A THIRD of Southend’s bedsits are crammed into just one area, the Echo can reveal. Milton ward, which covers most of Southend’s town centre between Valkyrie Road, London Road and Queensway, has 25 shared houses – more than all but one of the borough
SOUTHEND United's stuttering misfortunes continued with a disappointing 1-1 draw with Wycombe Wanderers at Roots Hall on Saturday. Blues were far from their from best against the lowly Chairboys but looked likely to get their season back on track
SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown was left ruing his side's bad luck as their winless streak was extended to nine games with a 1-1 draw against Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday. The Shrimpers looked set to get back to winning ways when Barry Corr
THE Tory MEP for Essex has praised a growing Canvey business for its importance on the international stage. Conservative Member of the European Parliament Vicky Ford joined Castle Point MP Rebecca Harris and Canvey councillor Ray Howard for a visit
SOUTHEND band the Horrors kept fans guessing when they appeared at the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival. The band performed at the Victoria Warehouse in Manchester on Friday night. They topped the bill on stage two, showcasing the newlyunveiled I
A CHARITY has donated much-needed equipment to Southend Hospital to help patients with breathing difficulties. Breathe Easy Southend has given five nebulisers to benefit patients on Eleanor Hobbs ward. The nebulisers will be used to administer
SOUTHEND United chairman Ron Martin remortgaged his home to stop the football club going bust, the Echo can reveal. Mr Martin, a property developer, borrowed £750,000 against his £1.6million fivebedroom home, in Benfleet Road, Benfleet, to help
NEWBORN babies are snuggled up against the cold thanks to a group of knitters. Billericay Pilgrims Townswomen’s Guild delivered hundreds of hand-knitted blankets, hats, jackets, mittens and teddies to Basildon Hospital’s neonatal intensive care
NEIGHBOURS have demanded action over a site that has become a magnet for vandals after lying derelict for almost a decade. Yet again, Southend Council is set to reject plans for redevelopment of the former Albany Laundry site, in Nelson Road, Leigh
THE debut cookbook by food poverty campaigner and Echo columnist Jack Monroe was the seventh highest selling book of the week in the UK – before it was even released. A Girl Called Jack: 100 Budget-Busting Delicious Recipes, was in the top ten
A COUPLE allegedly filled a supermarket trolley full of rum before leaving without paying. The man and woman walked seperately into Waitrose, in High Street, Billericay, before 4.30pm on Thursday, February 20, when they met up at a drinks promotion
HOSPITAL bosses in Southend and Basildon are hiring a private company to run the blood testing service. The move comes just over a year after both hospitals campaigned with the Echo on keeping blood testing local following a plan to outsource the
A FAMILY got the shock of their lives after the crew of a TV programme, which has been working on their house all week, unveiled their work. DIY SOS workers and local traders have been renovating a Basildon house to help a severely ill little boy
ESSEX Police's chief constable has announced he is personally taking control of the force's response to domestic abuse as the force takes part in an awareness week on the issue. Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh said he has made a commitment from
Is this how the free-flow toll system at the Dartford Crossing will look? An artist’s impression of how the layout could look once free-flow has been introduced in October has been released to the Echo. The new remote payment system will come
A CHARITY for the disabled has been given a £5,000 grant to offer more creative activities for local people. The Papworth Trust, based in Witchards, Basildon, has been given the cash by the Santander bank’s Foundation’s Community Plus scheme, which
A PEDESTRIAN underpass has been closed after a teenager received facial injuries in an early morning assault. The underpass at the roundabout where Southchurch Road meets Queensway, Southend, has been closed following the assault, which was called
THREE emaciated ponies were dumped in a Wickford field. The RSPCA was called to a field off Nevendon Road after the owner of the land found her fence had been cut and the ponies left there. The three animals, one of which is in foal, were starved
A SEAFRONT pub will remain open this summer despite long term redevelopment plans. The Foresters Arms, in Marine Parade, Southend, will remain open despite developer the Inner London Group’s multi-million plan’s to build restaurants and a 13-storey
BASILDON Hospital has been on high alert for most of the winter after a surge in patient numbers. The number of patients flooding into A&E in the past three months is up 10 per cent. Hospital bosses said despite the rise, which saw them
CASTLE Point Council is inviting families to leave their mark on the borough’s green spaces by asking them to plant a tree. The council is working with Groundwork Essex to help communities improve the green spaces near them. People of all ages
THE MEN who made the decision to close the Deanes School have been reported to the Local Government Ombudsman for gross misconduct. Linda Allport-Hodge, a Deanes parent and a member of the Save the Deanes Action Group, has asked the ombudsman to
A BRAVE young woman who has endured a marathon fight for survival has signed up to raise funds and race for the charity which saved her. Nichola Burgess, 27, from Leigh, was diagnosed with severe congenital neutropenia, a rare blood disorder when
Ryan Clarke, 24, of Komberg Crescent, Canvey, admitted possessing 9.3g of cocaine in Basildon on January 2. He was made subject to a community order requiring him to participate in a Thinking Skills course for 19 days. He was also fined £100, ordered
RAVI Bopara kept his cool to get England over the line at last for just their second victory in 15 matches this winter. In his 101st one-day international, and at the venue whereEssex player Bopara played his first breakthrough innings for England
