A SOUTHEND band have gone from relative obscurity to supporting chart-toppers the Automatic after being spotted at a local music event. Heist, a five-piece funk band formed in Westcliff, bagged a spot supporting the Automatic at Essex University, in
COUNCIL chiefs have been forced to reconsider paying compensation to travellers for publishing their personal details. Basildon Council was told twice by the Local Government Association to pay £300 each to three families from the unauthorised Hovefields
POLITICIANS and a supermarket boss are preparing themselves for a grilling as Basildon welcomes TV’s most topical debate show. The BBC1 show Question Time comes to the Towngate Theatre on Thursday. The panel will include Douglas Alexander, MP and International
DELIGHTED pupils and teachers are celebrating after being named the best of the best by schools watchdog Ofsted in its annual report. Four schools and 12 nurseries and day care providers were singled out for praise after getting outstanding inspection
SOUTHEND United have signed left winger Robert Milsom on loan from Fulham. The 21-year-old, who spent time on loan with Brentford last season, goes straight into the Shrimpers squad for tomorrow's clash with Oldham Athletic. Milsom looks
YOBS have caused thousands of pounds of damage to a 900-year-old church in a series of mindless attacks. Vandals smashed 17 windows in the latest attack on St Andrew’s Church in Shoebury. They have also ripped up gravestones, stolen lead from the roof
BARLEYLANDS Farm was last night transformed into a winter wonderland for a charity event. Fake snow covered the ground and there was also a Santa’s grotto. Visitors to the farm in Barleylands Road, Billericay, could shop for local produce to their
A MOTORIST was high on a cocktail of drink and drugs when he crashed his sports car into a house, killing himself and leaving a family homeless. John Day, 27, was over the drink-drive limit and had taken cocaine, cannabis and the prescription drug Temazepam
A COUNCILLOR says the firm in charge of Basildon’s council housing is still “dramatically failing” tenants. Laindon Park councillor John Dornan hit out at the repairs service of St George’s Community Housing. Mr Dornan, who sits on the community housing
THE latest archelogical finds removed from a field dig are thought to date back to the Bronze Age. Cremated human remains and an early version of a spinning wheel have been found at the field, near the Old Nevendon Road, in Wickford. The latest finds
A SUPERMARKET has taken part in a pioneering work experience scheme which has helped one young wheelchair user enjoy a taste of the working world. Children’s disability charity Whizz-Kidz and the Tesco store, in Prince Avenue, Westcliff, teamed up to
A FESTIVAL which is showcasing talented Southend youngsters has picked the winners for two coveted awards. The grandmother of Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe was at the Southend Music Festival to meet the winner of the award named after
SOCIAL housing could be used to help kickstart the ailing Laindon Centre regeneration plan after it emerged plans would not be brought forward until next year. Colonnade, which is developing the site, has confirmed it hopes to have plans ready for public
KIMBERLEY Collins was left by her mother at a young age, put into foster care and then bullied at school. But despite her rocky start to life, Kimberley has proven to be a true inspiration to others by overcoming adversity and pursuing her dream career
TWO arts groups are hoping the troubled New Empire Theatre can be kept open for cultural activities. The White Bus Company, the film organisation which planned to use the top floor of the theatre, is still hoping to turn it into a cinema. And Roger
TWO men have been arrested following a drugs bust in Southend. A warrant was executed about 6.15pm yesterday at a home in Rochford Road, Southend. A quantity of herbal cannabis and cannabis resin were recovered along with a large number
THE Echo today reveals a Wickford GP, struck off for giving male patients inappropraite massages, has opened a private clinic. Former doctor Anthony Walton, who is also a church minister, was removed from the medical register after the General Medical
A CHURCH service due to take place on Canvey tonight has been cancelled in the wake of revelations about the preacher’s past. Pastor Douglas Goodman, leader of the Wembley-based V2V church, was set to lead a series of meetings at St Nicholas’ Church,
POLICE are seeking witnesses to an unprovoked attack on a motorist. A 24-year-old man was driving along Southchurch Road at 4.50pm yesterday when the driver of the car behind tried to get him to pull over. As the cars stopped in traffic, both
COMMUTERS are to face a six per cent rise in rail fares from the start of next year. Regulated fares, which include season tickets, are rising by 6per cent on c2c and National Express East Anglia from January 2. Unregulated fares, which include most
David Van Day has infuriated his fellow contestants by refusing to sleep in a cave. The former Dollar singer and TV presenter Timmy Mallett are the latest famous faces to join ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here’, but there is not enough room for
Robert Kilroy-Silk managed to get all 10 stars in his second Bushtucker Trial on Wednesday (19.11.08). The politician and former TV presenter endured rats, snakes slithering on his face, green ants, spiders and cockroaches for ten minutes in
The former Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner is set to take part in a civil partnership ceremony with his Norwegian boyfriend early next year, and after hearing his camp mate has a crush on him, the former Blue singer offered his
Timmy Mallett and David Van Day spent Wednesday night (19.11.08) in their cells after ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ contestants voted not to give up rations or luxury items to help them. Earlier in the day, the group had been notified about
FOUR people from south Essex have been arrested after Customs officers launched raids on a suspected multi-million pound smuggling and money laundering operation. Two men aged 52 and 46 and a 45-year-old woman from Shoebury were among those
A HUGE nature reserve will be created in south Essex with earth removed from London for the construction of the £16billion Crossrail project, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds announced today. Construction material excavated as part of the
A TENANT who infuriated neighbours by throwing a washing machine and glass table down a communal staircase and by playing loud music and swearing, failed to convince a judge he should be allowed to stay in his flat. Michael Morgan, of Appleford Court
THE idea of an offshore airport in the Thames Estuary could finally be dead and buried following a meeting of an influential group which includes Mayor of London Boris Johnson. Members of the group favour expanding Kent Int-ernational Airport and Luton
HIGH-FLYING snapper Jason Hawkes was stunned by the bird’s eye view of the south Essex coastline. He travelled the county by helicopter, following the twisting banks of the Thames Estuary round to the River Crouch, taking pictures for his new
THE mum of a man killed by a driver high on drugs has welcomed plans for giving tougher sentences to reckless motorists. Roads Minister Jim Fitzpatrick said the Government is planning to introduce tougher measures for motorists endangering
ALEX Revell has eased the Shrimpers’ striking crisis ahead of tomorrow’s meeting with Oldham Athletic. Southend were missing five forwards for the midweek FA Cup clash with AFC Telford United and were forced to change formations. But Revell, who had
SOUTHEND Air Cadets are celebrating after being honoured at the finals of a marching band competition. The cadets of 1312 South-end Squadron Air Training Corps competed in the National Marching Band Championships and won a top award. The event was
KEVIN Maher returns to Roots Hall tomorrow bracing himself for the strangest match of his career so far. The midfielder spent 10 seasons with the Shrimpers before being released at the end of last season. But this weekend he is back for the first
BIRMINGHAM City manager Alex McLeish has confirmed he intends to extend West Ham United's midfielder Nigel Quashie’s loan by a month. Quashie, whose short-term loan expires at midnight on Friday, has been attempting to prove himself to McLeish over the
