SUNDERLAND manager Roy Keane may have Carlos Edwards and Craig Gordon back in his squad for Sunday's Premier League clash with West Ham United. Trinidad and Tobago winger Edwards has been re-called from a loan spell at Championship promotion-chasers
OF all the players in West Ham United's squad, Robert Green knows more than any of them about the perils of a Premier League relegation battle. In 2005/06, Green was a member of the Norwich City side that slid into the Championship following a 6-0 last-day
MEALS-on-Wheels has had a dramatic make-over in south Essex. The local branch of the charity is the first in the country to trial the new community meals service that aims to offer fresher, healthier and most importantly tastier food, in a more flexible
A SCULPTOR who has been called “Queen Victoria’s right hand man” has restored the iconic statue in Southend. Sculptor Richard Bedini restored the missing right hand of the statue of Queen Victoria, in Clifftown Parade, yesterday. Mr Bedini’s business
JAZZ guitarist Tony Remy will be performing live at Churchills, Southend, this Sunday lunchtime. A versatile musician, the North Londoner learned to play piano, flute and saxophone, at an early age, before picking up a guitar. He plays a hard-edged
EASTENDERS star Kara Tointon will be opening this year's outdoor ice rink at the Festival Leisure Park in Basildon on Saturday. The 25-year-old from Westcliff, who plays Dawn Swan in the popular BBC drama, will open the rink with the help of
A DRUNK teenage joyrider who caused a crash after driving a stolen car at up to 90mph has been locked up for six months. Wayne Crump, 17, knocked a boy off a scooter, drove through a red light and ploughed into another car, leaving a man fighting for
A PEDESTRIAN is in hospital with serious injuries after being knocked down by a car near Lakeside Shopping Centre. The 32-year-old woman from East London was crossing West Thurrock Way when she was hit by a grey Skoda Octavia about 1pm yesterday
A HOUSEWIFE was left with a severe arm injury after being assaulted by a man in a supermarket carpark. Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident, which took place just after 1.30pm on Monday at the Tesco store in Mandeville Way, Laindon
AN airport in the Thames Estuary would help re-energise the economy of south Essex, a Tory MP has insisted. North Essex MP Bernard Jenkin also said an airport on a man-made island between Southend and the Isle of Sheppey would avoid the environmental
A BUSINESSMAN believes a £25million plan to build a multi-storey car park, flats, shops and hotel could be completed within five years. But Trevor Draper, who owns two shops in Billericay and is chairman of the chamber of commerce, was unable to detail
YOBS left a trail of devastation after trashing a row of fencing. Residents say parts of the High Road, Laindon, are vandalised almost on a weekly basis. One man even had to be taken to see a doctor when a nail punctured his foot after it had fallen
WHILE most children dream about birthday gifts, one young lad was thinking about what he can do for others. Generous Luke Harper has asked for donations to charity instead of toys for his sixth birthday. Luke, from Leigh, was born 12 weeks prematurely
ELDERLY residents have been forced to abandon their homes after they were flooded by three inches of water. A burst water pipe caused flooding to two flats in Carne Rasch Court, Ash Tree Walk, Vange. Basildon fire station sent a crew to the sheltered
A MUM of two boys is so distraught at the horiffic death of Baby P she is helping to organise a national rally to get justice for the tragic tot. Cherry Osborne, 24, is calling on parents across south Essex to travel up to Parliament Square in London
CASTLE Point will find out by January how many sites the borough will have to provide for travellers. The borough is currently obliged to provide two pitches under the East of England Plan. But a review into the provision for gypsies and travellers
CHRISTMAS shoppers in Hadleigh will be able to park for free on every Saturday in December. The council hopes scrapping the charges, starting at 40p for the first hour and rising to 90p for three hours, at the council-run car park in Rectory Road will
BAILIFFS have demolished the remains of an illegally-built traveller home, more than two years after a botched first attempt. A heavy digger smashed up an empty building and ripped up a hardstanding at the home called Dunroamin in Hovefields Drive, Wickford
OPERA might not have the appeal of the X Factor for most youngsters, but a young singer from Thorpe Bay is heading to London after landing a role at the Royal Albert Hall. Haydn Cox, 13, of Thorpe Hall Avenue, has won a role in Carmen, which will open
THURROCK Harriers are set to get a new clubhouse after a £120,000 donation from Veolia. The grant is the largest the trust has ever given to a club. It will replace the existing clubhouse, which is propped up in places to prevent it from collapsing.
More than 5,000 people a year who suffer from lung ailments and breathing conditions are set to benefit from a new facility at Basildon Hospital. The diagnosis and treatment of patients with lung conditions is set to be greatly enhanced thanks to a cash
WICKFORD Cricket Club’s Under-11 side have completed a hugely successful season with a thrilling victory over Leigh. Playing on a neutral venue at Belhus CC, West League winners Wickford A took on their East League champion opponents in what turned out
A NEW £298,000 safety barrier on the Queensway underpass, in Southend centre, is set to be approved by the council in a bid to make the road safer. The proposals have already been given the green light by the traffic and parking committee and
ELEVEN police officers have kept their jobs – despite being convicted of crimes since they joined the Essex force. Figures obtained by the Echo show 19 out of 3,471 serving officers have criminal convictions. Eight of the officers committed
THE remains of hundreds of Londoners have been removed from a long forgotten cemetery and buried on Canvey. The forgotten burial ground was uncovered by builders digging foundations for an extension to a school in the London borough of Southwark. Bosses
A TUTOR has admitted five counts of sexually abusing a ten-year-old schoolgirl. Davy Nicholls, 47, pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual assault of a child under 13. He also admitted one count of causing a child under 13 to engage
A MUM who was desperate to get her children out of care fraudulently claimed thousands of pounds so she could live in a better home. Mum-of-four Sharon Woods was overpaid £25,667 in housing benefit and council tax after claiming she didn’t have a bank
SOUTHEND Council is preparing to spend nearly £1.5million on play areas across the borough over the next four years. The town has been awarded Playbuilder status by the Government, securing around £1million to invest in at least 20 public play
A POTENTIAL go-karting star is taking the same first steps towards stardom as a certain Lewis Hamilton. Talented 12-year-old Liam Murray, who attends Westcliff High School for Boys, has already started showing his skills in competitions across the country
IT was a case of “golf glorious golf” rather than “food glorious food” when Ballards Gore’s first ever husband and wife captaincy team of Bob and Penny Paton drove themselves into office as characters from the musical Oliver. The duo wore costumes kindly
A CRACKDOWN on men who pay for sex has been welcomed across south Essex. Home secretary Jacqui Smith is looking at fining men up to £1,000 if they pay for sex with a woman who is illegally in the country. Southend councillor Bla-ine
WESTCLIFF Lawn II moved themselves into the thick of the Men’s Division Three promotion battle. Lawn picked up six points from their 4-0 Leigh & Westcliff LTA win away to Rochford II to join leaders Westcliff Hard III and Thorpe Bay IV in the mix.
Simon Webbe's girlfriend has warned female contestants away from her man. Layla Manoochehri - a member of 'The X Factor' finalists Girlband - says she hopes the fact 'I'm A Celebrity. Get Me Out Of Here!' beauties Dani Behr, Carly Zucker and Nicola
WHETHER they are up to Tiger Woods’ standards or weekend hackers, all golfers will have sympathy with the plight of Thorpe Hall tournament pro Richard McEvoy. For McEvoy, 29, missed out by just one shot in his bid to regain his place among the sport’
Esther Rantzen is despairing at the lack of possible romantic opportunities in the jungle. The oldest female 'I'm A Celebrity. Get Me Out Of Here!' contestant - whose husband Desmond Wilcox died in 2000 - is upset that the older men taking part are
Robert Kilroy-Silk feels "victimised" after being chosen to do a second Bushtucker Trial. 'I'm A Celebrity. Get Me Out Of Here!' viewers on Tuesday (18.11.08) voted him to take part in the 'John T-revolting' challenge after seeing him fail
Timmy Mallett and David Van Day are being held captive in the jungle. The former children's TV presenter and Dollar singer were trapped in giant nets as they headed to join existing contestants on 'I'm A Celebrity. Get Me Out Of Here!'. Timmy was
Nicola McLean demanded a birthday party - for her breasts. The glamour model was excited yesterday (19.11.08) when she realised it had been a year since her most recent breast enlargement and asked 'I'm A Celebrity. Get Me Out Of Here!' bosses to throw
RAVI Bopara's promotion to the top of the England batting order could not prevent Kevin Pietersen's side crashing to a third consecutive One-Day International defeat in India. The Essex batsman responded brilliantly to being asked to open the batting
GRAHAM Napier made a sensational winning start to his winter in New Zealand. The Essex all-rounder took 3-44 as the Wellington Firebirds thrashed the Canterbury Wizards by an innings and 42 runs at the Basin Reserve to open their State Championship campaign
CARLISLE United chief executive David Allen is considering lodging an official complaint with the Football Association following Tuesday’s abandoned FA Cup clash at Grays Athletic. The first-round replay was called off after 20 minutes due to floodlight
ATHLETES from Eastwood have created history for their school. For the first time ever they’ve got two teams through to the national of the English Schools Cross-Country Cup at Shepshed, Leicester, on Saturday December 6. Said Eastwood’s Scott Maclean
BELFAIRS had a shortened field both in numbers and length of the course as the regular weekend players took to the fairways to contest Stableford and bogey competitions. With the start of a number of matchplay singles and fourball matches taking place
THIS day five years ago may be best remembered for England winning the Rugby Union World Cup. But closer to home it was also the start of something even more memorable for Southend United supporters as Steve Tilson took charge at Roots Hall
THE banter has been flying around the training ground this week and it’s all to do with our Christmas party. It’s fancy dress and to sort out who would be wearing what we all wrote a costume onto a piece of paper and placed them into a hat. The lads
JEAN-Francois Christophe is close to completing a permanent switch to Southend United. The midfielder has been in fine form since arriving on loan from Portsmouth in September. And Blues boss Steve Tilson has confirmed the Frenchman
SIMON Francis believes the start of Saturday's match with Oldham Athletic could prove crucial. The two teams are both pushing to get into the League One play-off places. And Francis believes that makes the game at Roots Hall hugely important. “This
TWO brothers, who are among Britain’s richest Asians, are bucking the the credit crunch by expanding their business across the world. Vijay Patel, 58, and his brother Bhikhu, 60, own Waymade Healthcare in Basildon. They maintained their third
A MOTORIST who savagely attacked a man in a fit of road rage has been jailed for 15 months. Gavin Silver, of Philmead Road, Benfleet, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and assault. Basildon Crown Court heard the victim was driving
AT LEAST 220 residents in south Essex are registered members of the BNP, according to leaked figures from the right-wing party. The names, addresses and contact details of the residents are on a list of 12,000 party followers which was posted
PARENTS taking children to a daycare centre are furious they have been blocked from driving into a car park to pick up and drop off their kids. The families say there has been traffic chaos along Prittlewell Chase after Chase High School installed
THE dad of an 11-year-old boy killed in a road smash has called for more cycle routes to be created. Paul Shelton, 31, partner Selena Turner, 29, and their youngest son de’Armani, nine, are still struggling to cope with the death of de’Jaurne. The former
PUPILS in Billericay have started their Christmas shopping early by filling shoeboxes with presents to send to disadvantaged children. Forty Year 7 pupils from Mayflower High School filled the boxes with toys, pens, toiletries, gloves and scarves. The
