ESSEX took a significant step towards the Friends Provident Trophy quarter-finals with a comprehensive seven-wicket win over Glamorgan in a day-night clash at the Swalec Stadium. The visitors were indebted to Danish Kaneria, who recorded figures of
NEW mums are destined to be exhausted, but how do you cope if you also have a debilitating illness? For Sarah Morgan, who has ME, it is something she has to come to terms with soon, as her first baby is due in only a few months. Sarah, 26, from Eastgates
ONCE every two years most of us walk diligently to the opticians to make sure our eyes are in good working order. But for some reason, we do not take the same care with our hearing. With people going out to nightclubs, music festivals and lively bars
RESTRICTIVE, tedious, antisocial, unpredictable and frustrating. These are just some of the words used by ME sufferer Sue Joscelyne to describe what it’s like to live with the debilitating illness. Sue, 61, of Park Road, Leigh, was diagnosed with the
IMAGINE suffering from a condition where there is no diagnostic test, let alone a cure. An illness that can leave you with flu-like symptoms, extreme tiredness, muscle pain, concentration problems and digestive disturbances. About 250,000 people suffer
IF you thought the man behind the Googlewhack Adventure and Are You Dave Gorman? had run out of ideas, think again. Comedian Dave Gorman is heading back out on the road, quite literally, as he rides from show to show on the first leg of his new UK stand-up
FAMILY irritations and a desperation to be published, even if it means pretending to be a woman, take centre stage in comedy Nobody’s Perfect at the Palace Theatre, Westcliff. The story follows the life of shy, staid, statistician Leonard Loftu. Leonard
A TREE fell onto electricity lines in Hockley Road, Rayleigh, causing a power cut to 36 homes. It is thought the tree on Hockley Road fell as a result of high winds, which caused it to topple late this afternoon. Engineers from EDF Energy Networks
A COMMUNITY campaign to send a seriously-ill girl to Florida has raised £2,000 with a burlesque evening. Nikki Nicholas, 39, of Kensington Road, Southend, organised the event to raise money for neighbour Bonnie Anderson, eight, who suffers from Axenfeld-Rieger
A SCHOOLGIRL’S collection of short stories – written at the tender age of 13 – is now on sale in bookshops and online. Emma Haylock, now 14, a pupil at FitzWimarc School, Rayleigh, wrote the text and drew the illustrations for Emma’s World of Animals
A BENFLEET burger restaurant has been named the best of its kind in the country. Wimpy in London Road, was named the Best Wimpy restaurant in Great Britain by the firm’s head office after impressing bosses with its friendly staff, quality food
PREPARE to roll out the bunting – the date for this year’s Basildon and Pitsea carnival has been announced. The party will swing into action on Saturday, June 20, and organisers are hoping it will be a fun-packed family day out. As well as the traditional
BASILDON is being battered by the recession with well over 350 job losses being announced since the turn of the year. MPs have expressed their concern at the effect of the economic crisis on the town, which has many manufacturing and industrial
THERE was plenty of top-class soccer on view in sunny conditions when the two Southend Schools’ Sports Partnerships combined to stage their Champion of Champions extravaganza. First two games to get the ball rolling were the Group One v Group Two League
residents are being urged not to panic as the number of confirmed swine flu cases in Essex rose to five and a Canvey secondary school was closed for the second day. Until next Monday, Castle View School’s doors will open only to pupils sitting their
DIVISION ONE: Orsett travelled to Fives & Heronians and returned with a five-wicket victory. Alex McLean (23) top scored for Fives before they were bowled out for 114 in 30.5 overs, with J Morris (5-31), Jonathan Gordon (2-17) and Ian Lockyer
PREMIER DIVISION: Basildon & Pitsea drew away to Upminster V after being bowled out for 185. Tony Williams (44), John Bedford (36) and Steve Healey (30) anchored, while Stewart Hammond (3-24) and Peter Williams (3-42) did the damage. Karin Govani (39
DIVISION ONE: Leigh on Sea lost by three wickets in their opening fixture away to Ardleigh Green. The visitors posted 251-7 from their 52 overs. Shaun Hamilton (98) led the way with support from fellow opener Steven Brown (37). Steve Gawler (3-71) and
TOTS on bikes with stabilisers, teenagers on their BMXs and even couples on tandems joined the chain gang to raise cash for charity. Over 140 cyclists of all ages basked in the Sunday sunshine as they took part in a fundraising bike ride, organised
THE Echo today joins in local newspaper week, which celebrates the difference papers like ours make to the communities they serve. For 52 weeks a year, your favourite south Essex newspaper champions the causes that matter most to our loyal army of readers
A PUB manager is hoping to prove she has the X-Factor after making it through the first round of the nationwide televised singing competition. As licensee of the Horse and Groom pub in Southend Road, Rochford, Carley Gibson is more often seen pulling
A TEENAGER was viciously assaulted in the third robbery to take place in a Southend park this month. The 18-year-old was walking through Southchurch Park when two robbers grabbed him from behind. A struggle broke out and they tried to punch him before
DOZENS of talented artists have come out of hiding to proudly display their work in the second Westcliff Art Trail. Organisers of the 2009 event have been looking for little-known local artists, who may have been too shy to exhibit outside
WEST Ham United manager Gianfranco Zola and first-team coach Steve Clarke accepted undisclosed libel damages from the BBC today over a claim in an interview that they were planning to move to Chelsea. The pair brought proceedings in London's High Court
THE pre-season predictions are looking accurate. Essex have continued where they left off last season in one-day cricket, but are struggling in the county championship. Mark Pettini’s men are level on points with leaders Lancashire in Group D of the
MARINE police have announced a bold new move in their battle against one of the commonest crimes against boat-owners. The theft of expensive outboard motors from boats is a big problem and, as the yachting season gets under way, sailors are being urged
BENFLEET retained their title when the last of the Southend Charity Competition finals, the Section A senior trophy, was contested at Great Wakering Rovers’ Burroughs Park home. Essex Olympian League Premier Division side Benfleet pulled off a 5-2 win
COLIN Cook, manager at Basildon United for part of last season, is the new first team boss of Bowers and Pitsea. His assistant will be Gary Morris. An Essex Senior League club completed the season with another trophy when Takeley ended their campaign
WITH a name like Drake, a talented teenage Canvey swimmer just had to make a splash in the world of water sports. And that is exactly what has happened with Canvey Island Swimming Club’s Sophie Drake being selected for the British team to contest the
A FILM of this year’s Southend Junior League cup finals could well have been sub-titled The Longest Day. For the six-match extravaganza ran at Southend United’s Roots Hall Ground for more than 11 hours. Play started at 9.30am and was due to finish shortly
SOUTHEND United have been shortlisted for the prestigious Beyond Sport Awards. The Shrimpers’ Goals Life Skills initiative is one of three worldwide nominees in the Best Project by a Professional Sports Team category. The ground-breaking programme
THE drinks are on a Hockley pub after it won an award for the high quality of its beers. The British Beer and Pub Association has given the Spa Pub, in Southend Road, Hockley, the Beautiful Beer Gold Award. Dean Harris, 27, deputy manager of the pub,
I couldn’t believe it when I read the headline in the Echo (May 6) saying “school gives pupils lie in”. Apparently, head teacher Alan Roach has revealed a vision of pupils starting school later as they can then “enjoy lie-ins”! He goes on further
It is obvious Laura Davidson (May 5) does not know Southend councillor Chris Walker and has no idea what sort of person he is. She probably has not even seen his e-mail that she brands as racist, sexist and anti-Muslim. Most likely she is repeating what
STAR Wars actor Dave Prowse, who played Darth Vader in the cult movie, will be one of the 2009 Southend Festival Seven Patrons. He will be joined by Southend’s own jazz giant Digby Fairweather and Sam Duckworth, better known as Get Cape. Wear Cape.
RESIDENTS of Rochford have voiced their concern about plans to build 300 new homes on the outskirts of the town. There was little support for the scheme, proposed by developers Colonnade Land, for the site at Coombes Farm between Stambridge Road, Mill
A FATHER has raised almost £4,000 for Basildon Hospital after his daughter was born three months early weighing a tiny 1lb 3oz. Paul Cunningham, 37, says he is indebted to the hospital’s neonatal unit where little Courtney, now seven months old, spent
St George’s Day, on April 23, wasn’t celebrated like it was meant to be, and we all know why. It’s because it’s the one day English people get together and remember what it is like to belong to the world’s greatest nation. St George’s Day should
As if it were not bad enough to refer young girls for abortion without the knowledge and consent of their parents, the Advertising Standards Authority is considering allowing abortion agencies to advertise abortion services on TV. Of course the cost
What an excellent letter from Mr Cox (May 6) commenting on the “loony” letters on the subject of Southend Airport’s expansion. I assume he is referring to those letters that have tried to convince us there is no harmful effect on the local environment
Jim Worsdale has come up with a good idea for turning the Old Kursaal into a 21st Century Museum for Southend. It certainly would breathe new life into a much-loved iconic and historic structure. Sadly, the reality is it’s a non-starter, as misguided
I thought it would be a good idea to get myself a small flat near to college and work, save bus money and also see what it’s like to live on my own. So mum suggested I check to see if I qualify for any housing benefit. But the Government
The Basildon edition of the Echo (April 23) ran a frontpage story “Basildon child neglect shame”. The opening line was: “More children in Basildon are on child protection plans than anywhere else in Essex”. A week later, the Southend edition
To all the Leigh residents protesting against the airport expansion, put away your pens, your typewriters and your laptops. It is, for practical purposes, a done deal. At the Leigh Community Centre, when two representatives of Southend Council
The Echo (May 7), devoted nearly three pages to graffiti. It did not, however, say enough about the criminality of these acts, the damage to property and lives and the effect on our environment The deaths of two young men on a railway line at
Councillor Jilly Hyde has brought up the issue of the Gurkhas and wrongly criticised the Government. This Government has done an extraordinary amount for the Gurkhas over the past 12 years and Labour MPs have been part of the driving force for
I am disappointed, but not surprised with Chris Black’s comments in his letter (May 6)). Thames Gateway South Essex has always been about jobs led regeneration not housing growth – that’s why Essex County Council helped set up the partnership
A COUPLE has been left homeless after a fire in their bedroom. Fire chiefs say the blaze was caused by smoking in bed. Luckily the couple woke and saw the flames and were able to escape the property before the fire took hold.
BEAMING Joadey Dyer has more on her plate than most mums after giving birth to triplets – and doubling the size of her young brood in one fell swoop. Joadey, 39, and husband Gary, 40, are already proud parents to nine-year-old Madison and 15-year-old
A TEENAGER was robbed by three thugs – two of whom had knives – in a terrifying attack. The 18-year-old was on his way out for the evening at 11pm when the incident happened. As he approached Wickford railway station, in Station Avenue
HUNDREDS of Essex parents have been fined for taking their children on holiday during school term time, it has been revealed. Holidays can be as much as 75 per cent cheaper during term-times, with travel companies traditionally hiking up prices
A CLOUD of smoke and flames were shot hundreds of feet into the air after an explosion at a builder’s yard. A 200m exclusion zone was set up and residents were evacuated from their homes as the blaze took hold in the yard at the back of a house
CAMERON Bond totters around the family living room with all the energy of a toddler taking his first steps. But his progress is hampered by the enormous cast he has to wear covering his chest down to his ankles. The 23-month-old had the cast fitted eight
PLAYING first team football next season is all that matters to Theo Robinson. The striker shone with Southend United during the second half of the last campaign. And, while not ruling out a return to Roots Hall, the forward insists discussions with
PUPILS at Hassenbrook School had the chance to learn about writing when children’s author Sam Enthoven dropped by Hassenbrook School. Eight pupils at the Stanford-le-Hope school took part in three question-and-answer sessions with Mr Enthoven, author
AN annual recruitment campaign to encourage more people to become foster carers is being backed by Thurrock Council. Foster Care Fortnight runs until May 24 and is co-ordinated by UK-wide charity, the Fostering Network, on the theme, Fostering: A Career
FOOTBALLERS showed they had real stamina by playing a charity marathon match from sunrise to sunset. ShrimperZone FC, a club made up of Southend United supporters, staged the match for Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital. It was in memory of five-year-old
DIAMONDS are forever for a Southend couple who have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Roy Collier, 82, and his wife Nancy, 79, tied the knot on May 7, 1949, in Holy Trinity Church, Southchurch Boulevard, Southend. They celebrated their milestone
