Southend United's reserves suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to a youthful Colchester United side this afternoon. Medi Elito put the visitors ahead on six minutes from Hogan Ephraim's cross, before Ephraim bagged a second for the U's on 18 minutes.
Two of this evening's Essex Senior Cup quarter-finals have been called off due to waterlogged pitches. Canvey Island's last eight clash with Ryman One North rivals Aveley was always in doubt after the Gulls' league match with Wingate & Finchley was
Christians from three Westcliff churches said goodbye to their vicar who is moving to Norfolk. The Rev Graham Steel and his wife Mandy are leaving Essex after 17 years and heading for a new rural parish which will see him overseeing a wider number
Government plans to let people with just two months' boating experience loose on the Thames will lead to deadly accidents, a veteran skipper has warned. Until now budding skippers have been required to do a six-year apprenticeship before they were
When a rehoming show found new owners for 19 cats, it was a happy ending for the moggies, but just another day for volunteers from the Basildon, Brentwood and district branch of the charity Cats Protection. The rehoming event at the Markhams Chase
A family cat has been paralysed after being shot at close range with an air rifle. Eight-year-old Bonnie can no longer move her back legs, following the attack near her home in Willow Close, Canvey. Neighbours spotted her dragging herself under
A new superclinic will be delayed by as long as, nine months - because officials have changed their minds about where it should be built. South East Essex Primary Care Trust originally planned a pair of clinics on sites in Ness Road in Campfield Road
Southend Council is facing a £118,000 bill - because nobody wants to rent the shops inside the town's new bus station. The building was designed with space for cafes and shops to serve travellers and provide rent income to help cover cleaning, maintenance
I feel so sorry for our youngsters who can no longer afford a property in which to live. This is because the Government has failed to keep up with a suitable building programme. Ten years ago when my parents passed away I had great difficulty selling
A pensioner missed her bus when faulty automatic doors at Southend's new bus station failed to open. Vivian Pontiggia, 75, of Langdon Road, Rayleigh, was waiting inside the glass-fronted station, near the sliding doors. The doors are meant to open
I am trying to make sense of the Echo Comment on the civil service dispute (Jan 3). It said: "The scale of the proposed job cuts is so great you would hardly expect the unions not to make a stand". With 344 possible job cuts in Southend, Shoebury and
Congratulations to Southend Council. In a poll of its citizens it may be voted the most incompetent in the South East. They employed consultants at costs of tens of thousands of pounds to decide what to do with the pier, then back out of a deal with
I say welcome to the real world Loretta McLachlan (Jan 2). The residents of Westcliff, particularly the area of Station Road and the roads leading from it, have their streets covered in rubbish day after day, month after month, year after year. Residents
Lifesaving cutting equipment worth £10,000 has been stolen from firefighters. Thieves sneaked into Leigh fire station and removed the heavy-duty Clan Lucas cutters, nicknamed the jaws of life. The hydraulic gear is often used to remove people who have
I agree with Councillor Dave Blackwell and resident Christine Andrews (Jan 4). Canvey residents need more support to get rid of the cruisers. They race around Canvey at 3am keeping residents up all night. If something is not done soon someone is going
Bidders at a Leigh auction arrived to find themselves exposed to some very cold calling. An early viewer at the closing-down sale in Oscar's restaurant, Leigh Hill, Leigh, had helped themselves to vital parts of the heating system. Quick action by auctioneer
In a CBS documentary about her home town roots, Dame Helen Mirren dismisses Southend as "the armpit of England". That's ripe, coming from a lady who has chosen to live in Los Angeles - a place where the pits are for real. Now what shall we call LA,
A hi-tech rebuilding of the Southend bus station probably seemed like a good idea at the time. Sadly, to date the new centre is showing every sign of white elephantiasis. Funding for the scheme was heavily based on the expectation of revenue from the
Experiences in Leigh have inspired the latest single from London band Assembly Now. Thousands of music lovers have listened to the song, aptly titled Leigh-on-Sea, on the band's MySpace site. The single will be released on vinyl on January 29 on Label
Five workmen had to flee to safety following a fire at a landmark south Essex pub. Four engines raced to the scene at the Orsett Cock Pub yesterday at just before 2pm. Around 20 firefighters, some wearing breathing apparatus, tackled the blaze.
Thieves stole £100,000 of photographic equipment during a raid on a High Street store. Hundreds of items were stolen from the Southend branch of Jessops, including cameras, video cameras and memory cards. The crooks broke into a storeroom at the
The chairman of an influential fisheries committee has pledged to fight to save the Leigh cockle industry from the potential threat of hand-raking gangs. Cockle fishermen claim their livelihood could be in jeopardy because of concerns over licences
A McDonald's restaurant was left without its famous golden arches after a thief stole them. A 6ft by 6ft version of the company's logo was pinched by thieves who somehow managed to remove it from an outside wall and carry it off. Police believe
Southend Pier's fire-stricken history has forced the council to fork out an extra £100,000 to insure it. The landmark had been re-insured with a new company only days before it burnt down in October 2005 and the insurance firm has now refused to renew
Thieves have broken into ten cars in the space of 72 hours. Several motorists in Laindon and Billericay were left counting the cost after the crooks broke windows and bent doors to get into vehicles before stealing car stereos, CDs, cash and other
A jilted pensioner attempted to murder his former love's new man by shooting him with a double-barrelled shotgun at an allotment. Reuben Bettis, 68, blasted Derek Hamersley, 67, in the stomach and hand after claiming he wanted to meet up for "clear
The chairman of an influential fisheries committee has pledged to fight to save the Leigh cockle industry from the potential threat of hand-raking gangs. Cockle fishermen claim their livelihood could be in jeopardy because of concerns over licences being
Southend United midfielder Luke Guttridge is determined to make the most of his second chance with the Shrimpers. The 24-year-old made a surprising return to Roots Hall - after a month long loan spell with Leyton Orient - to figure as a second half
Southend United have failed to bring transfer target Paul Ifill to Roots Hall. The former Millwall winger had been on the wanted list of Shrimpers boss Steve Tilson. But the Championship strugglers eventually lost out to Crystal Palace who have
Southend rugby coach Kevin Harman was magnanimous in defeat after Saturday's setback against promotion rivals Westcombe Park. The Seasiders still lead the National Three South table by four points from Lydney, with Westcombe Park now six points adrift
Echo website users have expressed mixed views for plans for creating a mayor of Basildon and turning the district into a borough. Last week the Echo revealed council bosses want the move to draw a line under Basildon's new town past and create civic
The under-14 Southend Swifts girls proved to be the ton-up queens as they crushed visitors Solent Suns at Hockley's Greensward College in the National League south division. The girls were back in action after a three-week break, but hit superb form
The Leigh company Racetech, founded in 1995, supplies the cruisers on Southend seafront with many of their gadgets and go-faster stripes. It also provides some of the more sophisticated mechanical and restoration work for those who don't want to do it
A fashion designer is hoping former Miss Great Britain Danielle Lloyd will wear some of her creations while she's in the Celebrity Big Brother house. Fathom McCormack, who runs Brazen Hussy, in Leigh Broadway, will be voting to keep the model in the
West Ham have continued their New Year's spending with the signing of Scottish international midfielder Nigel Quashie. The 28-year-old has joined the Irons on a £1.5million three-and-a-half-year deal from Championship high-fliers West Bromwich Albion
Thorpe Park £30 Adult, £28 Senior, £12 Child (under 16) This exhibition is the largest Craft Supplies Consumer show in the South of England. Over 160 Craft Supply companies will be demonstrating and selling thousands of craft kits, materials and
