T.REXTASY will be bringing glam rock into the 21st century when they come to perform at the Palace Theatre. The T.Rex tribute band have earned their stripes in the entertainment world over the past 16 years. They received the seal of
FOLLOWING the release of their debut album Shooting From the Lips and Other Crimes Of Passion, Southend rock punksters Trash Monroe are hosting their own music night at Club Riga this Friday. The night, called Mirror Balls and Rebel Calls, is the first
BORN out of several well-proven bands, the Fat Penguins play an intriguing mixture of up-tempo blues with many influences. See for yourself this Saturday, when the line-up of Mark Wilcox on vocals, Tom Mcrea on harmonica, Andy Lomath on drums, Mark
West Ham's new owners were handed a timely reminder that Gianfranco Zola has all the credentials to lead the club to safety as they despatched Birmingham 2-0 at Upton Park. A goal in each half from Alessandro Diamanti and Carlton Cole earned West
REMEMBERED for the haunting Tiananmen Square protests in China as well as the launch of the Nintedo GameBoy, 1989 was also a landmark year for Wonder Stuff fans. The indie rockers released their second and arguably most successful album, HUP, to UK audiences
A VIETNAMESE drug baron has had £42,000 seized by a court. Phi Van Duong, 40, of Rutland Avenue, Southend, had earned the cash by helping to manage 40 dope farms set up in Basildon, Southend, Canvey and London. At a hearing at Basildon Crown Court,
A CAR had to be rescued from a ditch following a four-car pile up on a treacherous icy road. Police and fire crews were called to Heath Road in Billericay, after the smash was reported around 5pm. The road was closed off between its
A MAN, missing from his home for three days, has been found safe and well. Stephen Proctor, 40, went missing from his home in Heath Road, Orsett on Monday. Fears grew for his safety after his car was found parked on a clifftop in Cornwall on
PARENTS concerned about road safety around a Leigh school are being encouraged to sign a petition supporting a new pedestrian crossing for pupils. Organised by mum-of-two Audrey Eley, 43, the petition is calling for Southend Council to look into installing
SOUTHEND Swifts enjoyed double delight against the Essex Pirates last weekend. The under-18s triumphed 83-73 and the under-16s came out 62-53 winners. But both of the matches, which were played Thundersley’s SEEVIC College, were incredibly close
A MENTAL health patient who headbutted and bit a nurse has been jailed for 18 months. Kristos Sofrianou, 25, attacked Dean Aldridge while staying at Clare House in Pound Lane, Bowers Gifford, on July 5, last year. Sofrianou, of no fixed
WIDESPREAD relief has swept over a Thundersley nursery which can now stay open thanks to a £900,000 grant. The day nursery based within the Deanes School was set to close when the secondary school is flattened to make way for a £60million new school
WICKFORD town centre will get a £320,000 revamp. Workers will replace old pavement at the north end of High Street and The Broadway as part of plans to improve the walkways in the area. The project, jointly paid for by Basildon Council and Essex County
A YOUNG man reported missing from his Southend home has been found. Robert Thompson, 20, was reported missing from his home in Hastings Road at 10.50pm last night, Tuesday February 9. Following an appeal for information, Mr Thompson
WEST Ham joint chairman David Sullivan insists the club has no intention of sacking manager Gianfranco Zola. Zola was furious at the timing of Sullivan's revelation salaries would have to be slashed to get the Hammers' £60million wage bill down to
WEST Ham boss Gianfranco Zola has insisted he would not walk away from Upton Park despite the entire staff being asked to take a pay cut. Zola was angry at the timing of co-owner David Sullivan's revelation salaries would have to be slashed to get
THE number of homeless people in Basildon has dramatically dropped, new figures have revealed. Last year, 236 people rang Basildon Council to say they had nowhere to live, compared with 432 people the year before. Out of this number, the council had
I have been amazed to find the Stobart Group appears to be having similar problems at Southend Airport to those here in Carlisle. There’s considerable opposition to both developments, and a broad understanding among the public that these developments
Siobhan Robson sees parents picking up their children from school, with some not even come to a stop, and concludes the traffic warden taking pictures of them is the one at fault. Is Ms Robson one of the small band of motorists who are prepared
On many occasions I read in the Echo of complaints against Southend Council. The complaints are often what appear to be gross incompetence on the part of somebody who should be accountable to the public for their actions. When these complaints
The underhand way in which Castle Point Council decided to fill in the paddling pool on Canvey seafront without consulting residents, and taking the decision by cabinet which only came to light when picked up by the Canvey Independent Party,
A BILLERICAY Town footballer must pay £1,500 for getting into a drunken brawl. Defender Christopher Wild, 26, was found guilty of affray after a boozy night out. Judge Stephen Warner told the father-of-two “he should know better at his age” when he
FOR the first weekend since the middle of December, Doggetts was ice-free and anglers that visited the Rochford venue all seemed pleased with their results. The pike fishing continues to be productive with a good head of fish being landed on deadbaits
THORPE Bay’s Robert Foster-Jones rubbed shoulders with the stars of Formula One when he attended a presentation ceremony at the Royal Automobile Club on London’s Pall Mall. Foster-Jones, 18, was invited to the Motor Sports Association’s night of champions
AN international group of bankers are getting set for a night under the stars to raise funds for Havens Hospices. The sixth annual “I’m a Banker – Get Me Out of Here!” event is taking place on February 27 and 28 within the grounds of Little Havens Children
WEST Ham United manager Gianfranco Zola is determined to halt Birmingham City’s good run of form when the sides lock horns at Upton Park tonight. The Hammers desperately need a win after slipping back into the Premier League relegation zone at the weekend
HE may have already enjoyed a number of memorable moments during his career but Ian Riddoch is still excited to be Southend United’s new commercial director. The 43-year-old Scotsman has previously worked for some of Britain’s biggest clubs, including
THE finishing touches are being put to a brand new retro clothes shop. A new charity shop in Southend High Street is preparing for its grand opening at the beginning of March, but staff are keen it stays away from the usual charity shop image. The shop
A SEAFRONT paddling pool could be saved by Canvey Town Council. The council said it will pay for the upkeep of the much-loved tidal pool, and the offer gives Castle Point Council the chance to back down on its controversial plan. The
GOALKEEPER Ian Joyce will not be in the Shrimpers squad for this weekend’s game with Tranmere Rovers. The second choice shot-stopper has headed back to America for a seven-day trial with a club who are keen to take a closer look at him.
ADAM Barrett insists nobody is still hurting more than him following Monday night’s 2-0 defeat at Colchester United. The Shrimpers skipper played an embarrassing part in the U’s opening goal as he kicked the ground while trying to clear Anthony Wordsworth
HE once opened at the Albert Hall for Ray Charles, but Paul Cox still promises a great show in rather more humble settings. The Paul Cox Band perform at the New Crawdaddy Blues Club, in Crays Hill, tomorrow. Paul made an appearance at the club last
A MAN who amassed an estimated 64,000 indecent images of children has been jailed. Michael Barron, 46, of Long Riding, Basildon, claimed he collected the pictures of youngsters being abused because he was addicted to downloading files. He denied being
A FISHERMAN turned author has penned his life story of working off the Essex coast. Laurie Gilson, 78, has just published his first book, the Challenge of the Sea, and spent the day signing copies at Waitrose in Southend. The book details his memories
BIKERS are planning to honour the memory of soldiers killed in battle by taking part in a fundraising ride to the town which honours fallen heroes when they are returned to the UK. Motorbike club 127 MCC, which meets weekly at 127 Diner on the A127
There were long delays on the A127 in both directions due to engineering works. There were reports of queuing traffic for eight miles at 8am on the London-bound carriageway of the A127 near Basildon due to gas main work at Childerditch Lane
AN abandoned car left on the A127 has been removed, allowing normal traffic flow to resume. The car was left in the road at Cuckoo Corner shortly before 8am, causing one lane to be blocked and affecting both lanes in Priory Crescent. It is
A ROAD was closed after a bus hit an overhead power cable. The accident happened in Bruce Grove, Shotgate, yesterday. Highways officers closed the road in both directions while police diverted traffic. The accident comes a week
A SECURITY guard has been cautioned for making obscene and menacing anonymous calls to two Basildon councillors – causing one of them to have an angina attack. Christopher Potts, 29, from Southend, a guard at the Laindon Centre, recieved the official
SOUTHEND United Football Club have been given 14 days to produce evidence on a disuputed sum owed to HMRC. The club faced the High Court in London today to contest a winding up order, but the hearing was adjourned for 28 days to allow the dispute
STUDENTS are planning to visit Auschwitz to speak to survivors of the Nazi death camps in the Second World War. Year 12 students James Kent and Molly Brown, of Greensward Academy, in Greensward Lane, Hockley, are taking part in the trip, organised every
TWO groups of teenagers met for an organised fight at Rochford railway station. The pre-arranged punch-up involved up to 50 youths who are believed to have set it up through Facebook. It left a 16-year-old in hospital after he was hit
A NIGERIAN fraudster who conned £352,000 out of a leading eye surgeon in an internet scam has been ordered to repay her £53,400. Chinaenye Mokelu, 44, of Argent Street, Grays, sent out spam e-mail asking UK bank account holders to help him
A MAN caught with 37g of cannabis and a knuckleduster has avoided jail. Adam Craker, 23, was sentenced at Southend Crown Court after admitting possessing a class B drug with intent to supply and possession of an offensive weapon. The court heard Craker
A BUSY dad who works as a volunteer police officer is helping Essex Police to promote the benefits of becoming a special officer. John Wright, 24, signed up to the county’s special constabulary to achieve a childhood dream, and has never looked back
JAZZMAN Kenny Baxter celebrates his birthday the only way he knows how – with a gig. The musician, who has been active on the Southend scene since the Fifties, will be celebrating his 76th Birthday with a performance at the Royal Naval Association Club
