IF you think you know the stories of Alice in Wonderland and Little Red Riding Hood, think again. The Palace Theatre is inviting youngsters to sample two very different versions of the tales, both presented by Booster Cushion Theatre, during the half-term
ON the map, Essex looks a rock solid presence. The rest of the world may exist in a state of permanent flux, but Essex, presided over by its county council, flying the proud banner of the three sea-axes, passes unmolested through the centuries. As long
LOW entries are threatening the future of an awards scheme celebrating the best of Southend's community spirit, prompting a plea for nominations. The Citizen of Southend awards recognise the unsung heroes who perform selfless acts of kindness or
LEIGH & Westcliff LTA clubs took time out from the courts to test their grey matter. As part of the association’s diamond anniversary celebrations, a quiz night was held at Saxon Hall in Aviation Way, Southend. Seventeen of the 19 clubs affiliated
COUNCIL bosses say they are looking into knocking down and redeveloping empty garages where an eight-year-old boy pricked his hand on a used needle. The incident happened on Sunday, May 9, while the youngster was playing with friends by the disused garages
FAMILIES will get the chance to learn circus skills as part of a programme of free half-term activities run by Southend Council. Swimming, diving, canoeing, mini-games and a family circus workshop are among the activities on offer between Monday May
SOUTHEND Libraries have joined forces with police to reduce crime. Southend Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership has launched a Library Watch scheme aimed at reducing crime in and around the borough’s libraries. The scheme will keep
TRAIN services on the c2c line were disrupted this afternoon after a vehicle struck a bridge in east London. The 4pm Fenchurch Street to Shoebury service ran five minutes late after the incident, which is thought to have happened in the Tower
A WOMAN has been tested for HIV after an anaesthetist pricked himself on a needle he was removing from her arm. Anita Reeve, 58, had to give her consent for the test following the blunder, just before she underwent surgery. Mrs Reeve said the anaesthetist
A FAMILY say they have been driven out of their own home because their estate has been ravaged by antisocial behaviour. Many residents claim the escalating problems with drunken behaviour and vandalism on the Four Rivers estate, Shoebury, have driven
PALMERS tennis club’s junior boys tennis teams have been in action in the under 18 Essex League. The firsts had a very tough fixture away to Thorpe Bay in Division Two, with Charlie Kay, Max Thompson, Sean White and Andrew Harrod completing
BASILDON based MRO Superteen rider Jesse Jones enjoyed an eventful weekend of racing at the MRO/Bemsee Brands Hatch GP meeting. Jones dominated qualifying, putting in the only time below the 1.50 mark which put him pole for the weekend’s four races.
A TROUBLED nightclub has had its licence called in for review by Brentwood Council. The Sugar Hut, which was gutted by fire last September, is currently undergoing major refurbishment and could reopen in less than six months. However
CANVEY Town Council has been labelled shambolic by Castle Point Council’s development chief – renewing hostilities between the two authorities. Mark Evershed told a meeting of the Canvey Island Traders’ Association that events organised by the town council
BELLRINGERS at a Prittlewell church will soon be ringing the changes as a project to recast its bells nears completion. St Mary’s Church has a long history of bellringing, but after wear and tear on the existing bells left them sounding a little past
DESPITE suffering from a toe injury, Orsett’s Luke Eggleston finished joint runners-up spot in the first PGA East Region Virgin Atlantic order of merit event of the season, hosted by North Weald GC. His first round 64 was the best of the
A BUS designed to help drunken clubbers in distress is to be launched in June. The Basildon SOS bus was parked at Festival Leisure Park over the weekend to offer a haven to worse-for-wear revellers. But the vehicle, which is soon to become a permanent
CAMPAIGNING councillors still believe a new community hospital is crucial for Billericay. Town councillors said elderly residents and those who find it hard to travel are suffering, as they can be forced to travel miles for certain medical services.
COUPLES can now officially say “I do” at one of Basildon’s most cherished beauty spots. Wat Tyler Park, in Pitsea Hall Lane, Pitsea, has been granted a full wedding licence allowing couples to tie the knot, and have their wedding breakfast and evening
THREE Rivers’ Rory Dixon earned a place in next month’s prestigious Brabazon Trophy when he won the southern qualifier at Frilford Heath with a five under par 67. Dixon, a 20-year-old student at the University of Lincoln, will line-up in the star-studded
LAKESIDE Hammers have been hit with the news that Paul Hurry will miss their next three meetings after visiting the specialist who operated on his injured finger. Hurry was hoping to return to action tomorrow in the home meeting against Peterborough
GENEROUS residents turned out with armfuls of children’s toys and clothes to help fill a 20ft container headed for Uganda to help children in need. Project workers Sue Bonner and Ruth Sims appealed for the items to send to a children’s malnutrition
A LONE sailor was rescued after becoming unwell at sea. At 1.45pm on Wednesday, Thames Coastguard sent the RAF rescue helicopter to the man who was on board an eight-metre yacht in the Barrow Deep - 18 miles off Sheerness. The coastguard spotter
AN OLD hand grenade sparked safety fears after it was uncovered yesterday. Police closed Aviation Way near to Southend Airport for just under an hour following the discovery near to a construction site at 11.30am. Bomb disposal experts
A STUDENT has won shopping vouchers as part of a new scheme. Sweyne Park student Matthew Terry, is the first winner of £25 high street gift vouchers after his name was picked out of a prize draw. The Year 8 pupil at the Rayleigh school took part
A CINEMA is set to become one of the biggest in the country, showing up to 40 different films a day. The Empire, at the Festival Leisure Park, in Basildon, will almost double in size by the end of the year, from 12 to 20 screens. The venue, which opened
A YOUNG motorist was clamped while he was sitting in his car with the engine running. Jordan Hall, 19, of Broughton Road, Hadleigh, pulled into a garage forecourt in Nelson Road, Leigh, to turn around, before pulling out back onto the road
ANGRY residents turned up at a council meeting to vent their frustration over a outdoor gym area they claim is a magnet for yobs. More than a dozen people with homes near to Kizmet Park, Canvey, went to Castle Point Council’s cabinet meeting to voice
THE opening of a new urgent care centre at Southend Hospital has been delayed by a further three months. It will be built at the front of the hospital’s A&E department to filter out non-urgent patients, but is already behind schedule. Bosses at NHS
I must apologise to my neighbours for my car alarm going off two evenings in a row. At first I thought the racket was caused by someone else’s alarm, as I’d never heard the one on my car before. I reckoned some tea-leaf was trying to gain entry
Friends of Basildon Golf Course are pleased leader of Basildon Council Tony Ball has started to consider the possibility of the course becoming a country park. In this way, the future of the legally-protected wildlife and established hedgerows
Brian Wilson (May 24) has misunderstood both the present leader and the elected mayor system on Castle Point Council. The present leader chooses to elect only Tory councillors to the cabinet, and therefore ignores the wishes of the whole of Canvey
Andrew Smith, contracts supervisor at Castle Point Council, blames unseasonal weather for rubbish not being collected on Canvey seafront at the weekend (May 24). It is the last week of May, for goodness sake, one month away from the longest
Four years after the authorities at Southend Hospital boasted at becoming a foundation trust hospital, they have announced swinging cuts in healthcare. At the time, the New Labour government denied the market system in the NHS was a threat to
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a car failed to stop after colliding with a cyclist. The incident happened at Burgess Road, Thorpe Bay, near the junction with Thorpe Hall Avenue, on Tuesday, May 25 at about 3.30pm. The cyclist, a 47-year-old
IT’S just as well we clinched the tightest of victories over in Holland, having spent 24 hours travelling on the team bus. Our trip there was not ideal in terms of travel arrangements, but we got there eventually and were able to have a little walk around
A TALENTED young football freestyler has his sights set on the big time as he prepares to compete in a world championship. Reece Sargeant, of Green Lane, Eastwood, is hoping his ball control skills will win him the title in a competition in London in
MIDWEEK guest day produced some solid scoring and a very close result with the winning duo getting home thanks to a better back nine. Dominic Short and Peter Thomson, from Diss Golf Club, chalked up 43 points with a very consistent 22 on the way out
ESSEX'S bid for a second LV= County Championship win of the season was hampered by rain at Old Trafford. In their attempts to avenge Lancashire's early season win at Chelmsford, the visitors had gained a lead of 278 when weather forced the players off
NEIL Harris wants to finally banish his play-off blues this weekend. The Millwall striker, who lives in Eastwood, has suffered three heartbreaking exits in the end of season knock-out competition. And he hopes to avoid a fourth when the Lions face
PAT Baldwin is still unsure of his footballing future. The 27-year-old centre-back ended last season on loan with Southend United from local rivals Colchester United. But he does not yet know where he will be when the new campaign kicks
A DEDICATED pupil who has not missed a day of school in almost five years has been given a camera and a certificate recognising her achievement. Year 11 pupil Megan Cousins is coming to the end of her time at Cornelius Vermuyden on Canvey. The 15-year-old
A MAN has been charged in connection with a road smash on Southend seafront in which a paramedic was seriously injured. The collision happened at Western Esplanade on Sunday(May 23) when a quad bike struck two parked vehicles . A paramedic
A LABOUR member has taken the helm at Thurrock Council, after the party struck a controversial deal with two disgruntled Tories. John Kent rose to power at the latest meeting of the borough’s full council. Two independent Tories and the sole BNP councillor
A POLICE team descended on a troubled snooker club in Benfleet – and tested 80 people for drugs. Officers spent an evening at Rileys, in the High Road, following concerns about non-members trying to get in and cause trouble. During the
A POPULAR pre-school supervisor has been thanked for putting in 25 years of hard work. Marian Deacon started Noak Bridge Pre-School, in Coppice Lane, back in 1985 and has been there ever since. Staff, youngsters and parents turned out to honour Marian
