FRIDAY'S edition of the Echo is jam packed full of Southend United stories ahead of their play-off semi-final clash at Crewe Alexandra. Blues boss Paul Sturrock pens his regular weekly column for the paper, while player coach Graham Coughlan
KANE Ferdinand believes it will be the biggest game of his career so far when Southend United travel to Crewe Alexandra this weekend. The young midfielder missed last Saturday’s 2-0 win over Macclesfield Town because of an illness. But he has now
IT HAS been a busy time in the pool for youngsters from Southend on Sea Swimming Club. The club held its first Academy gala of 2012, and 45 young swimmers – some as young as four years old took part as supporting family and friends packed out the gallery
TORY Nigel Holdcroft was this afternoon elected leader of Southend Council. Eight Lib Dem councillors and Independent Dr Vel abstained in the vote at the annual council. Labour and the remaining Independents voted for Independent councillor
THIS will be my fifth time in the play-offs when we play Crewe this weekend and I can’t wait for the game to come around. These end-of-season matches are always an unbelievable experience because there’s so much at stake and it creates all
SOUTHEND United’s Bilel Mohsni has his sights set on securing yet more success against Crewe Alexandra on Saturday. The Frenchman scored winning goals in both of Blues’ league battles against the Railwaymen this season. And he is now hoping for more
KEEN gardeners are sprucing up their front gardens to compete in an annual contest. Leigh Town Council, along with Leigh Horticultural Society, has launched the search to find the town’s smartest plots. As part of the “Good for Leigh” campaign
LEIGH Town Council has a new chairman after an annual council meeting. Councillor Carole Mulroney was elected at the meeting last night and succeeds former chairman Pat Holden. Carole was elected to the town council in 2007. Over the years, she
MOST brides-to-be spend the days before their wedding having manicures and fretting about table decorations. However, Tracey Warburton’s build-up to her big day will involve travelling 1,000 miles by motorcycle in aid of two charities. The 48-year-old
A VAN and its contents, worth £30,000, were stolen by thieves. The Ford Transit van was parked in Mariskals, Basildon when it was taken on Tuesday May 8. It contained equipment relating to asbestos removal.
AN illegal fuel factory has been raided by Customs officers. The plant, in Tilbury, was capable of producing over 240,000 of illicit fuel. The contaminated fuel had been cleaned by the crooks and was being sold to motorists from the back of a transit
TRAVELLERS evicted from Dale Farm are in talks about a possible move to another site in Basildon. Families from the site, who are still living in overcrowded conditions on the neighbouring legal site in Oak Lane, Crays Hill, met representatives
PUBLIC services across south Essex have been hit as workers walk out in a row over pensions. Bullwood Hall Prison in Hockley, Revenue and Customs in Southend, Jobcentres and colleges in Basildon and Southend have all been affected. The Public and Commercial
TWO students were robbed as they walked around a Southend park. The attack happened close the pond in Priory Park as the pair were approached by two men who for asked for the time. As the 17 year-old boy took out his mobile phone it
ABOUT £14,000 will be spent on handing out free medals to all the borough’s schoolchildren to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Bosses at Southend Council also plan to splash £10,000 of taxpayers’ cash on two lighting beacons to
HE’S one of radio’s biggest personalities and Scott Mills will be at Element in person this weekend. The Radio One DJ will be at the Southend club for a special appearance and in celebration there’ll be top quality floorfillers all night long. His
NESTLED behind a popular Billericay pub is a gem of a restaurant. The Orb, tucked behind the Crown, near the train station, claims to be “a well-appointed fine dining restaurant serving modern British and European cuisine”. According to the restaurant
SNAPPY satirical lyrics and a lighthearted take on a serious subject has seen Southend musician Doogie Hunter make his way to the top of the charts on music website Beat 100. Doogie teamed up with outfit Us and Them to record the comical hit I’m a Banker
THEIR debut single is in the offing, but ahead of its release, fun-loving indie rockers Chalet have a date at the Railway tomorrow. The girl-boy fourpiece are due to release their first single, Birdwatch-ing, in the summer, so they’ll be ready to kick
THEIR a cappella tunes have won them accolades, and the Magnets bring their unique sound to Southend next week when they come to the Palace Theatre. Local fans shouldn’t get too confused to see the band’s name listed at the venue – Southend has its
IT’S already established itself as a top night with a total difference, but Southend’s electroswing night Los Bastardos is about to enter a new age as it’s taken over by genre king Chris Tofu – whose nights at Shoreditch’s Book Club sparked the original
FOR almost a decade, Quirkish Delight have been building themselves a cult reputation for hilarity, and this week sees the comedy troupe return to the Dixon Studio for another night of improvised joy. Taking their cue from audience suggestions, there
ABBA mania comes to the Cliffs Pavilion this week with the arrival of all-singing, all-dancing big number show Dancing Queen. Slip into your Seventies boots and flick that hair in antipation, as the over-the-top production comes to town for two performances
SOUTHEND is set to look like a scene from cult mod film Quadrophenia this weekend. Not only is The Lambretta Club of Great Britain holding its first big rally in the town since 1979, but two massive northern soul and mod events will attract die-hard
LISTEN to This launched earlier this year and has gathered an avid following – with the last in this series taking place next week. The brainchild of music writer Daryl Easlea and academic Andrew Branch, the events have seen themes discussed by a panel
WANNABE singers can try out for a TV talent show in Southend tomorrow. Mobile auditions for the X Factor will be held from 9.30am until 3.30pm at Royal Square, Pier Hill, Southend. The search for the next big thing in the music industry is travelling
A MUM-OF-THREE who beat both breast and bowel cancer will share her message of hope by encouraging others to take part in an overnight fundraising mission. Jacquie Ball is encouraging friends, families and colleagues to enter teams for Cancer Research
AN air ambulance paramedic was surprised on national television with a special award for his dedication to his lifesaving work. Laurie Phillipson, 36, from Wickford, thought he was going to work as usual at the Earls Colne airbase, just outside
A SEAFRONT pub’s licence is under threat after its manager was caught using threatening behaviour on the premises. Nicola Tiney pleaded guilty to committing a public order offence at the Borough Hotel, in Marine Parade, Southend, when she appeared at
THE £1.5billion London Gateway superport is on schedule to open next year. The transformation of the former Shell oil refinery site at Coryton into a giant port and warehouse distribution centre is progressing well, its owner says. Key contracts have
A HEADteacher who has come under fire from parents for his strict discipline measures claims the school wouldn’t be improving without them. Dr Rory Fox was brought in last September to turn around the troubled Basildon Academies, which opened
PRIVATE Alex Stringer watched four fellow soldiers walk safely over a hidden bomb. When he stepped on the device, it went off, leaving him seriously wounded. The 21-year-old Canvey soldier was on patrol in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in
TREET dancers Karizma Krew declared after being ousted from Britain’s Got Talent: “We’re out, but we’re certainly not down!” The troupe bowed out of the second live semi-final of the ITV show, beaten by opera sensations Jonathan and Charlotte and
A NURSE who put a patient at risk by “inappropriately” injecting adrenaline into their vein then failing to report it will have a public record of the blunder. Foluke Adekoya, 59, formerly from Brendon in Laindon, attended the patient’s home while
