AN international violin and piano duo will be performing at the Plaza Centre, Southend, on Friday. The concert given by violinist Min-Jin Kym and pianist Ian Brown starts at 8pm at the venue in Southchurch Road. It is the first of a new series of chamber
A PENSIONER from Westcliff who went missing for two days has been found safe and well in Yorkshire. A search was launched after Leslie Camp, 80, failed to return home after picking up his new car in the Midlands last Saturday. But today
FED-UP with pantomimes, but still want to take your youngsters to a festive family play? Southend Drama Society is planning a production of the Great Santa Kidnap, at the Focus Theatre, Short Street, Southend, on Friday, December 5, and Saturday, December
GORDON Brown wanted it and patients were in favour. However, a Government task force has concluded a system of presumed consent is not the answer to Britain’s shortage of organ donors. The UK Organ Donation Taskforce came out against the idea
IT WAS 14-year-old Emily Begg’s dying wish that her family raise funds for charity to help other youngsters fighting cancer. Two years on from the Wickford teenager’s tragic death from Leukaemia on November 19, 2006, more than £335,000 has been raised
Former Mis-Teeq singer Su-Elise Nash is being lined up as a surprise late contestant to 'I'm A Celebrity. Get Me Out Of Here!'. The 27-year-old beauty is currently holed up in a luxury hotel around 20 miles away from the Australian camp where the contest
George Takei is the new favourite to win 'I'm A Celebrity. Get Me Out Of Here!'. The former 'Star Trek' star - who at 71 is the oldest contestant to ever take part in the reality TV show - has taken over from pre-show tips Joe Swash and Simon Webbe
Joe Swash and Nicola McLean will go head-to-head in a Bushtucker Trial today (17.11.08). The former 'EastEnders' star branded viewers "b*****ds" when 'I'm A Celebrity. Get Me Out Of Here' hosts Ant and Dec broke the news he had been selected
Nicola McLean is already thinking about quitting 'I'm A Celebrity. Get Me Out Of Here!'. The glamour model confessed to camp mates in the 'Away' team that she is missing fiance Tommy Williams and two-year-old son Rocky so much, she is considering
The 'Home' team have christened themselves Camp Camp. The five 'I'm A Celebrity. Get Me Out Of Here!' contestants living in luxury adopted the nickname after former 'EastEnders' star Joe Swash was discussing the achievements of gay fellow team members
Robert, Esther, Carly and Nicola were forced to cross a treacherous lake. The ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ contestants were given two pairs of floating mechanical feet – one manual and one motorised – and a boat with no paddle to cross the
Dani, Martina, Brian and George jumped out of a plane. The daring ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ contestants stepped up to the terrifying challenge – but some were more up for it than others. ‘Star Trek’ actor George said: ‘It
Joe and Simon battled with scorpions, rats and eels in the Trauma Tank challenge. The ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ contestants – who were nominated by their teams for the gruelling task – were forced to reach into infested tanks to pull out
Presenters Ant and Dec delivered the first shock to the celebrities when the pair revealed they would be divided depending on whether they arrived at the Gold Coast’s luxury Palazzo Versace – where they stayed before entering the jungle – in a limousine
WHEN she was thrown out of her home only six weeks before Christmas, Jean Williams felt her world had simply fallen apart. Jean had become one of the growing number of residents in south Essex who had seen their homes repossessed, after she
A teenager has been give a three-month prison sentence two days after committing a burglary. The 17-year-old youth who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at Southend Magistrates' Court on Friday, (November 14,) following a burglary
A VITAL rabbit rescue centre has closed its doors after ten years of care. Warren Lodge has rehomed nearly 4,500 rabbits, but has been forced to shut due to one of the manager’s poor health. Lesley Collins, 43, has run the centre in Osborne Road, Bowers
A NEW pressure group is hoping to persuade Southend Council to house the Saxon king relics at Prittlewell Priory. The Saxon King in Priory Park protest group was formed after the council launched a consultation about moving the relics, which were found
SCOTT Parker could make history if he makes it on to the pitch during England's friendly international against Germany in Berlin on Wednesday. The 28-year-old West Ham United midfielder has been drafted into Fabio Capello's squad after both Steven Gerrard
THORPE Hall tournament professional Richard McEvoy, 29, goes into tomorrow's final round of the qualifying school tournament with his hopes of returning to the full European Tour next season hanging in the balance. A fifth round level par 72 saw him
EIGHT young dancers will be travelling to Europe to perform a tango with a twist, thanks to a charity’s generous £5,000 donation. Pupils at Kingsdown Special School, in Southend, are all members of Thameside, a wheelchair dance group which runs classes
FURIOUS villagers made their feelings clear about plans for 330 new homes earmarked for Hawkwell. About 170 people packed into Hawkwell Village Hall to question plans to build the homes to the south, south-west and east of Hawkwell. Angry neighbours
A SENIOR government official said Canvey’s flood provisions are the best in the UK following a tour around the island’s defences. Daffyd Evans, the Environment Agency area manager for the East of England, viewed the flood defences with Environment Agency
CASTLE Point council has been short-listed for an award at a local government prize giving. The council has been put forward for the most improved prize at the Local Government Chronicle Awards. In 2004, the council was rated poor by the Audit Commission
A MAN narrowly avoided a phone con after he was called by a fraudster pretending to be from Barclays bank. Steve Cockerell, 42, was almost sucked in by the scam and was only saved because he didn’t have his bank details on him. Mr Cockerell, of Oakfield
A MAN is in hospital recovering from serious head injuries after he was beaten senseless in a park. The victim, 26, from Basildon, was walking through Swan Mead Park, near Church Road, Vange, when he was viciously robbed. Two muggers jumped him from
A FAST-food takeaway boss has been convicted for the appalling conditions inside his burger bar. Capital Burgers in Whitmore Way, Basildon, was found infested with mice, had mould growing on its walls and no disinfectant or hand washing materials despite
A NEW team could be set up to look at the health care needs of Billericay residents. Tomorrow, councillors will vote on whether to form a group looking at residents’ needs, working with South West Essex PCT. Just under 40,000 registered patients live
THE SOUND crew had set up, the show was a sell out, but when Freddie Starr cancelled his comedy gig at the last moment the owner was left with a serious headache. Fortunately, after Starr had pulled out of his spot at the Ivory Rooms, Billericay, citing
A SPECIAL box was hand delivered by a hospital chief to nurses on a ward in the hope of improving care for people with diabetes. Alan Whittle, chief executive of Basildon Hospital, delivered the Hypo Box to the Mary Seacole ward on World Diabetes Day
RESIDENTS had to be evacuated from a block of flats after a dust sheet caught fire. Neighbours of a flat in Chestnut Road, Vange, had to flee their homes while firefighters dealt with a burning dust sheet in the home. Firefighters were called to the
A Fire which saw more than 1,000 staff evacuated at a tractor making factory in Basildon has been put out. Fire crews were called to the New Holland plant in Cranes Farm Road at just after 9am this morning. The factory's staff had to
The lights are switched on by The Chuckle brothers and Southend mayor Gwen Horrigan
AMERICAN utility man Jonathan Spector has signed a new three-year contract with West Ham United, according to reports. The Illinois-born player, who has been ruled out since April with a hip injury, has signed an extension to his current deal and will
BASILDON United’s FA Vase bid was washed away at FC Clacton. Earlier in the season, the Gardiners Close outfit were in unstoppable mood and won their first six Essex Senior League games as well as safely negotiating the first two Vase rounds. But they
Essex Senior League: With the top two away on knockout competition duty, Southend Manor stepped up their title challenge with a 1-0 win over bottom club Barking. A 47th-minute goal from Chris Baddeley earned third-placed Manor the three points at Southchurch
WEST Ham United's Under-18 side slumped back to the bottom of the Premier Academy League South table following a 2-1 defeat at Charlton Athletic. The Irons, who have won just one of their nine league matches so far, were gifted an own goal by their hosts
Ryman Premier: Billericay Town’s hopes of making a winning return to action after a two-week break ended in despair with a shambolic performance at Ashford. The New Lodge side finished the match with nine men after having goalkeeper Tony Tucker and striker
Ryman Premier: A last-gasp penalty from recent signing Stuart Ainsley saw Canvey maintain their promotion push by grabbing a point at high-flying Robins. Former Chelmsford City left-sided midfielder Ainsley is quickly establishing himself as a favourite
Ryman One North: It was a case of Oh Brother at Thames Road on Saturday as Rocks maintained their promotion challenge with a hard-earned 1-0 win over Concord Rangers. In a game of few clear-cut chances Lee Cornhill came off the bench to replace better-known
THURROCK made light work of Worcester to continue their improved run in the Blue Square South. The home side took the lead after just 15 minutes as Danny Hart’s delicate through ball found Che Stadhart. The experienced front man cut in from the left
CASTLE Point police officers have thrown the gauntlet down to their counterparts in Rochford by challenging them to a charity football match. The match will highlight Domestic Violence Awareness week, which starts on November 24. The teams will play
Ryman One North: Hosts Enfield pulled out all the stops early on and grabbed what proved to be the winner against understrength Wakering with a fifth-minute Jeff Hammond goal. The village visitors had three men out suspended and a number of other squad
Essex County FA Veterans Cup VICHOUSE Sports brought their league form to the cup and progress as Judd, Warner and Hall goals gave them a 3-1 win at Lowhall, who netted through Gilbert, in the Essex County FA Saturday Veterans Cup. Mitchell scored
GRAYS battled to a crucial win over Oxford and handed boss Wayne Burnett his first Blue Square Premier victory. The visitors dominated for virtually all of the first half until, in the 44th minute, Grays netted after a rapier-like counter-attack. The
Essex Senior League: Southend’s White Ensign are on their way back after a tricky start to the new campaign. Last season’s Premier Division champions have a young new-look side under the managership of Gary Banks and picked up only one point from their
SHRIMPERS shot-stopper Adam Federici produced another superb showing to help his side pick up a share of the spoils at Tranmere Rovers on Saturday. And the on-loan keeper now hopes to be able to do the same for Australia. Federici flew to Bahrain the
ALEX Revell is struggling to be fit for tomorrow’s FA Cup replay with AFC Telford. The striker bagged his third goal of the season at Tranmere Rovers on Saturday. But he picked up a calf problem towards the end and may not be able to figure against
KEVIN Betsy showed he was the daddy by securing Southend United a 2-2 draw in a fiery encounter at Tranmere Rovers on Saturday. The winger became a father for the second time last weekend as his wife Mia gave birth to his new baby daughter, Kalissa.
OSCAR winning actress Dame Helen Mirren has said women jurors are much less likely to sympathise with female rape victims because of jealousy. The 63-year-old, who went to St Bernard’s School in Westcliff and was brought up in Leigh, said women often
SLEIGH bells really were ringing when Santa and his reindeer flew into Southend town centre. Thousands of people filled the High Street for an action-packed day of festivities to welcome in the Yuletide. Young and old were treated to
KIND-HEARTED people from across south Essex did their bit to raise a record-breaking amount for Children in Need. People in the East of England, including Essex, raised a record total of more than £1.7 million, to add to the nationwide total
THE majority of Basildon schools have signed up to a new recycling scheme. In total, 62 out of the district’s 71 primary and secondary schools have registered for the fortnightly collection service. This follows Basildon Council’s announcement it wanted
SLEIGH bells really were ringing when Santa and his reindeer flew into Southend town centre. Thousands of people filled the High Street for an action-packed day of festivities to welcome in the Yuletide. Young and old were treated to a magical sight
HEALTH workers have moved to allay patients’ fears after new figures claimed death rates at Basildon Hospital were the worst in the country. Figures released today from independent healthcare assessor, Dr Foster Intelligence, concluded mortality
A HEADTEACHER has spelled out her hopes for a £1million project designed to raise standards at a Westcliff school. Plans to team up Chase High School, in Westcliff, with King John School, in Thundersley, have been met with excited anticipation
CAMPAIGNERS are fighting to stop a proposed mobile phone base station being built near a school in Grays. Vodafone have submitted an application to Thurrock Council to put the base at Viking House, next to the Daneholes roundabout. Parent Andrea Wright
ANGRY residents want flooding problems solved in their street once and for all before any more property is damaged. Robb Claxton, of Merricks Lane, Vange, told how the latest flooding in the street had left his car damaged and water-logged
BOSSES at a Basildon tractor factory met with the council’s chief executive to celebrate the plant’s unique contribution to the area. Bala Mahendran, Basildon Council’s chief executive, met senior management at New Holland tractor plant, in Crane Farm
