THE second phase of work to transform a Canvey beauty spot is due to start next week. Canvey Island Town Council in partnership with the Environment Agency will start work on Canvey Lake on November 18 – weather permitting. The council plans
A TALENTED young dancer is set to fulfill her dream by appearing on Strictly Come Dancing. Grace Ward, ten, from Barling, will pull on her dancing shoes to appear on the nation’s screens next week. The excited youngster will take part in a
THE team behind the ambitious £60million Hadleigh masterplan is to confirm the plans are very much still alive. Councillor Norman Smith, chairman of Hadleigh Regeneration Group, is set to attend the Endway Community Association’s public meeting
THE grandson of 84-year-old John Anker has been remanded in custody after appearing in court charged with his murder. Anthony Winter, 34, of Westborough Road, Westcliff, is charged with one count of murder and a separate count of attempted murder
A WOMAN suffered serious injuries after being knocked down at a “notorious” zebra crossing. Traders and residents raced to help the woman after she was hit by a silver Vauxhall Astra in Benfleet High Road at about 5.30pm on Monday. The woman
TRADERS are calling for safety to be improved at the crossing. Residents and businesses say the zebra crossing, in High Road, Benfleet is too close to a mini roundabout and needs improved lighting. Lloyd Brooks, sales manager at Diggins and
AN ELDERLY woman from Leigh has been tricked out of £24,000 in a telephone scam. Thirty-two people in Southend, Leigh and Westcliff have been targeted by the phone con since the start of November. Police are warning residents to be on their
ESSEX Leopards face their biggest weekend of the season so far as they look to extend their five game winning streak. The Big Cats host Newham Neptunes at the Brentwood Centre tonight before travelling to Loughborough Student Riders in the National
LIVID councillors and residents in Wickford believe County Hall officials will be making the “biggest mistake of their lives” if they plough on with plans to turn the town’s lights off. The Wickford community is the latest to express its disgust
A COUPLE who were flooded out of their home claim they have been abandoned following a lack of help from authorities. Tom Cole, 66, and his wife Dianne, 60, of Hamilton Gardens, Hockley, are still living amongst dehumidifiers and dryers three months
IT’S a typically American sound direct from the Mersea marshes. That’s what gig-goers can expect from the Flat Mountain Family this weekend at the Bull, in Colchester. The four-piece are made-up of three of the members who make-up one of Colchester
ROCHFORD Hundred host London Cornish in the Intermediate Cup tomorrow. The two teams last met three years ago with Cornish running out comfortable 58-19 winners. Rochford will want a different outcome this time around and have Tom Corbet, Ryan
SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown faces a defensive headache for tomorrow’s clash at Exeter City, but he is keen for that to continue. Brown has Mark Phillips available again after he completed a three match suspension for his red card against
WESTCLIFF’S in form winger Ross Merrick insists anything other than winning the London One North title would be disappointing for the team this season. The 24-year-old has scored four tries in two starts since recovering from a serious hand injury
SOUTHEND United striker Barry Corr will be a man on a mission at Exeter City tomorrow. Corr bagged just six goals in 37 appearances during an indifferent year long spell with the Grecians. And is therefore eager to impress against his former
LIAM MacGeachy is back at Southend Rugby Club and is eager to play a part in tomorrow’s clash at London Irish Wild Geese. The 25-year-old Australian made 21 appearances for the Seasiders last term. And, having now returned from a five month
A MAN who was being sought in connection with a sexual assault at a Southend nighclub as contacted police. A 19-year-old girl from the Rayleigh area had been enjoying a night out in Chameleon in Lucy Road on Sunday, July 28 at when she was grabbed
SOUTHEND will be transformed into a winter wonderland this Christmas, with a number of festive events planned, starting with this weekend’s big light switch-on. A bigger and better programme of events will take place this year and most of them
THREE people have been charged with offences following an armed raid in Leigh on Wednesday. The arrests were made in a joint operation between the Met Police's Flying Squad and Essex Police. Patrick Claydon, 48, from the Brentwood area , Tommy
A POLICE constable based in Southend has been dismissed from Essex Police after admitting gross misconduct. Assistant Chief Constable Gary Beautridge dismissed the officer from his post for breaches of police standards, including honesty and integrity
ANY self-respecting young comic would want to give stalwart stand-up Bob Mills a lift home – if only to hear his stories. “That’s the only thing they ever ask me,” Bob laughs, “what was it like in the old days? What I do find, which is actually
OAKTREE MARKET 75 LEIGH ROAD LEIGH, SS9 1JN 01702 471435 CONSIDERING the apparent paucity of veggie restaurants in south Essex, the opening of Oaktree Market, in Leigh, is a welcome addition to the local food scene. A cafe by day
DOOZER McDOOZE is a solo artist and frontman for Deferred Sucess. He also performs solo. Doozer is currently working on a project called Songs 4 U...2 where people bid on Ebay for the chance of him writing a song, which is personal to them. This
After seven years, I am still a victim of automotive snobbery but you know what, I don’t care one jot. My motor falls into that unenviable category known as a “hairdresser’s car” and I have always failed to understand why. A few weeks back, the
OUR man shares his thoughts on what's ahead for Southend United when they face Exeter on Saturday.
SAINSBURY’S claims it is still committed to a deal which forms a key part of Southend United’s future – despite announcing it was dropping many plans for new stores. The supermarket giant’s positive financial results were released on Wednesday,
A HEARTBROKEN woman who lost her sister to the killer infection sepsis will help to lead a training session at Basildon Hospital after a twoyear battle for justice. Kay Dejan, 44, from Chafford Hundred, died of blood poisoning after routine surgery
CARE home residents were treated to an eye-popping performance from drag queen Bella Berserk. Residents at Ghyll Grove Nursing Home, in Ghyll Grove, Basildon, whooped, clapped, and cheered as Bella ran through her take on a host of showbiz icons
A £20MILLION housing plan in the heart of Basildon has been given the final seal of approval. An extra 100 houses on Gloucester Park have been given the go-ahead, bringing the total number of homes on the new Acacia Park estate to 244. For
SOUTHEND mayor’s mansion is to undergo a £200,000 revamp at the taxpayer’s expense – just three years after a £250,000 spend. Councillors approved plans to restore parts of the mayor’s civic mansion, Porters, and Macebearer’s Cottage. The council
A NEW takeaway is set to open on Southend seafront despite opposition from more than 250 people. Southend Council gave Adventure Island’s owners the Stockvale Group the green light to open a new single- storey kiosk next to the amusement park in
A TIME capsule has been buried at the official opening of a health centre. The North Road health centre opened earlier this year and was one of two new centres costing £10million covering Westcliff, the other being the Valkyrie Road centre.
THE kids are doing it for themselves this weekend on Mersea. A group of young musicians who live on the island have got together to put on their own gig this Friday. It was the idea of 17-year-old Katy Cirne, who is studying musical technology
A DAD has been awarded £1.75million compensation after suffering devastating injuries when he was hit by a London bus David Mitchell, 43, was awarded the payout for the accident which happened outside London’s Euston train station. The father-of-two
