North Essex MP Bernard Jenkin has given his backing to the beleagured Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith. He said the "whispering and innuendo" about Mr Duncan's Smith's leadership was not helping the party. And he said those who oppose the leader have either
A farmer battled alongside firefighters throughout the night after suspected arsonists set fire to a barn causing £200,000 of damage. Nine fire crews struggled to stop 300 tons of burning hay and hemp from igniting a 250-gallon diesel tank at Doggetts
A woman had her handbag snatched by two men on a bicycle as they rode along a main street. The 48-year-old woman was walking along Hamlet Court Road in Westcliff when a cyclist and a pillion passenger grabbed the bag which contained £90 cash and credit
Wayne Andrews took full advantage of an early defensive mix-up to shoot Colchester up into eighth place in the table with this one-goal win over bottom of the table Chesterfield at Layer Road. The quicksilver U's top scorer cashed in on fatal hesitation
Police were today hunting a gang who ram-raided a service station but were forced to flee empty-handed after they discovered the cash box had been emptied. It is the third time in past couple of months that the Shell Garage on the A133 in Great Bentley
Thousands of households in Braintree are set to join a major kerbside recycling scheme in the next three weeks. The new rubbish and recycling collection service, involving alternate week pick-ups of wheeled bins, will be extended to about 7,500 properties
A terrified delivery driver had a gun held to his head by teenagers who snatched his food and vehicle keys, police said today. Detectives appealed for help in tracking down the thugs, aged around 14 and 15, who robbed the man in Leigham Court Drive, Leigh
A strip of green that made some people see red is now back to black. The controversial North Hill bus lane was much maligned since the green strip was added to the road more than four years ago. It was part of Colchester's first dedicated bus lane system
Two gunmen got away with £400 after raiding a convenience store in Linford near Stanford-le-Hope. The Indian-born shop owner said the gunmen threatened her before she handed over the cash. Full report in Monday's Evening Echo Published Sunday October
Oxford United's former Colchester United duo Andy Woodman and Ian Atkins cannot wait to take on their old team in the FA Cup at Layer Road. Dream start - Wayne Andrews is congratulated after hitting Colchester United's early winner against Chesterfield
Thurrock turned the tables to gun down perennial giantkillers Dagenham & Redbridge at The Hotel yesterday. The Ryman Premier outfit pitted their wits against Garry Hill's Conference side and emerged victorious in a fast-paced contest, witnessed by
Reporter turned sleaze buster MP Martin Bell is to be guest speaker at the Oyster Feast. This year's historic Colchester feast, hosted by the town mayor Chris Hall, has taken the theme Freedom of the Spirit. Dr Hall said: "It is a real honour to be involved
Truckers deserve better protection by the law, MP Angela Smith has said. The Basildon and East Thurrock MP is backing a Department of Transport plan to improve the rights of drivers, something she thinks would have a major impact on the region. She said
Police were today hunting a gang who ram-raided a service station but were forced to flee empty-handed after they discovered the cash box had been emptied. It is the third time in past couple of months that the Shell Garage on the A133 in Great Bentley
Police are appealing for witnesses to an accident involving a car and a pedestrian near the Rettendon Turnpike. The accident happened on the A132 at 2.25am on Friday, and involved a blue Honda Civic, driven by a 61-year-old man from Chelmsford who was
Harlow Town climbed to within two points of the Division One North summit following an excellent 3-1 win at Dunstable Town, who sat 2nd at the start of play. Marc Salmon (2) and Gabriel Fanibuyan hit the goals for in-form Harlow, who are 4th. East Thurrock's
Canvey Island set up a mouthwatering clash with local rivals Southend United after this narrow win at Mangotsfield United in the FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round. The Mango's had made it through to the 1st Round following a 6-3 hammering of Newport County,
Canvey soccer boss Jeff King phoned police as a handful of hooligans tried to spoil his club's big FA Cup day in Bristol. The Islanders pulled off a 2-1 win at Dr Marten's League Mangotsfield United to earn a money-spinning date with top local rivals
Memories flooded back for 30 veterans as a convoy of wartime jeeps and trucks made their way from Tilbury to Southend for a poignant remembrance service. Memorial drive - a member of the Military Vehicle Trust climbs aboard Picture: MAXINE CLARKE The
A 78-year-old woman was rescued from her blazing bungalow but suffered 50 per cent burns. The fire which spread through the Laindon home of Mrs Joan Church is thought to have been started by an electric blanket. Full report in Monday's Evening Echo Published
A Tendring health boss has welcomed ambitious multi-million pound plans to improve health services at Colchester General Hospital. A £127 million development has taken a major step forward and building work is due to start towards the end of 2005. Paul
Southend police have issued a warning about the perils of drink-driving as the force prepares to launch its annual Christmas drink driving campaign. The warning comes in the wake of the jailing of Anthony Pippin, 41, of no fixed home, who was locked up
Jubilant Jenifer Howlett today declared three years of "living hell" finally at an end after winning £65,000 in libel damages from a millionaire businessman. The former Labour mayor of Castle Point gazed up to the heavens before her eyes filled with tears
A teenager was left shaken after being threatened with a knife. The robber demanded cash from the 15-year-old boy as he walked through Colchester's Castle Park, but fled empty-handed. Det Sgt Roger Napier, of Colchester police, said: "He was obviously
Dozy Chelmsford slipped to their sixth league defeat of the season on Saturday, beaten by Scott Morgan's goal at Newport County. The reality is that City's slumber is beginning to cut them adrift at the foot of the Dr Martens Premier. The New Lodge side
A top politician has joined the fight to save a school in Clacton. Shadow education secretary Damian Green met campaigners battling to stop the closure of the Leas School for pupils with moderate learning difficulties. Mr Green, MP for Ashford, travelled
East Thurrock United gained a money-spinning replay at Woking's Kingfield Stadium after holding their Conference opponents to a 1-1 draw on Saturday. Over 1,200 supporters packed Thurrock's tight Rookery Hill ground to see United rub shoulders with their
Canvey Island soccer boss Jeff King is overjoyed at being given the chance to re-enact his club's famous FA Cup battle with top local rivals Southend United. After seeing his side pull off a thrilling 2-1 final qualifying round win at Dr Martens Western
A children's charity book sale rewrote the record books after raising an astonishing £17,000. Organisers say up to 25,000 books were sold at the mammoth sale for the NSPCC. Read all about it - The children's charity book sale at Holmwood House School,
An education campaign, aiming to make more college students stay on in higher education, has come to Basildon. Stay on - the Aimhigher roadshow comes to Basildon Picture: DAVE HENDERSON The Aimhigher Roadshow was at Thurrock & Basildon College in
Village side Wakering continued their improved form in Ryman Division One North before losing 3-2 to a Yeading side who are among the title favourites. The visitors, who included former Billericay striker DJ Campbell in their line-up, scored after only
People jumped at the chance of a right old knees up at a Cockney theme night organised by Chris Freeman, the mayor of Castle Point. Fashion plate - the Cockney night was a real treat in more ways than one Picture: TERENCE BUNCH Guests tucked into jellied
Builders are causing criminal damage by cutting bollards designed to protect pavements, according to Basildon councillor Nigel Smith. The Labour councillor for Lee Chapel North explained: "A lot of the footpaths in the town, particularly Lee Chapel North
Councillors have given the green light to plans for 14 new disabled parking bays across Basildon in an effort to help vulnerable people live independently in their own homes. Members of Basildon Council's general purposes committee heard that Essex County
A car owner has hit out after vandals smashed up his car when his wife parked it to go shopping. Michael Smith, who lives in Clacton, said the damage was caused after his wife Rita had parked their Nissan Primera in the town's Pallister Road at 10.45am
Bishop's Stortford brushed aside Gloucester City on Saturday, confirming a money-spinning away trip to Mansfield Town in the FA Cup 1st Round. Stortford fans would have been praying for a glamour tie after comfortably despatching of Dr Martens Western
Work on Colchester's new £1 billion Garrison is now imminent. Colchester Council backed plans for the extensive Garrison project in December last year. The period for formal challenges to be lodged against the go-ahead decision has now passed. It means
Another gritty defensive display was enough to earn West Ham a useful point at Ninian Park -- but the rearguard action extracted a high price. David Connolly and Hayden Mullins both picked up injuries during the match, and with Connolly facing up to a
A Chelmsford nurse has spent a week waiting to persuade a judge not to jail him for an offence of violence. Warren Edwards, 31, of Upper Bridge Road, Chelmsford, was jailed for two months by Judge Chris Ball QC on October 16 when he appeared for sentence
Canvey Island set up a mouthwatering clash with local rivals Southend United after this narrow win at Mangotsfield United in the FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round. The Mango's had made it through to the 1st Round following a 6-3 hammering of Newport County,
The Government's Youth Justice Board has named the company that is working with it to design, build, finance and run Brentwood's controversial new Secure Training Centre (STC) for young offenders. It is working with Brentwood Training Services Ltd, a
Ten fluffy bunnies are looking for new homes. The Colchester clinic of the RSPCA has had an influx of baby rabbits and they need to find loving homes for all of them. RSPCA ambulance driver Leander Barnham has been looking after the rabbits but hasn't
Cutting-edge treatment could help a man eat and drink normally again for the first time in two years Martin Hayes, 52, has been fed through a tube since he was struck down by a brain haemorrhage in September 2001. The haemorrhage left him unable to swallow
Pupils and staff from a Braintree school returned from a national motor competition with their heads held high. The Tabor High School's Blue Streak electric car finished 32nd out of more than 50 entries from across the UK in the Ford Greenpower Challenge
Cutting-edge treatment could help a man eat and drink normally again for the first time in two years Martin Hayes, 52, has been fed through a tube since he was struck down by a brain haemorrhage in September 2001. The haemorrhage left him unable to swallow
A donation to Age Concern on the mainland of Castle Point could light up the lives of hundreds of pensioners. Roll up - Valerie Wells and Reg Paul with the long-life light bulbs being given out free to pensioners Picture: ROB BROWNE The organisation has
Moves to privatise Castle Point's leisure facilities edged a step closer after the borough council appointed consultants to carry out a review. Specialist sports consultancy Peter Mann Partnership (PMP) is to be paid £60,000 by the council to examine
Schools minister David Miliband has admitted confidence needs to be restored in the ailing education funding system. In a letter to Southend councillor Reg Copley the minister acknowledged the dire financial plight facing Temple Sutton Primary School,
Thieves made off with five cars worth more than £70,000 when they raided a garage. The gang stole three vehicles from the Coronation Garage in Kirby Cross and then returned for two more. Four of the cars were high performance and it is believed it may
Students from across south Essex have been given the chance to try out some of the Royal Air Force's most up-to-date training equipment. The teenagers, including some from Basildon College, were bussed to the RAF Regiment site in Chelmsford for a specially
Grays Athletic were caught by a Margate double sucker-punch, conceding twice in injury time as Conference side Margate forced a replay at The Recreation Ground. The Ryman Premier title challengers had stunned their hosts by taking a 7th-minute lead when
A major new initiative to clear Clacton's roads of untaxed and dangerous cars is to move into a second phase. Police, working with Tendring Council, DVLA and trading standards, seized 47 vehicles in the three-day operation last week. Now officers will
Arena Essex completed their home season of racing at the Purfleet Raceway with an easy 55-35 victory over injury-plagued King's Lynn that enabled them to take all three Premeir League points. The visitors were only able to track one of their own contracted
A spate of burglaries and vandalism has put jobs in danger at a motor firm. Workers are so fed-up with the late-night raiders that they have put up a £1,000 reward to help catch them. Over the weekend thieves stole a blue K-reg Ford Fiesta at the Stark
