COMEDIAN Ross Noble brings his Things show to the Cliffs Pavilion, Westcliff, tomorrow. Voted one of the top ten greatest stand-up acts of all time in a Channel 4 poll, Ross climbed to mainstream popularity through celebrity TV quiz shows, like Have
HUNDREDS of friends and relatives crammed into Canewdon Church to say their final goodbyes to a tragic young mum who was killed in a car crash. Samantha Lee, 23, died after her car overturned in Creeksea Ferry Road, on Valentine’s Day. Her family, including
A SOUTHEND company has reported a record 25 per cent increase in earnings in three months. Converso call centres, at Thamesgate House in Victoria Avenue, announced its revenue in January had risen to £500,000 – up from £400,000 in November.
SOUTHEND Council is set to spend £8million of public money to restore the town’s world-famous pier. An official announcement today was expected to say no suitable private investor has been found. Only two expressions of interest came from the private
THE body of a missing man has been found on Foulness Island. Austin Miller, 57, had been missing for a week when his body was found by a dog walker after he disappeared while on a fishing trip. He last left home at 12.30pm on Saturday
THURROCK'S Caroline Felton messed with the form book at Britain’s badminton national championships. Felton, who is at Hertford-shire University studying sports therapy, entered the women’s singles event at U19 nationals at the National Badminton Centre
SOUTHEND'S Ben Hunter led Essex to a team bronze medal in the biggest event of the British cross-country season in Nottingham. Hunter finished in eighth place in the under-20 men’s race at the UK Inter-Counties Champion-ships at Wollaton Park. But this
POLICE are looking for people to act as a community look-out on every street as part of a crackdown on burglary. Residents will be selected from streets across South-end, Rochford and Castle Point and given a hotline number to call if they spot any
HUNDREDS of friends and relatives crammed into Canewdon Church to say their final goodbyes to a tragic young mum who was killed in a car crash. Samantha Lee, 23, died after her car overturned in Creeksea Ferry Road, on Valentine’s Day. Her family, including
A PRE-SCHOOL which was targeted by vandals has been given a spectacular makeover, by a group of young volunteers. The Princes Trust group came to the rescue of Kent View Pre-school, Vange, after graffiti-spraying yobs defaced the outside of the building
THE number of people killed or badly injured in crashes on the county’s roads has fallen by more than 20 per cent. Provisional figures, released by the Essex Casualty Reduction Board, show 59 people died and 638 were seriously injured in Essex during
A PAMPERING session for carers marked the end of a new six-week programme set up for parents and guardians of children with special needs. The session included back massage, Indian head massage, and reflexology. It took place at the Sunshine Centre
PEOPLE who lived through the Second World War are being invited to share their experiences with a new gen eration. Anyone who survived the war years, and have a story to tell, are being invited to take part in an event being staged at the George Hurd
PRINCESSES and wizards took over schools as pupils dressed as their favourite literary characters to mark World Book Day. Children were encouraged to wear fancy dress while schools ran literary-themed activities, including story-telling sessions
CANVEY’S Paige Cerson has just returned from Sheffield where she competed in the World Association of Kickboxing Organisations) British Championships. Paige travelled to Ponds Forge International Sports Centre to defend the two British titles that she
IF YOU want to pamper your mum and help raise money for breast cancer research at the same time, you should head for Rayleigh’s Mill Arts and Events Centre next Sunday. Mums Liza Croft, 37, from Rochford and Annette Clews, 32, from Rayleigh, are organising
A COMPANY must pay £70,000 after a worker was knocked out and left with burns and bruising from an electric shock. The man, a sub-contractor from Benfleet, came in contact with a live cable while replacing lights in a Southend car park. South Eastern
WE all want to look good and this weekend under one roof more than 70 health and beauty experts will be on hand to help. The Essential Health & Beauty Show comes to Garon Park, Southend, on Saturday and Sunday, March 14-15, Local beauty and hair salons
A TORY MP has been told the Government is continuing to back the London Array wind farm project in the Thames Estuary despite the economic downturn. James Duddridge, MP for Rochford and Southend East, said he was concerned rising costs faced by utility
A LORRY driver told of his devastation when a mental health patient died after throwing himself in front of the vehicle. The man, who did not want to be identified, said he was shattered after Neil McGregor jumped in front of his articulated lorry, dying
EYE-CATCHING pink litter bins are being introduced as part of a renewed drive to get more people recycling. The bins extend the highly successful pink bag scheme, allowing people to recycle plastic, paper, cardboard and cans while out and about. Litter
A JUDGE granted an “act of mercy” to a father who admitted stealing petrol eight times to visit has sick daughter in Kent. Southend Magistrates’ Court was told Matthew Martin, 31, used stolen number plates to steal fuel from a number of petrol stations
STOCK Shotokan Club’s 10 competitors walked away with nine medals when the Karate Union of Great Britain Southern Region Championships were staged at Crawley. The event was a big success for youngsters training in the traditional karate style. Instructors
Stress is very often the root of many people’s problems, whether they recognise it or not. You’ll often hear someone is “under too much stress.” You too may feel this way. But what is stress? A typical day, coffee for breakfast after a sleepless night
REIGNING world champion kickboxer Jason Vassallo has decided to kick the fists and feet sport into touch in favour of unlicenced boxing. Floor layer Cassallo, 29, from Aveley, has vacated the WKA world welterweight title which he has held since 2004.
THE emotional and psychological effects of violent crime can often leave victims traumatised and deeply scarred, but for one elderly woman, the experience led to a decision to take up a sport that would have a profound impact on her life. Jean Crate,
Essex Senior: Southend Manor’s hopes of climbing above Enfield 1893 and into third spot in the table were thwarted when they were held 2-2 at lowly Barking. Manor’s win hopes looked bright at the interval when they took a 2-0 lead through Chris Baddeley
BILLERICAY battled past Hastings to keep their hopes of a late run into the play-offs alive. The three points gained lift them into 10th spot, just seven points away from a Carshalton outfit currently filling the vital fifth position with a game in hand
THE euphoria surrounding the Dockers’ midweek League Cup win over Premier hot-shots Staines — they now host Billericay in the semi-finals tomorrow week — soon disappeared. Tilbury were held 1-1 at home by relegation-threatened Walth-am Forest and are
IN-FORM Concord certainly seem to be jetting towards a play-off spot in their first season at this level. After clinching a prestigious Essex Senior Cup final spot against Chelmsford City in midweek, they grabbed three more vital points in this six-goal
THURROCK remain deep in relegation trouble after finding no respite from their long trip to Worcester. Two goals from home striker Marco Adaggio settled the visiting side’s fate in front of a 588-strong crowd. Adaggio struck first after 25 minutes with
CANVEY Island were among clubs who used red footballs as part of the efforts of the stationery firm Ryman who sponsor the competition to raise £500,000 for Comic Relief But it looked as though it would be home goalkeeper Ricky Wiseman who would be left
ROCKS made a remarkable comeback from a 2-0 deficit to take all three points and stay in top spot. They went 1-0 down on 20 minutes when Lee Dawson scored. And the same player seemed destined to help his side pull off one of the shocks of the day when
Essex Olympian: Defending Premier champions White Ensign continued their climb up the table after a remarkable comeback saw them win 3-2 at Faces. Goals from Sam Carter (five minutes) and Danny O’Driscoll (16 minutes) put the basement hosts
A 710-strong crowd saw Gary Phillips’s hosts earned their first league win since New Year’s Day to give their hopes of beating the drop a mighty boost. The New Rec side climbed to fourth from bottom with this success, but must now look for some reward
CRIS Sladden returned from six years away from the sport to triumph at the Southend Table Tennis Closed Championships. For the first time in 15 years Southend Table Tennis League held a 'Finals Night' for the main events at the Hullbridge Sports Association
SOUTHEND United winger Kevin Betsy wrecked Walsall’s unbeaten run at Roots Hall on Saturday — and then praised manager Steve Tilson for his part in the 2-0 triumph. With the in-form visitors down to 10 men following an early red card to former Shrimpers
A FAMILY had to flee their burning home after their five-year-old son picked up a match and accidentally started a fire. Kameron Fincher took a match from the kitchen of his home, in Colchester Road, Southend, after his mum left the room.
A DRUG addict who admitted burgling homes, stealing his stepfather’s car and handling stolen valuables has avoided a prison sentence. Daniel Palmer, 26, was caught red handed after breaking into an empty housing association property in Valkyrie
A HEALTH trust is mailing out thousands of chlamydia testing kits to young people in Southend, Rochford and Castle Point in an effort to halt the disease’s spread. NHS South East Essex says one sexually active young person in ten tests positive
Benfleet Running Club continued their medal winning streak at the Essex 20-mile Championship at Great Bromley. Benfleet’s ladies took the team silver medal with their line-up of Julia Palmer (2hrs 26mins 56secs) sixth, Jacqui Watson (2:28:34) eighth
