A Basildon man is fighting for his life after a late-night attack in the town centre. The 28-year-old victim suffered serious head and arm injuries from the assault at the bus station on Southernhay just before 2am on Saturday. A 23-year-old man has been
Southend High School for Boys are really on a high today after becoming proud possessors of two national titles. They travelled to Northwich in Cheshire for the English School Cross-Country Cup final -- and pulled off a double by taking the boys' junior
Karl Duguid will play the second game on his comeback trail for Colchester United this afternoon. Duguid, out of action with a knee injury since the second match of the season at Tranmere Rovers, is set to spearhead a strong U's reserve team in this afternoon's
Maplin could emerge again as a front-runner for a major new airport in the south east, it was revealed today. Essex County Council is to tell the Government it believes an offshore site should be looked at as the best way of solving the airport crisis
Hundreds of eastern European orphans are to benefit from shoeboxes packed with goodies by youngsters in Hadleigh. Pupils from Hadleigh Junior School got into the festive spirit by gathering and packing the gifts. They are working as part of a scheme by
Simon Burns, MP for West Chelmsford, has co-sponsored an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons calling on the government to provide free nursing care for people with Alzheimer's Disease and other forms of dementia. Mr Burns said, "The Conservatives
A single mother who set up a youth club was among people being honoured for services to young people. Brenda Rugeley, a working single mother-of-two, from Ongar, picked up a prize at the BT ChildLine Awards for Services to Children 2002. The Youthplus
Hundreds of people turned out at Colchester's Culver Square to mark the lighting up of its huge tree with a special carol service. The memory of many loved ones was marked as the giant Christmas tree was lit up with hundreds of lights as part of St Helena
Tilbury stayed handily placed in the pack behind the Ryman Division One North leaders by picking up three points with two late goals. After a tame first-half, Akram Suliman put the struggling visitors ahead, but Kevin Mully grabbed a 72nd minute equaliser
Police have urged drivers in Basildon to keep property in their vehicles out of sight after a spate of thefts. The warning comes after seven thefts from vehicles were recorded over one night. A Basildon police spokesman said: "If there is something they
Southend United boss Rob Newman believes his side are still capable of making FA Cup progress, following Saturday's 1-1 second round Roots Hall draw with Bournemouth. Defender Karl Broadhurst headed the Cherries in front just before half-time, but recalled
An estate agent looks set to move into the home of a former seafront arcade along with a tourist information centre, it was revealed today. Plans have been lodged with Southend Council for the unusual conversion. It is hoped the scheme will help bring
A new flyover giving better access to Stansted Airport has been completed on the M11 two months ahead of schedule. The M11 Golden Jubilee Stansted flyover was officially declared open when Highways Agency chief executive Tim Matthews drove through a banner
The festive season truly started at a special bazaar. Springhouse Co-operative Women's Guild hosted the event, held at the village hall, in Springhouse Road, Corringham. On the tombola - Ivy Cummins and Carol Fletcher Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY A range of
Staff at the Somerfield store in Corringham are making a habit of raising funds for charity by running in the Flora Light Women's Challenge in Hyde Park. Thanks : Marilyn Munt from Little Haven Children's Hospice receives the cheque from Somerfield staff
Firefighters spent two hours tackling a blaze which swept through a Colchester scrapyard. Four crews from Colchester, Wivenhoe and West Mersea attended the fire at Wheelers Scrapyard on Hythe Quay at about 6pm on Friday A spokesman for Colchester fire
A mum-of-six who has been left homeless said she cannot understand why her family was the target of a suspected arson attack. Karin Simpson, 37, returned from a night out with her neighbour to find firefighters at her home and its contents gutted by the
Four people have been jailed for their part in a Harwich drug smuggling conspiracy The four were the last to be dealt with as part of Operation Toyah which was mounted by undercover police between July and October, 2000 Bugs were planted at a firm called
Jim Magilton was left scratching his head in disbelief after Rotherham's smash-and-grab success at Ipswich Town. The Millers emerged with a 2-1 win from Saturday's clash at Portman Road, despite falling behind to a stunning early goal by Fabian Wilnis
A driver had a lucky escape when his car left the road and overturned in a ditch at Ramsey. The 23-year-old man, who has not been named, escaped with minor cuts and bruises following the accident at 7.30pm last night in Wrabness Road. Crash - the overturned
Concerned councillors defied official advice and threw out a plan for a mobile telephone mast in the middle of the Treacle Mine roundabout in Thurrock Following a plea from Ann Martinez, who lives in the Long Lane home closest to the roundabout, Thurrock
Essex has been "deliberately targeted" for council tax rises because the Government "thinks Essex people can afford it", says county head Lord Hanningfield. The new figures mean council taxpayers should brace themselves for huge rises in their bills next
A police helicopter crew saved a man's life using a thermal camera to find him lying unconscious in Rainham marshes. The local man in his thirties called friends to say he was going to kill himself who then alerted police and the air support unit was
A Great Notley shop has been renamed in memory of its former owner. White Court Stores, in Ellen Road, was run by Barry and Deborah Wright for four years before Barry's death from lung cancer last April. Generous donations from the community after his
An ingenious new toy is drawing children to the Royals shopping centre in Southend. The Geomag's ball bearings and magnetic strips combine to allow youngsters to create buildings and other objects. Engrossed - Kia Westley, three, and Jasmin Wilkins, two
Convicted killer Jeremy Bamber is due to hear the result of his appeal against conviction on Thursday. Bamber was found guilty by a jury in 1986 of killing his adoptive parents June, 61, and Nevill, 61, his adoptive sister Sheila Caffell, 27, and her
Bradfield may be a small village but its playing field is winning a big reputation. For the third year running, the playing field in The Street has won two awards in the Essex Playing Fields Association best-kept playing fields competition. The playing
Green pupils at Shalford Primary School have come trumps in a recycling competition. The school won £250 for the highest number of Yellow Pages collected per pupil- an average of nine for each child and total of more than a tonne. The runners up were
A teenage girl was groped by a drunken pervert in a Southend store, police have revealed. The 15-year-old victim was molested by the man in the Essex Provisions convenience store in Southchurch Road. He appeared to be drunk and gave his name as Matthew
Chippenham Town moved up to second place in the Dr Martens Premier with their 10th league game without defeat. City might consider themselves unlucky not to have emerged with at least a point from this action-packed clash, with Phil Gray and Garry Cross
A window cleaner was confronted by a man wielding a kitchen knife as he deposited money in a hole in the wall machine. But a court heard how the man walked off when Martin Oaks told him to go away and police arrested drunken Stephen Hastings a short while
A toddler who battled to recover from a lifesaving liver transplant is set to have a wonderful Christmas thanks to the generosity of fundraiser Sue Brushmear. Sue was so moved by two-year-old Sherielea James' brave fight against liver disease she organised
Outdoor drinking is likely to be banned at a new pub set to be built in London Road, Westcliff. The Estuary Pub Company already has planning permission to change the use of a property on the western corner of the junction of Crowstone Road and London
Gary Ansell's goal for Harlow at Uxbridge was not enough as the Essex side slipped to their 4th defeat of the season. The hosts recovered in this clash to hit three second half goals and pull themselves away from the lower reaches of the division. Tilbury
A leading councillor today criticised a decision by council officers to close the seafront to traffic to allow the demolition of the pier bridge. Traffic chaos was caused and seafront traders claimed they were left out of pocket as work began a fortnight
If matches lasted just 85 minutes, West Ham would have no relegation worries. But yet again a late blow denied the Hammers a vital win after they dominated much of the game on Teesside. And it was another defensive error which saw Ugo Ehiogu left unmarked
Plans to pull down a pair of semi-detached houses in High Road, Rayleigh, and build a block of flats are set to be rejected. The three-storey block of 15 flats will be the only building of its type in an area which is dominated by large detached and semi-detached
Southend Council leader Charles Latham said today that it looked as if the authority would be forced to raise council tax by around 20 per cent. He said even though the increase in Government grant was slightly more than expected, there had also been
Joe Royle must be bored of opposition managers singing the praises of his struggling charges. Several times already in the last month bosses have showered his side with compliments - after stealing points at their expense. Town should have sewn this game
Yuletide thieves dampened the festive cheer in Witham when they stole two twinkling reindeer. The metal-framed reindeer decorations, standing at 2ft 6in each, were stolen from the front garden of a house in Rickstones Road. Police said that the "distinctive
Hundreds of anxious members of Tendring Credit Union will get their money back - but not before Christmas That's the message from officers, who are asking people to be patient while the union goes through a voluntary winding-up process. President George
A bid to build a Basildon register office has been put on ice amid a row between two councils. Essex County Council - which is responsible for building such facilities - wants the register office built in Gloucester Park between the swimming pool and
A terrified mum today called for action to tackle speeding on a "nightmare" road before someone is killed. Frances Harris's demand came after she returned home from work to find a car had hit a tree outside her house in Gambleside, Vange. Angry - Frances
The level of Government funding for an Essex children's hospice has been denounced as "derisory" in the Commons. Castle Point Tory Bob Spink called for a debate on funding for children's hospices and raised the case of the Little Haven hospice. Mr Spink
Another last gasp goal kept the pressure firmly on frustrated West Ham boss Glenn Roeder after his side were held 2-2 at Middlesbrough. But yet again he was encouraged by a performance which promised more than it eventually delivered as Hammers dominated
A pre-school has been given top marks by education watchdogs. Great Clacton Community Association Pre-school in Valley Road has been visited by Ofsted inspectors, who were so happy with the school, they listed no weaknesses and no action plan for future
The Dartford River Crossing is the worst motorway congestion point in Britain, according to a truckers' poll. They also named the M25 itself as the country's busiest road, beating the M1. A Freight Transport Association spokesman said: "We have a world
The grieving mother of a teenager killed by a drink-driver today welcomed Essex Police's latest breath test campaign. Sandra Bartholomew, 43, of North Avenue, Canvey, was speaking after police announced plans to breath test 100 motorists a day during
Wakering were bitterly disappointed that their magnificent efforts at big-spending Hornchurch eventually saw them leave empty-handed. The Urchins, among the Ryman Division One North promotion favourites, grabbed the winner through ex-Southend United man
Hundreds of real ale fans quenched their thirsts at Harwich and Dovercourt Bay's first winter ale festival Even TV presenter Helen McDermott, in town to switch on the town's Christmas lights, popped in to say cheers. The three-day festival at the Kingsway
A pump-up telephone mast put up in Bradwell gave villagers and councillors a chance to see the impact a permanent one could have. The 25-metre mock mast at Rectory Meadow was visited by Braintree councillors who will be voting on whether or not to give
Dozens of homes were evacuated early today when bomb disposal experts blew up a suspiciously parked car in Colchester. People were told to leave their homes after a blue Ford Escort was discovered in Mersea Road at 9pm yesterday, alongside Hyderabad Barracks
The sound of music rang out during a Christmas fair. Benfleet Rotary Club staged the event in the car park off Benfleet High Road, featuring performances from the choir of South Benfleet Primary School, jazz singers and also Castle Point Brass Band. Joining
Colchester skipper Samantha Fuller has had a momentous victory in the Clipper 2002 Round the World Yacht Race. Samantha, 26, is the first woman to captain a clipper - and the youngest in the event. She led the 15-man New York Clipper to victory in race
Rocks' problems at the wrong end of the Ryman First Division North continued unabated as they crashed at home to a Barton side who went 2-0 up through two goals from Karl Spring in the opening half-hour. Steve Harrison pulled one back, but the Bedfordshire
Saturday's FA Cup battle of the beaches between Southend United and Bournemouth got off to a slow start at Roots Hall. The first real opening came on nine minutes when Blues midfielder Jay Smith slid Damon Searle's left-wing cross over the bar. Cherries
