Archive

The Southend coastguard was called to a kitesurfer who appeared to be in difficulties at about 5.30pm this evening. They helped the kitesurfer back to land. 

Fire crews were called to a car fire in Cranes Farm Road, Basildon, just before 8pm tonight.  One crew from Basildon had put the fire out in about 15 minutes.  Police were also called to divert traffic while the crew was working. 

FARMERS and tractor enthusiasts turned out in force to show who was top of the crops in an annual ploughing contest. The 69th Rochford Agricultural Society Ploughing Match and Farmers’ Crop Competition took place at South Fambridge Hall, in Fambridge

THOUSANDS turned out to enjoy this year’s Wickford Carnival. The rain did not dampen residents’ spirits as they enjoyed watching the parade through the town centre. More than 30 floats made their way through the town and carnival-goers enjoyed

ROCHFORD District Council is encouraging residents to put their gum in the bin, in a litter crackdown. It highlighted its Bin It Your Way, campaign in Rayleigh town centre, with help from from street dancers. It is working with the Chewing

FUNDRAISERS are being asked to swim, cycle and run in the name of charity. The annual St Luke’s Hospice triathlon takes place next month and organisers are urging residents to get involved. The race, at Blackshots Swimming Pool, in Grays, starts

CHANGES to police meetings with the community will come into place next week as part of tweaks to the force’s structure. Neighbourhood Action Panels will be scrapped from Wednesday, October 1, under the scheme and replaced with Local Community

THE inquest into the death of man who went missing from his Laindon home has been opened. Brien Chambers, 39, went missing from his home on September 4, and was found three days later on grassland in Willowfield, Basildon, off the A127, after an

Have you got what it takes to Go Sober and do something amazing for people with cancer? That’s 31 days with no lager, no wine... not even a shandy - all to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support’s vital work. Whether you’re motivated by the challenge

ONE of the UK’s greatest concert pianists will return to Southend on Friday, October 10. John Lill will open the Southend Council Concert Series with a recital at 8pm at the Plaza Centre, 600 Southchurch Road. The programme will include works

CONCORD Rangers goalkeeper Jamie Butler says he is ‘desperate’ to represent England C next month after experiencing his first national training camp. Butler was called up for the two-day training camp at St George’s Park by manager Paul Fairclough

SOUTH Essex Gymnastics Club’s Max Whitlock flies out to China tomorrow hoping to end his terrific but tiring 2014 season with more success at the World Championships. Whitlock, who trains in Basildon, has already won a combined total of four gold

SOUTHEND United starlet Jack Payne will activate a clause in his contract should he make 10 league starts this season. The 19-year-old has bagged four goals in his last five outings. And Echosport understands if Payne starts six more league

By Jack Staplehurst Grays Athletic have announced two new additions to their squad following the arrival of full backs Joseph Zerafa and Ben Sampayo. The Blues have added international experience in Maltese left-back Zerafa. The 26 year-old

THE newly-formed Benfleet Vikings are hoping to become a rugby force to be reckoned with. The team were put together by director of rugby Adrian Boyce. And he hopes to be able to help produce more talented players to follow in the foot-steps

CRAIG Edwards has called on his players to ‘take responsibility’ after he watched his Billericay Town team lose to rivals Canvey Island. Town lost 1-0 at New Lodge on Monday, thanks to a late strike from ex-favourite Harrison Chatting, which condemned

ANGRY parents have hit out after a school crossing patrol on a busy road on Canvey was scrapped. Mums and dads of pupils at Leigh Beck infant and junior schools were sent text messages on Friday afternoon telling them there would be no lollipop

A GENEROUS couple who battled the odds to renew their wedding vows told their guests to avoid buying presents and donate cash to Fair Havens Hospice instead. Jean and Brian Sleap, of Rayleigh, asked their guests to give money to the Thundersley

THE Trinity FC Tournament held recently was a great success, with many of the home teams enjoying a profitable day. The U14s Yellow and U16s Yellow teams won their groups. And the U11's Blue and U13s Yellow were runners up and their U14s Blue,

DOZENS of community and faith groups joined together at a summer fair to celebrate harmony and diversity. The 11th Big Event, organised by Southend Community in Harmony Partnership, took place in Priory Park, Southend, on Sunday. Mr Dickie

COMEDIAN and TV presenter Jason Manford is opening a comedy club in Rayleigh. The star, who presented BBC 1’s the One Show and regularly appears on shows 8 like Out of 10 Cats, will open a Manford’s Comedy Club, at the Rayleigh Mill Arts Centre

BUILDERS, electricians, plumbers and volunteers are needed to help transform a derelict 100-year-old tram stop shelter so the disabled can enjoy the seaside. Charity the Tram Stop Shelter wants to begin a £350,000 conversion of the building, at

NEIGHBOURS have vowed to fight plans to rebrand their estate after new flower-themed road names were revealed. Somercotes, Somercotes Court, Mellow Purgess and Newberry Side, on the Five Links Estate, Laindon, will be named after orchids, sorrels

CALLOUS conmen tricked a woman in to getting out of her car before snatching £2,000 from her handbag. The crooks watched the woman withdraw her wages from Barclays, in Market Pavement, Basildon, before following her through town to the Euro car

FURIOUS Southend councillors have called for more stop and searches and zero tolerance on drugs and weapons after the latest York Road attack in which a boy was shot with a BB gun. Independent Southend councillor Mike Assenheim, who has become

A VETERAN footballer suffered a double cardiac arrest near the pitch. Keith Hackett, 53, who plays full-back for Hullbridge Sports, was playing in a home game against Tag United, when he was taken ill and substituted in the first half. During

A TEENAGER who fractured his victim’s skull in two places with a single punch has avoided jail. Edward Pettitt, 19, felled his victim with a punch to the right side of his head, which knocked him to the floor and left him unconscious on the pavement

THREE people have admitted faking a road crash to claim compensation. Rajwinder Kaur, 29, Manjinder Kaur Randhawa, 37, and Paramjit Singh, 46, of South East London admitted fraud by false representation when they appeared at Basildon Crown Court

THE Firemusic International Contemporary Music festival reaches an inspirational finale this week with a unique artistic collaboration between music and the visual arts. The project’s title, Different Journeys, stems from composer Trevor Taylor

A FORMER Blues player has admitted racking up £14,600 in unpaid bills by posing as a Chelsea winger. Medi Abalimba, 25, is in custody in Manchester awaiting sentencing next month after admitting five counts of fraud in the City and London by posing