AN explorers' party will offer garden lovers the chance to learn more about the great outdoors. The garden party will be held at Hyde Hall, the RHS garden, in Rettendon, tomorrow, to celebrate the launch of a new family membership package. The party
RUSH-HOUR hour traffic came to a standstill after a five-car pile up the A127. The crash happened on the Southend bound carriageway near the Halfway House between Brentwood and Basildon. One person was injured and one lane of the road was closed while
A JUDGE has delayed sentencing a Vietnamese man and boy caught running a cannabis factory after he suspected they were victims of human trafficking. Long Tran, 20, and a 16-year-old youth, were at Basildon Crown Court yesterday after admitting growing
A TEENAGER has told of the terrifying instant he was savaged by a dog. Scott McLaughlan, 13, said he froze with fear as the Akita, a Japanese dog which stands at over 5ft on its hind legs, locked its jaws on his arm. The James Hornsby High School pupil
WEST Ham defender Paul Konchesky has joined Premiership rivals Fulham. The 26-year-old full-back, who scored for the Irons in the 2006 FA Cup final, has joined the Whites on a four-year contract for a fee believed to be in the region of £2million.
THE runs continued to flow freely at the Ford County Ground as the England Lions made a positive start against the touring Indians today. Having seen more than 1,500 runs scored during the LV County Championship game between Essex and Nottinghamshire
BATTLESBRIDGE'S designation as a conservation zone has just been announced. This means a village famous for its antiques businesses will itself become a sort of official antique. Happily, unlike some of the so-called antiques on the British market,
THE oldest gym instructor at Fitness First has completed a four-mile walk in aid of Southend Hospital. Joy Dennis, 82, joined 200 other people for the sponsored walk, from Uncle Tom's Cabin, in Shoebury, to the Sealife Adventure and back again. The
THREE million affordable new homes is an impressive-sounding target. But this pledge from 10 Downing Street raises two immediate questions. Where are we going to build them? And who pays? We may already have a partial answer to the first in Sir Terry
A FORMER mayor got the shock of her life - literally - when she was struck by lightning on her birthday! Former Southend mayor Nora Goodman was sitting on a chair near the window of her home, talking to a friend on the phone, when a bolt of lightning
POLICE have been granted more time to interview a man arrested on suspicion of attacking on a cleaner at a Southend bar. A 64-year-old man re-mains in a coma at Romford's Queen's Hospital after being found unconscious inside the locked Sunrooms bar,
HUNDREDS of residents are calling for lights to be installed at a dangerous crossing, after a pedestrian was seriously injured there. Sue Tilden, 41, of Southwick Road, Canvey, was walking across the zebra crossing, in Long Road, Canvey, near the junctions
A TEENAGE pilot killed on his second solo flight was instructed to carry out a manoeuvre beyond his experience, a report into the accident has concluded. Sam Cross, 16, was on his way back to Southend Airport when the two-seater Cessna 150 plane he
VISITORS have the chance to taste life as a pirate, as a cannon ship has come to Southend Pier. The Grand Turk ship, a full-size replica of a 1780s Royal Navy 40-gun frigate, is at the end of the pier until Monday. The ship is probably best known as
TWO British National Party members have suffered a landmark defeat in their fight for libel damages from a magazine. Former London mayoral candidate Christopher Roberts, of St Mary's Drive, Benfleet, and his brother Barry argued they were defamed by
A HEADTEACHER who transformed an ailing Wickford school has been nominated for a national award. Philip Bell, of Beauchamps High School, is hoping to win the leadership category in the 2007 Public Servant of the Year awards. In 11 years, Mr Bell's hard
CAR crime has surged in Basildon and Thurrock. In just two weeks, 67 cars were stolen. In the last week, 14 cars have been broken into in Basildon and Laindon town centres alone. The King Edward estate in Laindon has been particularly badly hit - six
A FIREMAN and his fitness instructor pal will be serving up a scorching hot evening of fun as they moonlight as topless waiters. Russell Durant and James Smith will temporily ditch their day jobs to host their own ladies' night, where they'll be taking
A WOMAN was taken to hospital after a three vehicle collision today (Friday). The accident happened in Eastwood Road, Rayleigh, at the junction with Trinity Road at 8.30am. Paramedics arrived within five minutes and took the woman to Southend Hospital
THE Sainsbury's sponsored English Schools Track and Field Championships will see a host of local youngsters aiming for TV stardom. For the first time this year the event, which gets underway at Birmingham's Alexandra Stadium tonight with main competition
MP John Baron has been assured NHS patients will be given a choice over where they are treated if a privately-run mini hospital is built. The Tory MP for Billericay and district met health chiefs amid mounting concern the Government will force through
A DYNAMIC mum who started up her own clothing company to help disabled children feel better about themselves is in line for a top business award. Marie Griffin, 37, whose son is one of only 200 people in the world to suffer from a rare genetic disorder
A HORSE found tethered on a wildflower meadow belonging to Rochford District Council was so ill it had to be destroyed. Now the council is warning people it is not permitted to tether horses on land belonging to the authority. The incident happened in
BILLERICAY Town will start their Ryman Premier League season with a home battle against Hastings. They visit New Lodge on Saturday August 18. Great Wakering Rovers also begin their campaign - in Division One North - at home against Waltham Forest.
POLICE have been granted more time to interview a man arrested on suspicion of attacking on a cleaner at a Southend bar. A 64-year-old man remains in a coma at Romford's Queen's Hospital after being found unconscious inside the locked Sunrooms bar, in
PARENTS and residents are teaming up to try to find a safer route to a school on a busy road. Prince Avenue Primary School, Westcliff, has invited the public to take part in a consultation to try to improve road safety for children and reduce the numbers
SOUTHEND United manager Steve Tilson will be taking a trip down memory lane when the Shrimpers start their pre-season schedule at Witham Town on Saturday. The Blues boss started his career with the non-leaguers during the late 1980s. And he is excited
FIREFIGHTERS staged a huge mock rescue of students from a smoke-filled laboratory to test their skills and the college's evacuation procedures. More than 30 firefighters took part in tackling the staged gas explosion, at South East Essex College, and
YOUNGSTERS can get their skate shoes on and head for a new £43,000 skatepark to practise their moves. The new skateboard park in Eastwood features ramps, steps and bars, so skaters and BMX riders can perfect their tricks. The park was funded by a grant
I respond to Anne Pope, of Thundersley, regarding her comments of Hickfort's proposed scheme for North Benfleet (July 9). An Echo reporter asked me for a progress report on Hickfort's proposed scheme for North Benfleet and the Echo printed that the scheme
The National Farmers' Union has just announced food prices will rise, as there is an anticipated loss of 25 per cent of the potato, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli crops. This is due to the fact the wet summer has prevented the normal anti-fungal spraying
If travellers are evicted from their land, wouldn't it be perverse if the land was compulsory purchased and a housing estate built there, making one group of people homeless to house others? These people must live somewhere, they are in fact doing the
Congratulations to Southend Conservative councillor Anna Waite for a splendid political article on the Priory Park half dual-carriageway plan (July 9). It was packed with bold assertions and uncluttered with anything like evidence or even explanation
SOUTHEND's council leader is urging the Government to release £30million of the council's money so it can build thousands of affordable homes. Nigel Holdcroft said it was ridiculous the council could not spend income built up over the years from the
A BURST water main has closed a secondary school for three days. The decision was taken to shut Shoeburyness High School, from Wednesday until today (Friday), because there would be no water supply to the toilets. It is expected the school will open
THE recent spate of gloomy weather has not stopped shoppers piling through the doors of Eastgate Shopping Centre. Statistics show the relentless rain has enticed more customers to spend at the Basildon complex. Hans Wustefeld, the centre's general manager
A WOMAN dubbed "Mrs Basildon" due to her selfless community work was still working two days before she died - at the age of 93. Eve Baylis was volunteering at the St Luke's Hospice store in Basildon shortly before dying of an aneurysm at Basildon Hospital
THE ex-director of a Southend performing arts college accused of sexual assault has had his bail extended. Daniel Holt, 40, from Rayleigh, was arrested in May following the allegations and answered bail yesterday, but was bailed again for further investigation
NEXT week, eight-year-old Molly Bailey's long tresses will be on their way to a wigmaker. She will have her hair cut tomorrow (Saturday) at her school's annual fete. Molly, who attends Downham Church of England Primary School, has volunteered for a
