Fyffes Leicester's Sarah Blanks broke
Lone sailor Stuart Hill is making slow progress back to Manningtree after abandoning his second attempt to sail alone and non-stop round Britain. Doomed round-Britain sailor Mr Hill, 58, of Maltings Wharf, turned towards home on Monday after being hit
Local schoolboy Danny Brooks, 14, won the top prize in the annual Jack Cole Salver at Basildon. He had a 40 points total in the Stableford event. Brooks, who plays off nine, recorded 12 pars and a birdie. This bettered four players who finished a point
Colchester United boss Steve Whitton will be aiming to complete a hat-trick when the U's kick-off the new Second Division season at Chesterfield. It will be the third time in four seasons the U's have played the Spireites on the opening day and on both
Emergency crews sealed off part of the A127 near Rayleigh today (Thursday) as firefighters battled to free a woman trapped in her overturned car. Hundreds of drivers were caught up in traffic jams as the Southend-bound carriageway near to the A130 junction
Residents have won their fight against late-night Sunday entertainment at two Colchester clubs. Members of the borough council's licensing and appeals committee on Tuesday night refused applications for music and dancing on Sundays from midnight to 1am
It was a knockout! Hundreds of people fought to get into the launch of a charity bookshop when it was opened by Frank Bruno. The former heavyweight star was at the official opening of the UK's first Royal National Institute for the Blind store in Exchange
An inquiry into the Home Office application to build a secure unit for young offenders on the St Charles site, Weald Road, will take place at Brentwood Town Hall at 10am on September 11. A planning inspector will determine the application, after the Home
Hosts Hawkwell Athletic enjoyed twin glory when they won two of the age groups at their own five-a-side competition. They took the Under-12 B event by beating Rayleigh Boys 3-2 in a penalty shoot-out and saw off Prostar 1-0 to take the under-14 crown.
Mellon Trust, which recently celebrated 25 years in Brentwood, has been awarded Investors in People status. To achieve IiP accreditation a company has to demonstrate its long-term commitment to staff, and each applicant is assessed over a six month period
Countryside Properties, busily developing part of the Clements Park project in Warley, have a £6,500 'costs and fixtures' package to anyone buying one of their homes on Anns Walk by the end of the month. The deal offers up to £1,500 to pay for legal and
A display of retro fashion and accessories, some pre-dating 1900, will be on show in St John the Baptist Church in Danbury on Saturday, June 23. The exhibition is part of a campaign to raise funds for the church roof and the items on show are from a collection
Former sixties popstar, Paul Jones and a team of former East End hardmen are heading for Maldon next month - as part of a Christian mission. The week-long event from July 17-24 will take place at the town's Promenade Park and is called 'Love Maldon 2001
A shocked holidaymaker opened his suitcase after returning from Florida to find an unusual souvenir. A two-and-a-half-feet-long snake had travelled all the way from the United States. Packing to come home after the two-week break, Steve Cross, of Church
A bogus official stole an elderly man's savings when he tricked his way into the pensioner's home. The 76-year-old victim, of Dean Way, Chelmsford, had £1,400 taken when he let the man posing as a gas board official into his home on Thursday to read the
Millions of TV viewers will see a talented songstress transformed into pop star Louise on Stars in their Eyes this weekend. Teresa McGinley was given an amazing makeover to turn her into her pop idol for the ITV show, presented by Matthew Kelly. The 29
The new Dial-A-Ride scheme for housebound people will be officially launched on Tuesday, July 3, by the Mayor of Chelmsford, Cllr Christine Rycroft. The service is provided by a partnership between the borough council, Chelmsford Community Transport Ltd
Brentwood is gearing up for a royal visit when the Prince of Wales cames to look round the Cathedral in Ingrave Road next Wednesday. Preparations are well under way for the visit, part of a one day, whistle-stop tour of Essex by Prince Charles. He will
Police have appealed for help in tracing a 16-year-old Southend girl who has been missing from home since April. Monique Kemp has been seen in the Peckham and Brixton areas of London since disappearing from Sycamore Grove. She could recently have spent
Youngsters at a primary school were getting into creative mode for their second annual art week. Visiting artists Michael Condron and Michelle House this year gave pupils at Holland Haven a helping hand. Michael is working with them to build models and
Six would-be leaders are facing an intensive two-day grilling for the top job on Colchester Council. Candidates for the £85,000-a-year job as chief executive will be put through their paces next Thursday and Friday. The post became vacant when John Cobley
Foolhardy trespassers are putting their lives at risk by venturing into no-go areas. Police have warned that children using a Dovercourt building site as a playground and shoppers walking along the town's railway track are accidents waiting to happen.
OLD SOUTHENDIAN 201-8 ILFORD 160-6 (Match drawn) Rain put a bit of a dampener on Old Boys' home clash with Ilford, but that didn't stop some steady batting performances from the hosts. After a half-hour delay due to a downpour, Southendian won the toss
Gulls fans swamped a Canvey sports shop as they came to share in the limelight of their island's footballing success. Despite only having two hours to see the silverware, hundreds of youngsters and adults poured into Penn Sports inside the Knightswick
Nicky Peng, with an unbeaten century, and Essex old boys Jonathan Lewis and Danny Law, conspired to carry Durham to a 24-run triumph in the Norwich Union League battle at Ilford. Essex were bowled out for 240 in the 43rd over in reply to their opponents
Jeff King's mighty FA Trophy winning Canvey Island troops have had another top accolade heaped on their shoulders. For the Ryman League have presented them with a special merit award to mark their achievement in becoming the first team from outside the
Eastwood had Whitehall as their visitors in the Parren Shield and won by 17 shots (60-43) with all three rinks finishing on top. Scores (Eastwood first): D Murray 18, D Hawkins 15; A Woodley 19, A Faux 14; J Wilde 23, A Brend 13. Eastwood continue to
Hassan Kachloul has made a last-minute decision to join Aston Villa and not Ipswich Town as he had promised. Kachloul's 11th-hour decision to overlook a verbal agreement and turn his back on Ipswich Town is at best intriguing. While nothing was ever signed
Essex will have to see off some world-class spin bowling if they are to get close to matching Lancashire's big first innings total. At close of play yesterday (Wednesday) Essex were 101-4, still a daunting 330 behind Lancashire's 431. To make matters
Falcon Bowling Club met Essex County Bowls Club from Westcliff in the London and Southern Counties Shield and came out worthy winners. At the Falcon both rinks seemed to be moving in the right direction but at 12-4 up Gordon Macleay's rink got stuck and
International Richard McEvoy, winner of two top tournaments on the national scene this term, currently lies third on the Amateur order of merit. He also has two further chances to boost his bid for a place in the Great Britain team to take on the United
A drink-driver who caused a four-car smash while three times over the legal limit once berated a cabbie for his road skills, magistrates heard. Convenience store manager Adam Smith-Reeve, 25, was banned from driving for three years and handed a 120-hour
Fire raged through stables on Canvey after a bonfire burned out of control. Firefighters said a man had started a bonfire just six feet away from the back of Willow Stables in Haven Road. At 2.55pm yesterday (Wednesday), an ember from the fire was carried
Beach-goers have been warned to be wary after a man became stuck waist-deep in soft mud. The man, who works for cleaning contractors Onyx, had to be rescued by coastguards, fire and police. He was working on the beach at Jaywick when he got into trouble
The massive clampdown on speeding motorists has been defended by a top Essex traffic cop following the release of statistics showing a sharp decline in road deaths. Eighty six people were killed on Essex roads last year - 20 less than the previous year
Three Essex schools have been handpicked by the Government as examples of academic excellence. Westcliff High Schools for Boys and Girls, St Christopher School in Southend, and Chelmsford County High School for Girls were held up as shining examples of
Fire ripped through Shoebury's former Maplin Club yet again - just weeks after the place was gutted by a previous blaze. Last night's (Wednesday's) fire, reported at about 8pm, involved dangerously exposed electrical wiring, prompting sub-officer Mark
