SOUTHEND United were held to their first goalless draw of the season after an uneventful game with Newport County at Roots Hall tonight. The Shrimpers held the better of the play in the tricky conditions in the first half and visiting goalkeeper
BLUES boss Phil Brown has made two changes to his starting line-up for tonight’s clash with Newport County at Roots Hall with John White and Lee Barnard both coming back in to the team. Right-back White, who had missed the last four games with
POLICE have temporarily closed part of the A127 following a minor car accident. Four police cars are in attendance at the Soundend-bound Fairglen Intersection of the road, in Rayleigh. The road has been closed temporarily to allow police officers
THE ambulance trust’s student paramedic recruitment drive has seen three applications for every post advertised. The service is looking for more staff to improve response times and putting more frontline ambulances on the road. Last week it
THE family of a man mowed down by his own lorry during a botched hijack have thanked the people who came to his aid. David Fletcher has been left needing a wheelchair and unable to do the most basic tasks after the incident on July 9. Mr Fletcher
RYAN ten Doeschate has been named Essex’s new one-day captain. The Dutch international will take over the duties of skippering the side in the 50-over format and in Twenty20 matches from James Foster. Wicket-keeper Foster will remain as the
POLICE have released photographs of jewellery and a photo of a womanfound in a stolen car. Officers have yet been unable to find out if they were taken in a burglary but hope their rightful owners will be able to identify them. The items include
POLICE want to speak to this man about the theft of two spirit bottles from an Iceland store. The two bottles were taken from Iceland on Furtherwick Road, Canvey, without payment at 3pm on January 22. Anyone with information about the man captured
COUNCILLORS have hit out at "irresponsible" highway bosses for failing to repair a road and paths ahead of the big light switch off. Geoff and Linda Williams, Lib Dem councillors for Nethermayne ward, want to see all highways defects sorted out
GIANNI Frankis has started to look ahead to an exciting summer season after injury meant his indoor campaign ended prematurely. A niggling hamstring injury has meant the sprint hurdler will not be challenging for a place on Great Britain’s squad
A TEENAGE boy has been missing for a week. Concerns are growing for the welfare of Richard Clarke, 15, who was last seen on Saturday, January 25. He was last at home with his family in Balmoral Road, Westcliff, the previous morning. Richard
A BITTER battle over the controversial Shoebury seawall plan has turned uglier, with a senior Tory accused of using offensive language. Conservatives complained after Independent Ron Woodley called the Tory councillor responsible for public protection
A RAYLEIGH woman had her £200 coat stolen on a train to Liverpool Street. Police have released a CCTV image of a suspect they want to speak to about the theft, which took place on January 1 at 10am. Dc Nick Thompson from British Transport Police
DETECTIVES are looking for information about a Leigh burglary - after stolen goods were found within a day of them being taken. During the day on Wednesday, a house in Quorn Gardens was broken into and a large number of things, including jewellery
JEWELLERY and an iPad were among the items stolen from a Rayleigh home on Wednesday. Crooks broke into the house on Warwick Road sometime between 8am-6pm through a UPVC window. They stole a white iPad mini in a purple case, a gold Rotary watch
PETROLHEADS across Basildon are being asked to take on a 900-mile challenge through Europe. The Bust Banger Rally, which sees motoring enthusiasts drive to Monte Carlo in a car worth less than £250, is open for entries. The rally, in June and
A THIEF shouted: “I just got myself a new iPhone,” as he targeted a man during a street robbery to fund his drugs habit. Lewis Garland, of Dews Green, Vange, forced his victim to the ground before yelling “give me your stuff” during the robbery
THRILLED Alex Szukalski beat 30,000 people across the UK to win a Vespa scooter covered in his own design. Alex, 25, who runs an artwork project called Kook Culture – a collection of handmade products and artwork – was stunned when he received
LION dancing and oriental crafts will be on offer for a Chinese New Year celebration at Festival Leisure. The year of the horse will be marked with a fun-filled evening tonight between 4pm and 8pm. Fortune cookies and Chinese arts will also
The British Monarchy have released a YouTube video of Prince Charles and Camilla's visit to Essex this week. On Wednesday, the Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall visited Royal Opera House's theatrical workshop at the High House Production
NEWPORT County boss Justin Edinburgh is relishing a return to Roots Hall tonight. The 44-year-old made 47 appearances for Southend United at the start of his own playing career. And he is excited to be heading back to his former side as manager
SOUTHEND'S £27million library has been highly commended in the prestigious National Placemaking Awards. The Forum Southend which opened last September won the honour at a ceremony held at the British Museum in London. The new library and learning
NEIGHBOURS are delighted an illegal mosque has been closed down after a four-year battle. Workmen have finally begun converting the Jaafriya Islamic Welfare Centre, which saw up 150 people cram into an old bungalow in Fairfax Drive, back into a
SWEDISH scrum half Simon Pierce is eager to help Southend get back to winning when they host Bishop’s Stortford in National Two South this weekend. The Seasiders suffered a third successive defeat for the first time this season when they were beaten
A LITTLE boy with cerebral palsy has a new set of wheels thanks to a charity set up in the name of a soldier killed in Afghanistan. Seven-year-old Matthew Perry, whose condition affects all of his limbs, has swapped his heavy wheelchair for a new
ESSEX Police has confirmed they have found a body in the lake at a retirement village on Canvey. Emergency services were called to Kings Park Village on the island at about 9.15am after residents reported seeing a coat floating on the surface of
THIRD placed Rochford Hundred head to South Woodham Ferrers for an intriguing London Two North East derby tomorrow. Woodham are currently fourth in the standings but are nine points below Rochford. Both teams also go in to the game on the back
BEN Coker wants Newport County to face the real Southend United at Roots Hall tonight. The Shrimpers were well below their when losing 3-1 to Newport at Rodney Parade back in October. And the left-back is now keen to help Phil Brown’s put in
PATIENTS and staff are still being let down by the Essex’s ambulance service, a new report suggests. The Care Quality Commission’s latest review of the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust points to some improvements, but remains critical
DAY services used by more than 170 people with learning disabilities are set to move. Officers are to recommend Southend Council close the Avro part of the Avro Viking Centre, in Avro Road, Southend, transferring services to Alexandra Street, Southend
A ROAD is under several feet of water this morning following the week’s constant rainfall. Mountnessing Road in Billericay is flooded between Old Church Lane and Bluebell Wood. Essex Travel reported the flood to be several feet deep. More
LONDON One North leaders Westcliff face a tricky test at Ruislip in a rearranged fixture tomorrow. Sixth placed Ruislip have yet to be beaten at home this season and Westcliff will also be missing a few players. However, their first team manager
FIREFIGHTERS attended a van fire in Benfleet overnight. Rayleigh Weir crews were called at 12.16am to High Road where the van's enginge bay was alight. It was caused by a mechanical fault.
ROCHFORD District Council has given the go-ahead to raise parking charges – despite abstentions by ruling Tory councillors, one of whom dismissed the rise as “suicidal”. The Conservative council voted for a 25 per cent increase in the hourly rates
TWO men will appear in court accused of breaking into cars. Charlee Barnes, 18, of Rayside, Basildon, faces two charges of theft from a motor vehicle and two counts of handling stolen goods. Craig Bragg, 18, of Long Riding, Basildon, is charged
LEGENDARY former Dr Feelgood guitarist Wilko Johnson is to release a joint album with Roger Daltrey, lead singer of rock giants The Who. The duo have also announced the date of a one-off show at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, on Tuesday, February
SOUTHEND United’s in-form centre-back Luke Prosser has been ruled out of tonight’s clash with Newport County with a fractured cheekbone and concussion. Prosser suffered the double blow during Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw at Dagenham & Redbridge
OLYMPIC diver Tom Daley was spotted in a local cafe during a shopping trip in Southend. Tom, who appears in the ITV diving show, Splash, was seen with some shopping bags in Caffe Nero, in Southend High Street. He was in town training for the
HUNDREDS of council houses are to be built in a multi-million pound plan to plug the gap in social housing in Basildon. Basildon Council is pressing ahead with setting up its own housing development company to build on council-owned derelict land
A GANG of children threatened to set their pit bull on a woman in a terrifying street robbery. The victim, in her mid-thirties, was walking in Gun Hill Place, Basildon, in the dark when she was surrounded by the gang and their dog. One child
A COMPANY boss used investors’ cash on luxury hotels, restaurants and holidays, a court heard. Matthew Ames, 38, from Goldfinch Lane, Thundersley, used money invested in two Laindon-based companies to fund a trip to the US with two female staff
