Two children have been punched in separate street robberies in Colchester. Colchester police have warned they are treating the incidents seriously, and the offenders face the likelihood of a custodial sentence. A 15-year-old boy was walking along Albert
In 1985, Simple Minds sent a request around the world: Don't You Forget About Me. Southend certainly hasn't, as fans packed out the Cliffs Pavilion on Friday to hear the Eighties stadium-fillers play. From the moment a disembodied voice in the darkness
A family of three were today beginning the search for somewhere to live after a fire gutted their two-storey home. The blaze ripped through the top floor despite the best efforts of a heroic neighbour who suffered smoke inhalation while fighting the flames
The annual "Doing Business in Essex" debate has taken place at Waterfront Place Chelmsford. Waterfront place: Theo Steel talks about the relationship between business development and transport. The debate was co-hosted last night by the Essex Economic
Castle Point councillors are set to pocket a £48,000 increase in their allowances. An independent panel set up to look into councillors' allowances recommended the rise, councillors insisted. At last night's full council meeting Tory council leader Pam
A police probe is under way after a man was killed as he crossed the A127 in fog - the sixth such tragedy in recent years. Tragic : police on the A127 where the man was killed after being hit by a lorry as he tried to cross the road Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL
Prime Minister Tony Blair has provoked fury by suggesting the Government had reduced crime by 25 per cent since 1997. Better future? : the Prime Minister during his visit to Craylands last week Mr Blair spoke following his visit to south Essex which included
Youngsters at a Canvey school have participated in a variety of anti-bullying workshops designed to ensure school days really are the best days of their lives. Fighting back : pupils from Winter Gardens school Picture: DANIEL JONES Year six pupils at
An exquisite decorative book published by a Chelmsford businessman over a hundred years ago is expected to fetch around £8,000 when it goes under the hammer. The two volume book called Select Orchidaceous Plants and written by Robert Warner contains 80
A 62-year-old angina sufferer is without a phone after youngsters stole his mobile and offered to sell it back to him for £10. Ken Parker, of New Kiln Road, Colchester, was in the Southern Fried Chicken restaurant in St Botolph's Street, in the early
Plans for a new instrument landing system at Southend Airport do not mean the end of the long-term aim of expansion and moving or demolishing historic St Laurence Church. The airport has applied to Southend Council for permission for a new system including
Award winning movie Lawless Heart, set in the Maldon area, is to get its first public showing in the town shortly. The film, containing scenes shot in the High Street, on Hythe Quay and in nearby Tolleshunt Major, was the surprise box office smash of
An exciting collection of sculpture by local artist, John Miller, has gone on display at Southend library. John Miller: with his dreams of flight A research engineer by profession, John has always had a strong interest in the arts - particularly the three-dimensional
An elderly woman narrowly missed being blinded when a pressure cooker blew up in her face. Joyce Denney, 83, of Spindrift, Walton, has warned others of the dangers of the cooking pan after she had to be airlifted to hospital suffering from burns to her
Witham Town Council has appealed for help to rid the town of open air sex shows. The planning committee agreed last week to back chairman Kathie Tearle's efforts to eradicate so-called "dogging" sessions around the disused toilets on the Witham south
The Trampoline, Tumbling and Double Mini-Tramp World Age Championships took place recently in Hanover, Germany in the week following the World Championships. The week-long event was attended by 500 trampolinists alone with competitors from 34 countries
Ask many women how to change the wheel on their car, and most will say they do not know - but one Chelmsford rescue service is hoping to change that. Service On Site, which is based is holding a ladies safety night after being called out to numerous women
Four pedestrian subways in Shoebury, which were built in the 1960s, look set to be filled in and replaced with surface crossings. The proposals for the roundabout at the junction of Elm Road, Vanguard Way and Hermes Way will be considered by the traffic
Newly reformed ska band Eskalator are set to play the Castlemayne pub, Basildon, on November 27. Now called the Eskalator Allstars, founder member, guitarist and singer Dave Sparks is joined on vocals by his daughter Emma, ex-Bushfire guitarist and vo-calist
A former Westcliff High School for Girls pupil who made Hugh Grant cry will pick up a Tony Award for theatrical excellence at a star-studded ceremony in New York on Friday. Opera singer Chloe Wright, 30, scooped the award for her performance in Baz Lurhmann's
A Langdon Hills businessman was one of three people who appeared in court charged with money laundering offences after the seizure of more than £1million by customs officers. The trio appeared at Dover Magistrates' Court charged with various offences
Prime Minister Tony Blair has provoked fury by suggesting the Government had reduced crime by 25 per cent since 1997. Better future? : the Prime Minister during his visit to Craylands last week Mr Blair spoke following his visit to south Essex which included
Plans for a new instrument landing system at Southend Airport do not mean the end of the long-term aim of expansion and moving or demolishing historic St Laurence Church. The airport has applied to Southend Council for permission for a new system including
A cermony will be held to celebrate the installation of a much-needed elevator at a school for youngsters with special and physical needs. Braintree MP Alan Hurst will officially unveil the £100,000 lift at Edith Borthwick school in Fennes Road, Bocking
Recyclers in Brentwood have been congratulated by the council for their efforts in collecting hundreds of Yellow Pages. The council led collection of old telephone directories resulted in four tonnes of the books being recycled. Deputy Chief Executive
Skipping is part and parcel of a boxer's training regime - but English lightweight champion Danny Hunt is going one better for Children In Need. The 22-year-old fighter normally skips 20-minute sessions when in training but is stepping it up to an hour
A volunteer who reads for a talking newspaper for the blind has raised £1,000 for the charity which runs the scheme. Angela Edwards, 47, of Wheatley Avenue, Braintree, raised the cash for Essex News Tapes Association after taking part in street collections
More than 200 people living in two Southend streets are asking for urgent measures to cut speeding at a road junction. The petition comes from people in Tunbridge Road and Tickfield Avenue, near the Civic Centre in Victoria Avenue. They want speed humps
Basildon went back to the top of London SE4 with an overwhelming win over a West Norfolk side who had leapfrogged them into the leadership the previous week. Hero of the hour for the new towners was South African fly-half Mario De Magalhaes, who landed
All of Southend Swifts five teams were in league action this weekend and, after a disappointing start, the club ended up with a majority of victories. The junior women lost 74-47 to Northampton in a match between two perennial rivals. Captain Sarah Wagstaff
Shoppers paused, buses stopped and cash registers stopped ringing as Southend fell silent to mark those who died in conflict. Last post : a standard bearer from the Southend branch of the British Legion carries out his duties for the last time. The branch
Two Tory Essex MPs have been given new roles in the reshuffled shadow cabinet. Conservative North Essex MP Bernard Jenkin's post as shadow defence secretary has been changed to shadow secretary of state for the regions. Former shadow culture, media and
The fight against plans for excessive new housing in Essex is being stepped up by council chiefs. Senior county councillors were meeting to discuss how many new properties they think should be built in Essex over the next 18 years. The council's cabinet
A bid to turn a single property in Leigh into 20 flats has been submitted to Southend Council. Bayrise Properties want to demolish a building in Grand Parade and put up a five-storey block of 18 flats and a separate two-storey building at the back for
Ali Carter crashed out of the British Open in the space of just 74 minutes. The snooker world-number 17 was despatched 5-1 by world number 38 Gerard Greene at Brighton on Sunday. The 23-year-old from Tiptree was favourtie to beat Greene after a blistering
Open air sex sessions are being held just yards from a toddlers' nursery and Colchester school. Warning sign: near the parking area at the end of Sheepen Road. It says: "Essex Police is aware of illegal activities taking place in this area. Individuals
Billericay Town face a tough test of their recent revival tonight when they visit Hendon in the Ryman Premier Division. The New Lodge side have now gone four games without defeat in all competitions - and pulled off their third successive win on Saturday
Three projects to improve the quality of life across Castle Point are being considered by a community-driven group made up of businesses and volunteers. Firstly, officials from Castle Point's Local and Strategic (LSP) partnership are proposing to spend
A teenager was hit in the face by robbers as he walked through a Colchester beauty spot. The victim told police he was in Hillyfields when six youths, aged about 16, went up to him and demanded money. He refused to hand any over and was struck in the
A distraught mother has pleaded for her missing 13-year-old son to return home and end two weeks of despair. Stuart Row, of Basildon, was last seen at 4pm on Monday, October 27, leaving an address in Worthing in Sussex. It is believed he could be in either
Ipswich boss Joe Royle is not too despondent despite the news that his top goalscorer Pablo Counago will be out for a month. Counago picked up a hamstring injury during the first half of Saturday's 2-2 draw at Derby County. And following a scan late yesterday
Southend United have a slim chance of skipper Kevin Maher being involved in their plans for the FA Cup replay at Canvey Island in eight days' time. That hurt : Southend physio John Stannard treats Kevin Maher after his injury on Sunday Picture: MAXINE
Campaigners fighting to safeguard the future of a Witham community centre think they may have won vital breathing space Witham Community Association is confident of having its lease on Spring Lodge community centre extended from March 2004 to December
Southend United owner Ron Martin has expressed his relief that the big FA Cup replay between Canvey Island and the Blues is to be shown live on SkySports. The Shrimpers' supremo admitted to being worried about the safety concerns regarding Blues trip
Drivers are being warned the police will take no more excuses for not wearing seatbelts. It's the law: a driver is spoken to in Spring Lane, Colchester, as part of the crackdown on motorists not wearing seatbelts. Picture: NIGEL BROWN Traffic police have
Sixth formers at Shenfield High are helping to support youngsters facing problems through a new peer mentoring scheme. The idea behind the initiative is to offer pupils in years seven through to 11 the chance to chat to another student about any issue
Essex County Council is hoping poignant pictures of real children who are "wishing for a family" will mark a successful National Adoption Week. The "wishing for a family" campaign aims to raise awareness of the type of children who need adopting, including
Essex Police choir is holding a concert in Chelmsford next month, to raise money for Broomfield Hospital's ophthalmic unit. The concert is being held at Trinity Methodist Church on December 13 and follows on the choir's annual concert last month, where
Southend United and Canvey Island's FA Cup first round replay will be shown live on Sky Sports satellite television. The match finished in a 1-1 draw at Roots Hall yesterday but the rematch has been confirmed at the Gulls' Park Lane home on Wednesday,
Get hitched at County Hall and have a wedding to remember. Essex County Council is offering the use of its council chamber as an alternative wedding venue. Graham Young and Kerrie Manning, of Chelmsford, were the first couple to tie the knot there and
Budding young Tiger Woods fans have been getting into the swing of golf thanks to some lessons from an expert. John Plowright, of Little Oakley Golf Range, has been taking pupils from Chase Lane Primary School for a series of golfing lessons. The Dovercourt
Ex-Colchester United boss Mick Wadsworth has told of his great honour at being named as the new national football coach of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Wadsworth, who enjoyed a stormy six months as the Layer Road chief four years ago, lost no
Southend United and Canvey Island's FA Cup first round replay will be shown live on Sky Sports satellite television. The match finished in a 1-1 draw at Roots Hall at the weekend but the rematch has been confirmed at the Gulls' Park Lane home on Wednesday
The latest environmental drive in Castle Point has proved a huge success and looks set to expand across the borough. People living in St Mary's and Appleton wards have been taking part in a six-month pilot scheme where they were asked to save cardboard
Chickens and ducks were the stars of a show to promote and encourage poultry keeping. Inspection : judge Colin Guton inspects Tyler Baker's pet cockerel The Colchester Poultry Club held the show at Great Bromley village hall. Janis Middleton, secretary
A lucky black cat is back with its owner after becoming trapped in a neighbour's house for five days. Reunited : Deirdre cuddles Jasper Picture: MAXINE CLARKE T6FYC1 The hapless moggy, Jasper, is minus one of his nine lives after being released from a
There is light at the end of what has been a very long tunnel for injury-plagued Essex seamer Ashley Cowan. "It's been a dreadful year," admitted the 28-year-old. "The kind you hope never to have. "But things are looking up and I'm actually in much better
Campaigners would rather see a leisure facility - such as a bowling alley - built on Canvey seafront rather than a block of flats, it has been claimed. A storm of protest has emerged since an application was lodged with Castle Point Council for planning
Brentwood Council is looking for special people in the town to be nominated for its prestigious Civic Awards. This years awards will be sponsored, for the first time, by Havering College and the event will be held at the Masonic Hall in Hutton in March
A lucky black cat is back with its owner after becoming trapped in a neighbour's house for five days. Reunited : Deirdre cuddles Jasper Picture: MAXINE CLARKE T6FYC1 The hapless moggy, Jasper, is minus one of his nine lives after being released from a
Gary Bellamy said he felt 'stabbed in the back' after he was axed as Braintree Town manager. The former Chelmsford City chief is stunned with his sacking and says the Iron job is his last. "If this is the way football is becoming, then I've had enough
A revolutionary pilot is set to modernise the way district nurses work in south Essex. Southend Primary Care Trust's joint board and executive committee has agreed to fund a pilot programme that will see district nurses in Shoebury and Southchurch providing
Southend's council taxpayers could foot the bill for providing homes and benefits for at least 74 families seeking asylum. The Government is to stop paying their accommodation fees after March 31 next year following an amnesty allowing 1,500 asylum seekers
The annual "Doing Business in Essex" debate took place last night at Waterfront Place Chelmsford. Waterfront place: Theo Steel talks about the relationship between business development and transport. The debate was co-hosted by the Essex Economic Partnership
A south Essex woman desperately hunting her brother who disappeared nearly eight months ago during a backpacking trip across Asia is now switching her search to Tibet. Anna Ratnasothy, 28, has been in Nepal since April hunting for her younger brother
The Southend Indoor Cricket League season gets underway tomorrow. Again being held at Chase Sports and Fitness Centre in Westcliff, a total of 15 teams representing 12 clubs from the Southend, Castle Point and Basildon areas are taking part. The league
Several thousand people attended a weekend of equestrian education and entertainment in Braintree. Highlights of the two-day Towerlands Equine, in Panfield Road, included demonstrations by two-time European horse trial champion Pippa Funnell and horse
