A patient could be banned from receiving NHS treatment in Colchester after she was carried out of casualty shouting and swearing after abusing hospital staff. Lindsay Kilpatrick, 22, of no fixed address, was waiting to be seen at Colchester General Hospital's
Rescue boats patrolling Southend seafront rescued more than 24 people in the past few days as inexperienced swimmers flocked to the town's beaches. Crews patrolling the seven-mile stretch from East Beach at Shoebury to Two Tree Island in Leigh, were involved
The mystery of how a man died in a well may never be solved, an inquest has heard. The body of electrician Ashley Fricker was found after he disappeared two months earlier in the City. Mr Fricker, 21, of Rowan Grove, Aveley, went missing after being refused
Astonished passersby called police after spotting two men having a midnight swim - in a Colchester town centre fountain. The pair were diving to the bottom of the Culver Square centrepiece just after midnight yesterday (Wednesday) to grab handfuls of
Striker Dean Morgan was offered professional terms with Colchester United - and celebrated by plundering four goals against Wivenhoe. YTS trainee Morgan was given pro terms yesterday after impressing Whitton in pre-season. And the 17-year-old turned out
WItham Town have been showing some good form in two recent pre-season friendlies. On Wednesday they entertained Burnham Ramblers at Spa Road and as they always do the Ramblers proved to be formidable opposition and a 2-2 draw was a fair result. Both Witham's
Under-strength Clacton Town swept aside Ryman League opponents Romford thanks to goals by Shane Bailey, Mark Farmer and Bobby Mayes. The Seasiders were without Glen Hepburn, Steve Howe, Paul Hillier and Clewley brothers Jimmy and Jason. Nevertheless,
Riding stables in Langdon Hills have been threatened with closure, even though they have formed part of a working farm for 30 years. Green Trees Farm in Old Hill Avenue is a livery yard as well as a cattle farm and is set to be shut down as residents
Seven people died in a weekend of horror and tragedy on the roads of Essex. A 57-year-old man from Ongar died in his Vauxhall Astra at Norton Heath on the A414 after a collision with a camper van on Sunday afternoon. A young Colchester woman died after
A couple who want to live and work on Maldon's waterfront have defended their plans. Homes are not allowed in the protected area, according to the Maldon District Council's local plan, but on Tuesday a public inquiry began into the application at Taylors
Captain Calamity Stuart Hill is not one to give in easily. He has been beset with problems since attempting to sail round Britain single-handedly. This morning he was spotted by Coastguards sailing past the top to the Tyne, in the north of England - further
It was a case of show me the way to go home when Charlie the disorientated racing pigeon had to be driven 180 miles back home. The bungling bird obviously had not read the chapter in A Racing's Pigeon's Guide to Homing Instinct and refused to budge from
Parents have been given an urgent warning after police said a girl could have been abducted in Great Totham. Officers are urging parents to tell their children to keep away from strangers after a 12-year-old was approached by a man. The girl was waiting
Southend Manor's pre-season friendly at Witham Town was abandoned after 45 minutes amid chaotic scenes last night (Wednesday). The Foresters Essex Senior League team were leading 2-1 on the stroke of half-time when a foul on a Manor player sparked an
Wivenhoe chairman Kevin Foskett watched his hapless troops crash to a 16-0 defeat at the hands of Colchester United Reserves - then placed director of football Frank Thompson in charge of first-team affairs. Former Clacton and Brightlingsea boss Thompson
Police chiefs in Essex have promised to cut sick leave in the county in an effort to meet tough Government targets. The force's annual report aims to cut the number of working days lost per officer from 13.8 to 12.2 by March, 2002. It also commits to
Two centuries for only two wickets ensured Leicestershire added to an impressive first innings total against Essex in the County Championship match at Chelmsford. It put the visitors in a commanding position of 342-2 by the close of the first day's play
The Foresters Essex Senior League have announced their opening day fixtures for the new campaign, which starts on August 18. A south Essex derby sees Southend Manor taking on Bowers United at home. Elsewhere, Basildon United host newcomers Enfield Town
Thundersey King John School won three of the four Castle Point and Rochford District tennis doubles championships. Paul Gardner and Ben Barber, from year eight, won the junior boys trophy, with Michael Baynes (year eight) and Stefan Cox (year seven) beaten
A bogus policeman has been spotted conning people out of money. The man, who was described as tubby, was seen knocking on people's doors in Station Road, Rayleigh, claiming he was a police officer checking for forged banknotes. He took the notes and told
A ground-breaking school safety zone in Castle Point could pave the way for 20mph speed limits across Essex and beyond. The scheme outside Leigh Beck School, Canvey, also introduces other traffic calming measures in Point Road between Seaview Road and
Police and council officials were today chasing a group of travellers around Basildon - but said there was little they could do. The caravan families have now settled on their third site in the district - this time at Fryerns School, in Craylands, Pitsea
A man who battered his brother with a baseball bat collapsed in the dock as he was sentenced to two years behind bars. Timothy Donohue, 35, of Viking Court, Shoebury, carried out the attack despite pleas for mercy from his brother, Jason Grimwood, who
Town leaders at Walton are worried about being shown in a bad light in a TV documentary. The resort has been shortlisted along with several other communities to feature in a video on "the typicality of British life". But councillors and other community
Ford has announced the appointment of Philip Parke, as Marketing Manager, Ford Customer Service Division. Mr Parke, who joined the company over thirty years ago, has worked in Germany as well as the UK. He will have responsibility for marketing Ford Britain's
The announcement by Liverpool Victoria recently that it has bought Bishopscourt Financial Holdings and some of its subsidiaries, have resulted in a new Brentwood company working out of Academy Place in Brook Street. Some of the BFS operation was not included
Voluntary work can be the passport to success in the workplace, claims the Epping Forest Volunteer Bureau. The bureau, covering, Ongar, North Weald, Epping and the surrounds, says new research shows that voluntary work is one of the essential credentials
Gill Awcock will never again complain about shopping in Billericay High Street in the winter when it is cold, wet and draughty - she will just remember trekking through the Himalayas in temperatures down to minus 15, and more rain in a hour than we had
Neighbours alerted police when they saw a burglar breaking into their elderly friends' house. Ann Reeve, 68, who lives opposite the house in Kirby Road, Walton, was in an upstairs bedroom when she saw a young man approach the house at about 2pm on Tuesday
Sandon residents have voted overwhelmingly to replace their 114-year old Jubilee Oak - axed after collapsing from a fungal infection in early June - with a mature oak sapling. In response to a recent parish council questionnaire sent to 600 homes, 157
Giving some stick to French bread has landed a Wickford baker in hot water after police visited his shop to tell him he could face prosecution unless he removes a poster deemed to break race relations law. Kevin Barke, 47, owner of the family run Barke's
A bride of three weeks wept as she was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in a detention centre for possession of hard drugs. Trina Jackson, 20, had admitted possessing Ecstasy and cannabis. Police found Ecstasy, cannabis, cannabis resin and amphetamines
Hundreds of family and friends attended the funeral of a 20-year-old sports fanatic,who died after a workout on the athletics track of his former school. Former Brentwood School pupil Michael Polden, of Brentwood, died from the same rare blood vessel
Southend plans to bid for a slice of Government cash to pay for community wardens. The Government is putting up £25m, half the funds needed for 100 street wardens nationwide, and local authorities who want to use the money would then have to match that
There has been a spate of egg throwing incidents in the Maldon area recently. The most recent occurred in Frobisher Close at about 8pm on Saturday, when a group of youths were seen throwing eggs over different vehicles. At about 9.30pm on Thursday, somebody
Naughty novelty doll Dirty Berty is making whoopee in the United States after his Basildon-based producers were inundated with orders for him. PMS International has already sent 300,000 of the bawdy toys to America after an initial test order of 600 attracted
There must be a public inquiry into growth at Stansted Airport - that was the demand from the Council for the Protection of Rural Essex this week. The group, made the plea following a meeting in Great Dunmow last Friday, when members were joined by representatives
Westcliff Hardcourts toasted a triple victory this week in Essex League action. The men's first team handed out a 9-0 events thrashing to Great Baddow when they visited the mid-Essex club in division one. Simon Bonham, fresh from County Week in Norfolk
John Gray ran away with Rochford Hundred's 36-hole Billy Bines bogey competition in memory of one of the club's most successful ever players. Gray got off to a storming start firing plus eight in the morning with a two under gross round of 69 thanks to
Fran Williamson, 16, and 17-year-old Darren Swash - both members of Colchester Phoenix Amateur Swimming Club - returned home in triumph after competing over three days at the 2001 World Cerebral Palsy/ ISPA World Games at Nottingham University. The pair
Tracey Smedley endured a decade in the athletics wilderness - but has more than made up for it since returning with a vengeance in 2001. A back injury and then two car crashes in 18 months - the second resulting in severe whiplash - forced the West Mersea
Essex managed to take just one more wicket in the morning session in their match against Leicestershire before the rain intervened. Just before lunch today (Thursday) Leicestershire had made 416-3 but had lost the wicket of Iain Sutcliffe for 165. He
The real winner today (Thursday) in the Essex-Leicestershire clash at Chelmsford was the weather, with rain stopping play and saving Essex from yet more fielding duty. By 4.45pm not a ball had been bowled since the sides came off when rain intervened
Southend United youngster Daniel Webb hopes his goal in last night's 1-1 Roots Hall friendly draw with Gillingham will keep him in Blues' starting line-up. The 18-year-old striker bagged his fifth pre-season goal against the First Division outfit during
Youngsters at a Wickford junior school will be starting the new school year with much improved facilities after Essex County Council completed the first phase of a £100,000 refurbishment programme. Cabinet Member for Children's Services and Schools Cllr
St Clare Hospice has raised almost £9,000 from its recent successful summer fete, with familiar and new attractions drawing in the crowds. Hot sunshine helped the Hastingwood hospice raise £4,600 on the day, with a further £4,300 from donations in lieu
Schools from all over Essex took part in the 15th Business Day, designed to bring education and business closer. Among the winning teams was the Mayflower of Billericay who came third in Creative Writing and top in Food Technology - but this group which
A fanatical royalist dashed to the home of the Queen Mother when he found she had been hospitalised with anaemia. Devoted Rory Peacher, who once had tea with the Queen Mother, went to Clarence House to speak to her right-hand man, Billy Tallon, who has
Disgraced Pitsea GP Dr Madeline Pretty choked back tears as she made an impassioned plea not to be stopped from doing the job she loves. Dr Pretty, 57, begged for her livelihood not to be snatched away after the General Medical Council's professional
The bridal dress escaped fire, the hotel for the reception closed down as did the cake shop, but a couple's wedding day still went ahead. These setbacks were encountered by Louise and Andrew MacGillivray, 26, who may be forgiven for wondering if their
Two voluntary groups in Tendring were today celebrating scooping a cashpot of more than £500,000 from the lottery. Both Essex Voluntary Association for the Blind at Frinton and Little Pals Opportunity Pre-School in Jaywick were major winners with their
The Labour group on Essex County Council has pledged to strictly examine plans for a dramatic increase in the numbers of people travelling through Stansted Airport. The proposal to increase capacity from 15m to 25m people a year was lodged with Uttlesford
Chemicals have failed to curb potentially toxic algae plaguing Maldon's Promenade Park Lake, but officers are still confident it could reopen by the weekend. A strong chemical solution has been used to reduce the ph levels before chlorine can attack the
A call for Braintree Council to publicly oppose plans for an upgraded A120 route cutting through acres of countryside has been turned down. Green councillors presented a motion to members at a meeting last night (Wednesday) asking them not to support
Schools across Essex are set to take in more than 150 overseas recruits in September in an effort to plug classroom gaps. The teachers, nearly half of the new recruits, have been taken on to help the teaching crisis gripping the county. Essex County Council
Basildon District Council has come under fire after only one Billericay resident turned up to a meeting aiming to consult local people on the future shape of the town. The workshop style meeting entitled Where Do We Build in Billericay? was designed to
A burglar who raided one house and handled stolen goods from another has failed in his bid to get a five-year jail sentence reduced. Michael McCann, 33, of Melton Close, Clacton, had challenged the sentence handed down at Chelmsford Crown Court in January
A pensioner was left on the roadside after being injured in a hit and run incident. Police are searching for the lorry driver involved in the collision with cyclist Evan Roberts. The 66-year-old retired man was pedalling along Langford Road towards Hatfield
Billericay's pre-season goal drought continued last night (Wednesday) when they were beaten by Nationwide League Leyton Orient. Facing their second football league opposition in three days - they lost by the same 2-0 margin to the O's Third Division rivals
Most people only see one or two, but a Heybridge resident has witnessed three centuries of life. Lillian Lewis, who lives at Colne House, has celebrated her 103rd birthday, meaning she has lived through parts of the 19th, 20th and now the 21st centuries
It was a case of honours even when these two south Essex rivals met in Saturday's pre-season friendly at Canvey's Park Lane ground. The match was a re-run of last season's FA Cup first round clash in which Nationwide League Division Three Blues got the
A flyover or underpass to solve gridlock at a notorious traffic blackspot in Southend would cost £15m and mean the demolition of 50 homes. The figures, which include £5m paid out in compensation, would ease congestion at Southend's Priory Crescent and
Train operators Anglia Railways and First Great Eastern have been praised for the compensation given to unhappy customers. The survey carried out by consumer magazine Which? placed Anglia Railways and First Great Eastern, which serve the line from London
A suspected arson attack sent £80,000 worth of digging vehicles up in smoke. The blaze engulfed equipment at a building compound underneath the Pheonix bridge on the A120 at Parkeston. Crews from Dovercourt Fire and Rescue were called at about 5.30am
Champagne corks were popping after two holes in one were scored during Thorpe Hall Golf Club's Captain's Mixed Foursomes. Wendy Jones holed out on the 111-yard 13th and Pat Elmore repeated the feat on the 165-yard 16th. To celebrate and to start the evening's
Police are hunting a nimble burglar who climbed up a wall on to a first-floor porch to get into a house in Markhams Chase, Laindon, while the owners were away. It is believed the crook stole around £500 of jewellery. Anyone with information should contact
An eight-year-old boy thought of his grandmother when he entered a competition organised by the charity Arthritis Care. Troy Coxon's gran Brenda Fouter suffers with rheumatoid arthritis in her feet and hands, and from time to time has to walk with the
A new scheme for collecting discarded needles and syringes has been launched across the Uttlesford district. Members of the public can now report any sightings to a special 24-hour phone line, which will in turn activate a clean-up response. Darren Connew
A Southend mother who died after giving birth to her baby daughter has helped save five people's lives. Mother-of-four Tracey Lewis, 34, of Flemming Avenue, Leigh, suffered a brain haemorrhage the night before daughter Lily Grace was due to be born. Although
Essex is set to benefit from a major £2.65m spending package aimed at creating much-needed extra nursery and childcare places across Essex. In all about 300 places are to be created in four towns over the next three years. About 20 new places will be
Both developers of Clements Park - Countryside Properties and Crest Nicholson - are reporting great interest. Record numbers are flocking to see the newly-opened two-bedroomed apartments created by Crest, and interest in the 'back to the Victorian' era
Ii may not have been Wembley but the atmosphere was as exciting as any Premiership match. And the success of a football tournament which brought two communities together has ensured it will become a regular fixture. At the end of the term Colchester's
Traditionhas been given a new twist at Colchester Garrison at this year's Beating Retreat ceremony. It has its origins in early warfare when drums were used for all signals on the battlefield and Beating Retreat was a signal for troops to disengage from
The wraps have finally come off long-awaited plans to demolish more than 100 homes on the troubled Five Links estate as part of a massive rebuilding programme. Basildon Council is working with developers to transform the Laindon estate with 237 new houses
Police have warned shoppers to be on their guard after the third bag snatch at a Colchester supermarket in just over a week. In the latest incident, which happened at the Tesco store in High Woods just before noon on Tuesday, a woman had her bag stolen
A school built little more than 20 years ago in Lawford is to be demolished. Work is due to begin at the end of the year on replacing the section of Highfields Primary School opened in July 1978 but the extension added five years ago will remain. The
The oldest youth football team in Colchester is "fighting a losing battle" against "mindless" vandalism. Colchester Athletic has had its clubhouse in Maldon Road, Birch, vandalised seven times in four weeks and within days of the mess being cleared up
Maldon Town thumped troubled Wivenhoe 6-1 at Park Drive on Saturday - not to mention hitting the woodwork five times. Terry Warwick fired home four goals while Liam Bright, recently signed from Canvey Island, opened the scoring. The other marksman was
A full-strength Colchester United squad took the honours as Swifts conceded five goals in an 18-minute second-half spell. With Paul Abrahams sharp up front for Swifts against his former team-mates, the homesters more than held their own in the first half
Anti-GM protesters have taken on a top EU scientific committee and forced a climbdown on a piece of fundamental science. Crow (Concerned Residents of Wivenhoe) has been protesting about two GM crop trials of forage maize taking place at Sunnymead Farm
Councillors are looking to the future by considering setting up a group to manage Witham's River Walk. In March, town councillors rejected the idea of a specialised group to look after the beauty spot, which runs along the River Brain, but last night
Wickford's first planning workshop takes place tonight (Thursday). The meeting titled 'Where do we build in Wickford?' will be held at Beauchamps School, in Beauchamps Drive. The second meeting, the Future of Wickford Town Centre, will take place at Park
A far-reaching leisure plan for Colchester has been dubbed a "blueprint for the community" and promises to make Colchester a regional centre for lifestyle and culture. The service plan for culture, leisure and tourism has been backed by Colchester Council's
The announcement of a new community Sports College has highlighted the opportunity for Brentwood business to play a significant role. The Endeavour Community Sports College is believed, by the Hogarth Avenue special educational needs school, to be unique
Staff at a printing works have been told they could lose their jobs. Twelve workers at ET Heron, in Heybridge, have been told they may face redundancy if they don't accept new positions they have been offered elsewhere in the plant. Members of staff working
Ten Chelmsford families are infuriated at being told their road name should change because a new estate was built alongside them. The little cul-de-sac runs at right angles off Arbour Lane and is adjacent to Bellway Homes project replacing the old Marconi
Essex Police are keeping an eye on how electric stun guns fare in trials on the streets of London. The gun called a taser, which temporarily paralyses its victim with an electric shock, could be introduced by the Metropolitan Police by the end of the
A daring night-time parachute jump nearly ended in tragedy when a parachute malfunctioned, it has been revealed. The spectacular stunt was carried out by a member of the Red Devils team at the West Bergholt military tattoo and motor show near Colchester
A top Southend psychiatrist will not face disciplinary charges in public. Today (Thursday), Barbara Francis, the mother of one of Dr Neal Killala's former patients, branded the decision "a whitewash" and said she was "absolutely disgusted" at the General
There was more jobs gloom for mid-Essex today. The future looks uncertain for international telecommunications firm Dolphin Telecom Services, which has a base in Hedgerows business park, Chelmsford. Workers say 390 redundancies are on the cards after
It was a case of stay as you are for Essex's men's and ladies's teams after County Week. The ladies retained their Group One status thanks to winning three out of the five matches they contested at Eastbourne. And the men were unable to bounce straight
Car crook Daniel Jones shocked a veteran judge over his criminal record. Jones, 21, has appeared before the courts 25 times and has been accused of more than 180 offences, many involving car crime. Judge Philip Clegg told him at Basildon Crown Court:
A youngster won a mountain bike in a competition - only to have it stolen three weeks later. Krystal Morris, 11, scooped the bike in a competition at Safeway in Little Clacton. Her dad Carl Morris said she was delighted with the prize and had been riding
