BASILDON Council called in the bailiffs more than 5,000 times last year to chase up unpaid tax bills and fines. The number of cases referred to bailiffs – 5,160 – in 2014/15 represents a huge increase on the previous year’s total of 3,474.
ARTIST John Bulley has destroyed his own mural at a Southend school, after one parent complained it showed inappropriate images of children. The complaint referred to images of leaping children, with a small portion of their midriffs bared. The
A CAMPAIGNING mum is celebrating after winning a battle to get a crossing outside a school. Sarah Steel, of Somercotes, Laindon, has been working to get a pedestrian crossing outside the Janet Duke Primary School in Basildon for more than three
POLICE are looking for this man in connection with a knifepoint robbery. Officers investigating the robbery in Rayleigh have issued CCTV of a man they would like to identify. A 27-year-old local woman was robbed at knifepoint as she walked
A B&B will be turned into council-run bedsits after plans were approved by councillors. Castle View Lodge, in Camperdown Road, Canvey, will become eight bedsits for homeless people on the council housing list who need emergency housing.
PLANS to build 70 homes in Hockley has sparked debate among families living nearby. Developer Charles Church has submitted a planning application to redevelop the Pond Chase Nursery, Folly Lane, Hockley. Some residents feel the more affordable
DAN Trenkel has declared himself “delighted and surprised” at Great Wakering Rovers’ impressive start to the season. Rovers have been one of the revelations in the Ryman One North so far this campaign, sitting seventh after losing just one of their
MORE than 100 people have signed a petition to stop speeding down their “rat run” road. People living in Rectory Avenue, Ashingdon, fear the problem is getting out of control and are worried if something is not done soon, someone will get killed
TRANSPORT bosses have vowed to use the 2012 Olympic cycling event at Hadleigh as a springboard to promote cycling in Essex. Essex County Council, working in partnership with Active Essex, invited partner organisations to the Cycle Essex Summit
HAVE you ever looked out of your bedroom window, seen something and thought of giving it a go? Richard Flindall has. And when he first saw kitesurfing on Southend’s East Beach 12 years ago, he made the plunge and took to the waters. And it
FILM crews are expected to descend on Canvey this month. Canvey man and actor James Lee Taylor is returning to his roots to film his new movie Wild Spaces. Filming is expected to take place at the Point and Old Jetty. The modern day love
DETECTIVES investigating the death of a man at a farmhouse in Little Burstead are appealing for a potential witness to contact them. Officers are continuing to investigate the death of 46-year-old Ricci Gallagher, who died on August 6 having been
THE Rugby World Cup is heading to Westcliff this weekend. The Webb Ellis Cup, which was famously held aloft by England captain Martin Johnson back in 2003, will at Westcliff Rugby Club on Saturday. And communications manager Karen Redhead insists
ESSEX residents are being offered free smoke alarms as part of a fire safety initiative. Essex County Fire and Rescue Service is offering to visit homes and fit alarms. Although 88 per cent of homes nationwide have a smoke alarm, it is estimated
MATT Pearce is enjoying a summer to remember, winning a quadruple of titles. The 25-year-old from Thorpe Bay triumphed in grade three standard events at Billericay, Felixstowe and Thorpe Bay before winning a grade four event at Westcliff Hard.
FANS of pop-rocking three-piece Scouting For Girls will be thrilled to know they are coming to Southend as part of their headline tour in November. It follows their new album Still Thinking About You, due out on October 16 on East West Records.
I’M absolutely delighted that the transfer window has now closed and that Daniel Bentley remains at the football club. The speculation surrounding his future has been distracting for everyone but throughout it all Daniel has been a credit to himself
JOSH Cullen’s PE teacher at St Thomas More School has spoken of his pride at seeing the youngster make his Premier League debut for West Ham United. The 19-year-old midfielder, who is an Irish youth international, was an injury-time replacement
SOUTHEND United goalkeeper Ted Smith has spoken of his pride after being called up into the England under 20 squad for the first time. The former King John School pupil, who lives in Benfleet, has previously played internationally at both under
FORMER Southend High School for Boys pupil Morgan Fox has won a first call-up to the Wales senior squad, ahead of two vital Euro 2016 qualifiers this week. The 21-year-old full-back has been in fine form this season, netting his first ever Charlton
SOUTHEND-BORN Dominic Iorfa has been rubbing shoulders with Wayne Rooney, Joe Hart and Raheem Sterling after being called up to train with the full England squad. Iorfa, who spent four years with Southend United as a youngster, had been training
JAMAL CRAWFORD, 20, from Ilford, appears in the musical the Bodyguard, at the Cliffs Pavilion, Westcliff, from Tuesday, September 15, to Saturday, September 26. How did you get started? There was no family history in the business. My dad is
There may be talk on a national level that the release of the Milk’s forthcoming new album has seen them become more soulful, but as homegrown fans will recognise that was the Wickford boys’ sound all along before they hit the big time. “Most people
A REFORMED East End gangster will be sharing tales of the criminal underworld at a Canvey church next week. John Pridmore, who served two prison sentences in his teens, now tours the globe as a motivational speaker. He will be sharing his story
HUNDREDS of mourners are expected to turn out for a Canvey man’s funeral after it emerged he had no family. Tony Banks, 77, was known across the island and was regularly seen on the seafront bird watching and drinking a cup of tea at hardware store
Southend's police chief has vowed to tackle the violent crime hike the district has seen over the last year. Chief insp Simon Anslow, district commander for Southend, said the 13.8 per cent increase in “violence against a person” from between
A teenager suffered stab wounds to his head, body and arms after he was attacked in Eastwood. The 16-year-old boy from Leigh, was rushed to Southend Hospital after the attack at a block of flats in Mansell Close. The attack comes as the borough
FROM Washington DC to San Francisco is 3,000 miles. You pass through 12 states, two mountain ranges, the Great Plains and two deserts. Chris Armishaw, 50, made it across the USA in just 15 days. And he did it on his bicycle. Chris, of Horseshoe
A COMMUNITY is in shock after residents reported seeing teenagers throwing bricks at a church. St Nicholas Church, in Long Road, Canvey, was targeted by four youths aged between 13 and 16 on Monday. Mike Halford, 27, of Willow Close, Canvey
COMMUTERS are experiencing disruption on both the A127 and A13. The A127 London bound has slow moving traffic between Rayleigh Weir (A129) and the Fairglen Interchange (A130/A1245). An earlier vehicle fire is causing delays on the A13 east
THE future of Southend’s landmark Nirvana flats development again appears in question. The block of 45 luxury flats, in The Leas, Chalkwell, has stood empty since being finished in 2012. There was hope of progress when Leigh businessman, David
FAMILY and friends are rallying round a toddler as he prepares to undergo four years of treatment after being diagnosed with leukaemia. Two-year-old Toby Peters has been diagnosed with the blood disease little more than a year after having lifesaving
