• A TEN-YEAR-OLD girl, has started her own appeal to help the needy this Christmas after she met a homeless man in Southend High Street.

Ruby Eenkhoorn, from Southend, almost brought a homeless man to tears by spending her last £5 on a McDonalds for him.

After meeting him, she has started an appeal to help the homeless in Southend have a hot dinner on Christmas day.

Ruby, who has suspected juvenile arthritis that is sometimes so bad she struggles to move in the morning and causes trouble with her mobility, is determined to help others who are vulnerable and to raise as much money as possible for Southend’s homeless charity, Harp.

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• YOUNGSTERS have launched an alternative Christmas postal service for Canvey.

Around 70 beavers, cubs, scouts and explorers from the 5th Island Air Scout Group will be busy sorting and delivering cards for residents and businesses on Canvey over the festive period.

They will charge 25p for each card.

Money raised will be ploughed back into the group.

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• A FAMILY returned to Southend Hospital's specialist fetal medicine unit to thank staff for helping to save the life of baby girl who was born with her intestines outside her body.

Little Annabelle-Rose Thomas was diagnosed with gastroschisis while still in the womb.

Her parents, Kiri Thomas, 27, and husband Nick, 28, were given the devastating news that all was not well with the pregnancy when Mrs Thomas was just 12 weeks pregnant.

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• TRAIN buffs can take a trip back in time on the steam-powered Cathedrals Express next month.

Departing from Southend East, the train will visit one of Europe’s best Christmas Markets in Winchester.

Passengers on the 61306 Mayflower, a B1 Class locomotive, will arrive in the cathedral city of Winchester at around 1.45pm on December 19 and have nearly three hours to explore the market before the train departs back to Southend.

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