Archive

  • Non league round-up: Grays boost survival hopes

    GRAYS Athletic gave themselves a massive boost in their bid to beat the drop from the Blues Square Premier when they beat Altrincham 2-1 at the New Rec. But there was not such good news for Thurrock in their attempts to improve their lowly position in

  • Southend suffer another narrow defeat

    SOUTHEND Rugby Club were beaten 24-23 at home to Stourbridge this afternoon. The Seasiders were 19-10 down at the break, despite a converted try from Maso Bowles and a penalty from Andrew Frost. Jake Sharp also went over for a try in

  • Southend United 2, Walsall 0

    A TALE of conflicting clashes against former clubs resulted in Southend United seeing off Walsall 2-0 on Saturday. Ex Shrimpers striker Michael Ricketts was sent off for the visitors on his return to Roots Hall after just 14 minutes.

  • 'This is the worst road in the constituency'

    RESIDENTS are again demanding urgent repairs to a road branded the “worst in the constituency”. People living in Oak Road, Crays Hill, say Essex County Council has gone back on promises to resurface the single-track lane. They say potholes

  • Campaign wants to stop blood clot deaths

    A CAMPAIGN to raise awareness of fatal blood clots, like the one which killed Canvey teenager Lara Plewa, wants people to sign up and spread the word. Stop the Clot, a national campaign being run by charity AntiCoagulation Europe, has launched

  • Artistic mum Rachel brightens up school

    A DRAB, grey wall has been transformed into a colourful display of bees and bugs thanks to a talented artist. Rachel Shepherd, 39, was spurred into action because she was fed up seeing an ugly wall in the playground of the Ashingdon School each time

  • Two men charged following armed robbery

    TWO men were arrested in Westcliff by police investigating an armed robbery. Colin Garrod, 41, of Great Knightleys, Basildon and Barry Askew, 51, of Mallows Green, Harlow have been charged with a series of offences relating to a robbery. The robbery

  • Public can use new school sports hall

    A NEWLY-opened school sports hall in Hadleigh is set to benefit the whole community, teachers say. Westwood Primary School’s new hall was officially opened last week, but it will not just be the school that gains from the £300,000 building. Although

  • Finding the power of their pedalling feet

    YOUNGSTERS at a Basildon primary school have been getting physical and learning about healthy living. Pupils at Lee Chapel Primary School have been finding out about all sorts of ways to keep fit and healthy as part of their annual science week programme

  • 'Our road is being overloaded with take-aways'

    TRADERS have warned the number of takeaways being allowed in the area will kill off their businesses. They feel their needs are often forgotten, in comparison to those who are in nearby Southend High Street. The short area of Southchurch

  • Man charged with drink driving

    A PENSIONER has been charged with drink driving following a crash. The collision happened on Friday morning between a silver Volvo s40 and a Peugeot panel van in East Hanningfield Road, Rettendon. The van driver sustained neck and spinal

  • Fire at Westcliff flat

    FIREFIGHTERS were called to a fire at 5.30pm on Friday. The fire broke out in a first floor flat in Shakespeare Drive, Westcliff and two crews attended. There were no casualties and the flat was smoke logged.

  • Fire in Sainsbury's

    A FIRE broke out overnight in Sainsbury's in Basildon. The fire started in the staff kitchen while the store was closed. Thirty staff were evacuated and one who tried to extinguish the fire was taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation. Basildon

  • The road to Bas Vegas begins

    WORK on a new link road to make it easier for buses and taxis to reach Basildon’s Festival Leisure Park has finally begun – and could be finished in as little as four months. Essex County Council is funding the bus route, which will cost around

  • Council offers benefits help

    PEOPLE on low incomes are being advised by council staff on their entitlement to benefits as part of a special event. Southend Council held a benefits awareness day at Victoria Shopping Centre. Also at the event was the council’s family

  • Tory? UKIP? Now I'm just an inde says MP Bob

    MAVERICK MP Bob Spink claims he has never been a member of UKIP, despite announcing he was joining the party in April last year. At the time he described the party as the “natural home for principled Conservatives” after resigning from the

  • Supermarket Iceland refuses to sell mum booze

    A SUPERMARKET refused to sell a 46-year-old mum booze because staff thought she would give it to her underage daughter. Angela Ives, of Brock Hill, Wickford, said she thought the checkout cashier was joking when he would not sell her alcopops

  • MP's fear about attacks on Jewish children

    AN MP has highlighted an increase in attacks on Jewish people in the UK since the recent conflict in Gaza. Speaking in the Commons, David Amess, Conservative MP for Southend West, called on the Government to reveal how many Jewish children

  • Princethorpe venue sees teen nab her fourth successive title

    Camilla Smee was again the outstanding performer for south-east Essex when the Independent Schools’ Association Cross-Country Championship finals were staged at Princethorpe College, Rugby. Smee, 15, won her fourth successive individual title at the

  • Essex star's big call up for one days and Twenty20

    GRAHAM Napier’s big chance has arrived. The Essex star has been called up to the England Lions tour of New Zealand, where he is set to play in two one-day games and a Twenty20 clash with New Zealand A on March 13. It is the perfect opportunity for the

  • Getting tough on litterbug smokers

    FIVE more people have been hit with fines after they were caught dropping cigarette butts. In the past two days, environmental enforcement officers from Basildon Council have dished out five fines. A woman, 46, was caught throwing a

  • Fire crews to share rescue jobs

    ONE crew of firefighters will be used to operate two different special rescue engines, the fire service has announced. Essex County Fire and Rescue Service announced it plans to “switch crew” staff between its aerial ladder platforms and rescue

  • Mum left devastated after son's memorial torn down

    A MOTHER was left devastated after she found a plaque had been torn down at the site where her son died. Toni Jopson’s son Neil died in a motorbike crash in Lower Road, Hullbridge, nearly five years ago. Her one comfort was to pay regular