THE SKIES above Southend were filled with purple balloons to mark the launch of Southend Relay for Life. People attached personal messages to a loved one to each of the 2014 balloons. They were released outside the Victoria shopping centre,
A CHILDREN’S group is under threat of closure unless more volunteers come forward to help it stay afloat. Basildon, Billericay and Wickford National Childbirth Trust (NCT) has already had to cancel its popular weekly event, Bumps, once because
STUART Bingham was beaten 5-3 by veteran Peter Lines at the German Masters. Bingham, 37, from Vange, swept away Lines with a 4-0 win in the the final of the Pink Ribbon invitational last season, but it was much closer in Berlin yesterday. World
OLD SOUTHENDIAN stayed on track for Premier league hockey with a 2-1 win over promotion-rivals Havering. It moved the Old Boys a point clear at the top of the East Division One table with seven games of the season remaining. It is all a far cry
ADAM Thompson believes victory for Southend United against Newport County on Friday night would make their draw at Dagenham & Redbridge an even better result. Blues were held to a 1-1 draw at Victoria Road on Tuesday evening after Daggers’
A CALLOUS raider who mowed down a delivery driver with his own lorry during a botched hijack has been jailed. David Fletcher has been left in a wheelchair with life-changing injuries after being targeted by Leonard Willsher, 41, last July.
BILLERICAY Boxing Club’s show on Saturday night attracted more than 500 spectators, who all got their money’s worth at one of the best shows in the region. Billericay’s Les Cooke was delighted with both the quality of the bouts and the way the
A £4MILLION revamp of Southend’s Civic Centre to improve its public areas will start next month. The changes to the council offices, in Victoria Avenue, are designed to make it easier for residents to talk to officials and get help. They include
A NEW £40,000 sports facility has been unveiled at a Laindon park. Residents will now be able to make the most of football goals, basketball hoops and cricket stumps in Steeple View Park, off Queens Road. Once the weather improves, the sports
SOUTH Essex Gymanastics Club are hosting a team from Belgium at the Basildon Sporting Village this week for a six-day training camp. The all-male group of four seniors and two juniors, along with their coach, will arrive in Basildon on Saturday
A BASILDON centenarian said she felt “100 per cent” after reaching her landmark birthday. Kitty Bryant turned 100 yesterday among friends and family at Abbeyfield House care home, in Noak Bridge. Family members came from as far afield as Boston
TRAFFIC wardens began a crackdown on car dealerships which park on pavements, slapping fines on vehicles parked outside showrooms. Dealerships in Leigh were targeted by wardens who turned out in force, asking for cars to be moved off areas of pavements
CAULEY Woodrow has returned to Fulham after the Cottagers decided to terminate his loan spell at Southend United. The 19-year-old striker scored four goals in 21 appearances for the Shrimpers. But Fulham have opted to call him back after he
A QUARTET of Westcliff youngsters are celebrating after being selected for London & South East Divisional sides. Hooker Billy Morrant and prop Charlie Brown have been called up to the under 18s, while hooker Harrison King and centre Jack Longhurst
LEIGH Town Council is leading a campaign to clear the town of dog mess. The council is inundated with complaints about the problem and has produced a poster to encourage people to report it to Southend Council. Carole Mulroney, chairman of
FORMER England lightweight champion Danny Hunt is set to return to the boxing ring after a seven-year hiatus. The Leigh pugilist, 32, took a break from the sport after losing to Mounir Guebbas in May 2006. But he will pull on his gloves again
SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown was left bemoaning his side’s lack of quality in the final third and referee Dean Whitestone following last night’s 1-1 draw at Dagenham & Redbridge. The Shrimpers had to make do with a point after Daggers
A REVIEW has been launched after an Essex Police dog died. Gunner, a German shepherd aged five, was carrying out fetch and return exercises in Stanway when he collapsed. He was taken to a vet in Colchester for treatment, but was confirmed
OSCAR-WINNING actress Dame Helen Mirren is to be honoured with Bafta’s highest award for her outstanding services to acting. The former Westcliff schoolgirl is to be presented with a Bafta Fellowship at this year’s awards ceremony, at the Royal
MUSICAL legends will gather to pay their final respects to a fellow rocker from Eddie and the Hot Rods. Guitarist Dave Higgs will be laid to rest at Pitsea Crematorium on Thursday. The Canvey musician died of cancer on December 21. He was
LONDON One North leaders Westcliff moved two points clear of their title rivals Eton Manor with a resounding 60-7 win against Woodford. Westcliff scored 10 tries during the comprehensive victory. And first team manager Rick Compton heaped praise
BASILDON fought back to secure a 7-7 draw at Holt in London Two North East The Norfolk side went in front with a converted try but that seemed to galvanise the visitors and Basildon had the best of the next 10 minutes. However, a combination
ROCHFORD Hundred closed the gap on second placed Saffron Walden with a 10-3 win against their Essex rivals at Magnolia Road in London Two North East on Saturday. Rochford, who are third in the standings, fought hard in difficult conditions to come
MARCUS Bloomberg felt Southend only had themselves to blame after suffering a narrow 17-14 defeat at Ampthill in National Two South on Saturday. The Seasiders led 11-5 with 20 minutes of the match remaining. And hooker Bloomberg, who scored
GROVE WOOD Primary School in Rayleigh is to become an academy. The school will become the third primary academy in the Rochford district in July, after it received the go-ahead from the Department for Education. Ashingdon Primary and Westerings
AN INSPIRATIONAL mum who has raised more than £60,000 for epileptic youngsters has been nominated for a national award. Andrea Fletcher, 44, set up her own charity called Darwin and Friends after her son was diagnosed with the condition. Darwin
MILLION-POUND improvements to two rundown housing estates in Castle Point are under way. Castle Point Council is funding major refurbishments at Chapman Court flats, in Seaview Road, Canvey, and Gowan Court sheltered housing accommodation, in Gowan
BILLERICAY Boxing Club’s show on Saturday night attracted more than 500 spectators, who all got their money’s worth at one of the best shows in the region. Billericay’s Les Cooke was delighted with both the quality of the bouts and the way the
TRIBUTES have flooded in for a teacher who ‘touched the life of her pupils’ after she passed away - a month after she was diagnosed with cancer. Students at Beauchamps High School, in Wickford, are in mourning after Kathryn Edwards died from the
A CALLOUS raider who mowed down a delivery driver with his own lorry during a botched hijack has been jailed. David Fletcher has been left in a wheelchair with life-changing injuries after being targeted by Leonard Willsher, 41, last July.
A BUSINESS owner died at work when he slipped and fell on a guillotine. Alan Dinsdale, 56, who lived in the South Green area of Billericay, was found dead at his printing warehouse near Wickford. The printer, who had run A & S Print Services
A LITTLE star who has defied all odds has been named as one of the bravest tots in the country. Miracle boy Maison Larman, one, came as a total surprise after his parents Lizzi Sutcliffe, 25, and Louis Larman, 26, were told they could not have
A MAN accused of conning investors out of £1.6million said he was "this close" to selling his business to Barclays Bank before he was shut down by the authorities. Matthew Ames, 38, of Goldfinch Lane, Thundersley, denies two counts of fraudulent
