LAKESIDE Hammers drew their match at Poole 45-45 after the meeting was delayed by an hour following a crash and wet weather. A crash in the first heat left the Pirates without Daniel Davidsson and they lost Chris Holder when he fell in heat four. Despite
AIR guitars at the ready as Blaze Bayley and Fury UK bring their heavy metal-inspired rock to Riga Music Bar. Blaze Bayley started his musical career as the lead vocalist of Wolfsbane when they formed in 1984. When Bruce Dickinson departed fellow heavy
FUNNYMAN Lee Hurst will be performing in Southend. The comedian, who was on hit TV show They Think It’s All Over, will be performing at the Kursaal, Southend Lee will be on at the Funny Bunny’s night on Sunday, June 28. Tickets are £10. Call
ACTOR Tim Flavin is convinced he’s living in the wrong era. The star of the musical Singin’ in the Rain, which will be dropping in on the Cliffs Pavilion, Westcliff, for a five-day run from Tuesday, much prefers the Twenties to the Noughties. He says
HAVING spent six years trawling Manchester's curry mile, I find it difficult to find an Indian restaurant which lives up to expectations. To my surprise, I found the Bay of Bengal as good as the curry houses in the heart of Rusholme, which
EDDIE and the Hot Rods will be pulling into Westcliff this month. Fresh-faced from a US tour, the band have been going for more than 30 years and will be playing at the Riga Music Bar on Saturday. Frontman Barrie Masters, from Southend, said: “It is
HEAVY metal rockers Soulfly will be stopping off in Southend as part of their European tour. The four-piece hail all the way from Arizona and this summer sees a whirlwind tour as the group promote their album, Conquer. Frontman Max Cavalera, who started
GOTH rockers the Devilish Presley will be bringing their distinct music to the Riga Music Bar, in London Road, Westcliff, on Thursday, June 25. The duo consists of Australian Jacqui Vixen, on bass and vocals, and London-born Johnny Navarro, on guitar
A BATTLE of the bands with a difference starts on Friday. As part of Southend Fringe Festival there will be a clash of the generations as two young bands are pitted against two old bands at the Ship, in Leigh. Organiser Gary Smith says: “Will youthful
HE may only be 29, but Danny Bryant has already made quite a name for himself on the Blues scene. Together with his Red Eye band, he makes a welcome return visit to the Crawdaddy Blues Club, in Crays Hill, tomorrow as part of their 10th anniversary
CLOUDS of smoke swarmed over Shoebury this evening as a shed was razed to the ground by a fire. Firefighters were called to the large burning shed in the back garden of a house in Shoebury High Street, close to the station, at around 5.50pm
FORMER Kent seamer David Masters returned to his old stomping ground at Tunbridge Wells to haunt his ex-colleagues and put Essex firmly in command of their LV County Championship Division Two clash. Masters, 31, who was born in nearby Chatham
FORGET Paris or Amsterdam, fun-lovers can now saddle up to take in the summer sights of Basildon by bike. The town is following in the tyre tracks of Cambridge, Oxford and many continental cities by launching its own summer bike hire scheme. It will
FROM next month, MPs will have to lay bare how much they earn from second jobs, directorships, and financial interests aside from Parliament. The Commons has agreed controversial plans put forward by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, as part of his expenses
A MAN was brutally attacked at Rochford railway station after he asked a thug to stop swearing on his mobile phone. The 30-year-old victim, from Westcliff, needed a metal plate inserted in his broken jaw. He had been waiting for a Southend-bound train
A GRIEVING father has demanded answers after his son died in a Hadleigh care home. Edward Merceica, 69, wants to know if carers were to blame after it emerged his son Gary Merceica, 43, was not taken to hospital following a heavy fall. Gary had been
IT was “reel busy” when Stuart Ward took Rory Coase, Bob Grady and Mick Toomer offshore on his new 35 knot River Crouch-based catamaran. As well as more than a dozen tope, three bass, dogfish and smooth hounds, the trio found several big flocks of birds
TRAVELLER leader Richard Sheridan tried to strike a £2million deal with council chiefs to leave Dale Farm. Mr Sheridan, president of the Gypsy Council, said 86 families facing eviction would leave peacefully if Basildon Council handed over the huge sum
TOM Daley is not Britain’s only diving hopeful as 17-year-old south Essex diver Lottie Thompson has been selected for the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE), a programme especially targeted for elite athletes. Although currently busy
UP to 100 jobs could be created in Rayleigh if a construction company gets planning permission. Network Construction, a main contractor to Network Rail, wants to build a four-storey office block, in the Brook Road industrial estate. Rochford District
THE family of a teenager killed by an uninsured driver has won the battle for compensation. But Marian and Paul Cottage said the money they were awarded – less than £5,000 – was “absolute peanuts” compared to the loss of their beloved daughter
IT was a frustrating week for Premier Division teams in the Active Southend Evening Cricket League with not one match being played. Emersons’ match against Spartans A fell foul of the weather — the first cancellation this season due to rain. And Rankins
AN ELDERLY man tried to carry out a citizen’s arrest after a gang of boys tore up his allotment. The 71-year-old and his friend confronted six youths at John Burrows allotments, Hadleigh, after they started to rip potatoes from the ground. The boys
TEN professional cycling teams will be battling it out in Southend later this month. The Tour Series is bringing a new concept in cycle racing across the country. And they will be in Southend on Thursday, June 25, racing on the seafront, Unlike any
A MUM whose son’s grave was cleared by the council has been billed £250 for the work. Heartbroken Anna Greenwood, 53, was disgusted when the letter from Basildon Council landed on her doormat, demanding she cough up the cash or face debt agency action
PHILL Sellers of Rochford certainly made his mark when he fished Doggetts this week. While Sellers lives almost within sight of the lake, he has been too busy landing big fish abroad and at venues further afield. Seeing a perfect slot in the weather
Premier Division: Basildon & Pitsea suffered a 148-run defeat at home to Hornchurch. The visitors posted 267-5 and then bowled their hosts out for 119 in reply. There was an eight-wicket win for Orsett III at home to Hutton. Hutton posted 154 all out
YOBS set fire to a school's wildlife area ruining it for the young pupils. The blaze happened at The Greenstead Infant and Nursery School on Ravensfield, Basildon. A bamboo fence, shurbs and logs were all burnt. Witnesses to the blaze, which happened
TV presenter Jeremy Kyle met fans in Southend yesterday at a book signing in the town centre. About 200 people queued, with some setting up at 8am, before the Waterstones store in High Street even opened. Kyle, 43, met fans and signed
Division One: Westcliff on Sea suffered an eight-wicket defeat away to Hornchurch. The visitors posted 151 all out from 50.3 overs at Fielders Sports Ground after being put into bat. Alan Hurley (32) and Paul Fraser (29) anchored the innings, with Matt
SOUTHEND United will kick off next season at home to Huddersfield Town. And that means an immediate return to Roots Hall for Peter Clarke. The centre-back opted to join the Terriers on a free transfer and will make his debut against his former side
DEFENDER George Artemi is setting his sights on a career in football after signing a scholarship with Rushden & Diamonds. The 16-year-old of Badgers Close, Westcliff, has just finished putting pen to paper for his GCSEs at Belfairs High School in Leigh
I READ the Echo most nights and also peruse the Sky Sports channels most evenings in the hope that SUFC are possibly going to sign a quality player or two. But it’s pretty obvious we are just kidding ourselves. In my humble opinion SUFC
Division One: Leigh got their second win of the season with a derby victory at home to Wickford. The hosts opted to bat and hit 187 all out from 45 overs. Shaun Hamilton (54) anchored the innings, while Steven Brown (28), Richard Stubbington (27) and
AFTER last week's triumphant defeat of Swindon Robins in the Knockout Cup, Lakeside Hammers go into their Elite League match at Poole Pirates this evening in high spirits. Hammers know they are in for a tough test as the last time the teams met the in-form
BASILDON'S Lee Chapel Primary School football team have pulled off a remarkable treble. After winning two county cup finals — the Jim Smith and Parish Cups — the boys took on Lincewood Junior School in the final of the Basildon Junior Schools Cup at
SOUTHEND United manager Steve Tilson has been left stunned after his side were paired with Cheltenham Town in the opening round of the Carling Cup for the third year running. Bookmakers BetterBet claimed there was a 500-1 chance of the teams being drawn
A HEADTEACHER has moved to allay residents’ fears over plans for a 49ft wind turbine in the playground of her school in Westcliff. Westborough Primary School wants to harness wind power to cut its electricity bill, but neighbours have voiced fears over
A WOMAN from Leigh was rushed to hospital after her motorcycle collided with a car in Thorpe Bay. The 47-year-old lost consciousness after the accident at the junction of Maplin Way and Caulfield Road just after 2pm yesterday. Essex
SOUTHEND Council’s cabinet is standing firm on its decision to ban dogs from all the town’s beaches from May until September. More than 40 dog owners, some wearing “Best in Show” rosettes, packed into a committee room yesterday for the meeting
A GANG of muggers threatened to stab their terrified victim before punching him in the face and stealing his wallet. The attack happened when the 20-year-old man was walking along Somerset Road, Laindon. He was approached by the four
A SUCCESSFUL campaign to turn street lights back on is to be followed up across the county. It is believed Essex County Council is still to pursue plans to limit the use of street lighting to save money and help the environment. That is despite a successful
YOUNGSTERS at Shoeburyness High School enjoyed learning more about politics when they welcomed a professor of government. The school invited Lord Norton, who works at Hull University’s department of politics and international studies, to speak to students
MEASURES to better protect vulnerable children in Essex are among a county council’s top priorities. In its first cabinet meeting since the elections, Essex County Council pledged to make its vulnerable children’s services outstanding. The quality of
A MASS clean-up operation was underway yesterday after a fierce storm lashed south Essex. One house caught fire after it was struck by lightning as the skies turned black and heavy downpours, hail, dramatic claps of thunder and flash floods hit the area
SUPERMARKET giant Tesco has been criticised for ditching plans to build new homes as part of its plan for a new store in Southend town centre. The store is set to be built on the site of the former B&Q store in Short Street, near Southend
TOUCHING tributes have been paid to a “local legend” who raised more than £40,000 for charity by running more than 70 marathons. Richard Blois, 82, who raised the money for Little Havens children’s hospice, in Thundersley, died at home on May 27.
COUNCILLORS are set to decide tonight on the best location in which to hold a continental market in Rayleigh. The Mill Arts Centre car park, in Bellingham Lane, is one possible location. Another site being considered is the top end of the High Street
PUPILS and teachers at a Westcliff school are racing towards National Bike week by taking the healthy two wheel option for school journeys. Pedal power is putting St Hilda’s School pupils and staff on track to getting fit, as part of Southend Council
YOUNG volunteer Stuart Nolan is celebrating being named Southend Rotary Young Citizen of the Year. Stuart, 16, was presented with his award by Janet Price, president of Rotary Club of Southend. Stuart, a pupil at Shoeburyness High School, was nominated
A GROUP of youngsters got the chance to find out if they were tough enough when they trained with the Army. Lance Corporal Andy Smith, 26, from Basildon, teamed up with his Territorial Army colleagues, South Ockendon police and members of the area’s
RETURNING to learning has been rewarded across Essex as the winners of the county-wide Big Skill Awards 2009 were revealed. Run by the Learning and Skills Council in partnership with BBC Radio Essex, the Big Skill Awards recognised and rewarded
