Echo news from Southend, Basildon, Castle Point,Rayleigh, Rochford, Wickford, Billericay, Thurrock

Woolwich Angels petition presented

12:53am Tuesday 18th June 2013

A petition calling for bravery medals to be given to three women who intervened in the aftermath of the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby is to be presented to Downing Street.

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Cameron hopes for unity on Syria

12:53am Tuesday 18th June 2013

David Cameron is hoping for a show of unity over Syria from the world's most powerful nations after a late-night showdown at the G8 summit in Northern Ireland.

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Saatchi 'admits Lawson assault'

12:47am Tuesday 18th June 2013

Art collector Charles Saatchi has admitted assaulting his wife Nigella Lawson during an argument outside a London restaurant, it is understood.

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TV licence fee excuses revealed

12:20am Tuesday 18th June 2013

A homeowner tried to wriggle out of paying their TV licence fee by claiming they merely used the glow from the set as a lamp to help them read.

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Prison wing lambasted in report

12:20am Tuesday 18th June 2013

A prison wing for low-risk inmates has been described by inspectors as the "worst establishment we have inspected in many years" following an unannounced visit.

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Children more at risk on roads

12:20am Tuesday 18th June 2013

The proportional share of death and serious injury on the roads involving children aged under five is at the highest level for 10 years, according to a report.

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Doubts raised over value of HS2

12:20am Tuesday 18th June 2013

Demand for the HS2 high-speed rail project has "likely been overestimated" and the £33 billion project does not offer good value for money, according to a report by a think-tank.

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'Huge problems' in social services

12:20am Tuesday 18th June 2013

Huge problems are building up in social services departments because of staff shortages and "impossibly high" child protection caseloads, a union has warned.

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Putin tackled over stance on Syria

10:23pm Monday 17th June 2013

Western nations are facing down Russian president Vladimir Putin at the G8 summit in Northern Ireland over his support for the regime of Bashar Assad in Syria.

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Murray Walker diagnosed with cancer

10:02pm Monday 17th June 2013

Former Formula One commentator Murray Walker has been diagnosed with cancer.

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Crews battle recycling plant blaze

7:43pm Monday 17th June 2013

Firefighters are continuing to battle a huge fire at a recycling plant - as environmental teams try to prevent polluted water escaping the site.

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Ambassador quizzed over spy claims

5:13pm Monday 17th June 2013

The UK's Ambassador in Turkey has faced questions over reports that GCHQ organised surveillance of the country's delegation to an international summit in London.

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Cameron talks up free trade deal

4:53pm Monday 17th June 2013

Europe and the US have launched talks on a free trade deal which Prime Minister David Cameron believes could add £100 billion to the European Union (EU) economy.

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Man jailed for killing daughter

4:22pm Monday 17th June 2013

A man has been jailed for two years for the manslaughter of his daughter who contracted swine flu and died after she was seriously injured when he shook her.

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Brady 'wants to end life in prison'

3:42pm Monday 17th June 2013

Moors murderer Ian Brady wants to go to prison so he is "free to end his life", a mental health tribunal has heard.

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Guilty plea in daughter death trial

3:20pm Monday 17th June 2013

A man has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his daughter who contracted swine flu and died after she was seriously injured when he shook her.

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Men urged to discuss health issues

2:45pm Monday 17th June 2013

Samuel L Jackson has urged men to be more open about their health problems in an attempt to tackle cancer.

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Pc tells of grapple with attacker

2:05pm Monday 17th June 2013

A police officer has described wrestling a knife-wielding attacker to the ground moments after he had stabbed worshippers at a mosque.

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Teacher 'was concerned' for girl

1:34pm Monday 17th June 2013

A schoolgirl allegedly abducted to France by her married maths teacher has told a court that he came with her because he feared she might commit suicide.

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Trade group expects 2014 to be a key year for gaming

12:25pm Monday 17th June 2013

A videogame organisation believes 2014 will be a pivotal year for games developers in the UK following a bumper week full of major reveals.

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Bid to ease emergency care pressure

1:14pm Monday 17th June 2013

The NHS must design a simpler system if it is to relieve pressure on emergency care, according to a new report.

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Nigella pictures 'a playful tiff'

1:00pm Monday 17th June 2013

Photographs which appear to show Charles Saatchi grabbing his wife Nigella Lawson's throat were the result of a "playful tiff", he said.

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Ofcom probes soldier murder footage

12:37pm Monday 17th June 2013

TV watchdog Ofcom has launched an investigation over the decision by broadcasters to air footage before the watershed from the scene of the murder of soldier Lee Rigby.

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Girl abduction charge man remanded

12:27pm Monday 17th June 2013

A 35-year-old man accused of abducting a 14-year-old girl has been remanded in custody by magistrates.

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Sex victims lying, Hall told police

11:39am Monday 17th June 2013

Disgraced broadcaster Stuart Hall told police that his sex victims were all lying as part of a "vendetta going on against people in the public eye", a court has heard.

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Cameron mum on 2009 G20 'spy' claim

9:30am Monday 17th June 2013

David Cameron has refused to comment on reports that GCHQ - Britain's electronic eavesdropping agency - mounted an intensive spying operation on foreign politicians attending two G20 summit meetings in London in 2009.

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Security tight as Obama flies in

9:09am Monday 17th June 2013

US President Barack Obama has arrived in Belfast amid the biggest security operation ever mounted in Northern Ireland.

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PM speaks of Syria opposition fears

8:32am Monday 17th June 2013

David Cameron said he is "as worried as anyone" about terrorist and extremist elements among opposition forces fighting to oust Bashar Assad in Syria.

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NHS 'needs new urgent care system'

7:24am Monday 17th June 2013

The NHS in England must design a simpler system if it is to relieve pressure on emergency care, it has been reported.

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Microsoft needs to look at UK indies, says gaming boss

12:44pm Monday 3rd June 2013

A gaming organisation says Microsoft must look after the interests of independent developers to help creative sectors in the United Kingdom.

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Bridger guilty of April's murder

12:26pm Thursday 30th May 2013

Former slaughterhouse worker Mark Bridger has been found guilty of abducting and murdering schoolgirl April Jones.

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April case evidence 'overwhelming'

1:20pm Tuesday 28th May 2013

There is "overwhelming" evidence against the man accused of murdering April Jones, a jury has been told.

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Unpredictable weather continues

12:23pm Sunday 26th May 2013

Britain's unpredictable weather is set to continue this Bank Holiday as parts of the country bask in glorious sunshine on Sunday before temperatures plummet to near freezing in places overnight.

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'Suspicious' vehicle closes M-way

6:15pm Friday 24th May 2013

Bank holiday travellers faced huge tailbacks on one of the country's busiest motorways as police closed a stretch of the M6 while they investigate a "suspicious vehicle" at a service station.

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Two held after mid-air plane alert

3:12pm Friday 24th May 2013

Two men have been arrested at Stansted Airport on suspicion of endangerment of an aircraft after an RAF Typhoon jet was scrambled to escort a passenger plane travelling from Pakistan to the UK.

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Support surges for Help For Heroes

9:21pm Thursday 23rd May 2013

The charity Help For Heroes has been swamped with donations, leading to its website crashing, after Drummer Lee Rigby was murdered while wearing one of its tops.

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Man 'beheaded' in street attack

5:00pm Wednesday 22nd May 2013

A man has been killed and two others were taken to hospital with gunshot wounds following a "serious incident" understood to involve a serving soldier.

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Area shut after 'serious incident'

4:07pm Wednesday 22nd May 2013

Police are dealing with a "serious incident" after responding to reports of an assault.

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House asking prices reach new high

12:08am Monday 20th May 2013

House sellers' asking prices have soared to a new high, in further signs of confidence returning to the market, a property website has reported.

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Red Arrows cleared for new displays

11:19am Friday 17th May 2013

The RAF's Red Arrows air display team has been cleared by the Chief of the Air Staff to fly in displays this year, the RAF said.

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Fire services 'could save £200m'

11:07am Friday 17th May 2013

Fire and rescue services in England could save up to £200 million a year if they were operated more efficiently, according to a report.

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British Olympic sailor dies as America's Cup boat capsizes

11:44pm Thursday 9th May 2013

Olympic gold medal-winning sailor Andrew Simpson, from Sherborne, Dorset, has died after his yacht capsized off the coast of California, his team said.

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Credit unions to pool resources

12:09am Tuesday 7th May 2013

More than 30 credit unions have signed up to a "landmark" expansion drive which will save consumers up to £1 billion in loan interest repayments in the coming years.

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Keira Knightley 'marries in France'

6:46am Sunday 5th May 2013

She is estimated to be worth £30 million, but Hollywood star Keira Knightley opted for a low-key wedding to her musician boyfriend, which was sealed with a simple "oui" at the altar, it has been reported.

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Four winners share Lotto jackpot

11:06pm Saturday 4th May 2013

Four winners shared Saturday night's Lotto jackpot of £3.5 million, Camelot have said.

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Deputy Speaker held on sex charges

10:58pm Saturday 4th May 2013

Deputy House of Commons Speaker and Conservative MP Nigel Evans has been released on bail after being arrested on suspicion of rape.

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Britain dodges triple-dip slump

9:43am Thursday 25th April 2013

The UK has avoided an unprecedented triple-dip recession after the economy grew by a better-than-expected 0.3% at the start of the year, official figures have revealed.

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Videogame companies shunning high street in favour of digital

10:30am Wednesday 24th April 2013

More game developers than ever before are working on games that are distributed online rather than in high street shops.

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Vigilantes 'threaten prosecutions'

5:17pm Monday 22nd April 2013

Self-proclaimed "vigilantes" posing online as underage girls to meet alleged paedophiles could threaten successful prosecutions, say police.

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