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

Boutique owner taunted by boasting 'thieves' who stole £1,500 worth of clothes

10

Cousins jailed for brutal killing of elderly great-uncle in botched robbery

Salon helps charity with cash donation again

Man pinned to the ground and arrested after reports of 'armed drug gang'

1

Manhunt as arsonists set fire to caravan

Child, 9, hit by car near train station

1

Man due in court after police officers threatened with knife

'Richard's death devastated us... and now we want to help others'

Tesco Lee's FOUR-MONTH silence while working lands more than £7k

5

Cash boost means new visitor centre for wildlife reserve

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Yob gang uses catapult to launch stones at houses

6

Cat rescued from six-inch gap in home wall

4

Bride-to-be wants compensation after cancelled Southend flight 'ruins' hen do

37

Social worker faces misconduct hearing accused of faking documents for loan claim

29

'Operation Heatwave' launched as town prepares for tourist influx as temperatures set to soar

6

Manhunt as 93-year-old woman is targeted in street robbery

5

WATCH: Video shows moped yob run red light before seafront crash

16

Dog walker forced to give chase as gang attempt to steal family pet

9

Updated

Picture shows armed police arrest man in the middle of the road

Armed gang storm house and target couple inside

5

Detective convicted of mishandling abuse cases set to be sacked

4

Police officer found with 'extreme porn' clips sent racist and homophobic messages on Whatsapp

10

Southend group confirm one member arrested in Extinction Rebellion protests

12

Man arrested by armed police after reports of a 'man with a knife'

Dad's mission to make sure son James is never, ever forgotten

REVEALED: The pop-up escape room set to take over shopping centre for Easter weekend

Hotel's three-storey expansion plans are thrown out

Four people accused of stabbing 36-year-old to death appear in court

Aggressive beggar jailed after headbutting shop worker who asked him to move

12

Woman, 93, suffers head injury after being knocked down in attempted robbery

7

Failing surgery slammed by watchdog as patients are deemed 'unsafe'

Man jailed for drug offences after cops uncover text message ads for drugs

6

Sex predator who raped uni student while she slept jailed for EIGHT years

Limited edition 007 Thunderbird once owned by Jonathan Ross on sale in Hockley

12

Asthma sufferers warned of 'deadly pollen bomb' as weather heats up

23

How you could be owed £300 from Mastercard, even if you've never had a credit card

10

Man who died in Brentwood was not murdered, police confirm

Updated

Schools' Grenfell cladding fears allayed after inspection

15

This is why you won't be able to buy a rabbit from Pets at Home this Easter

17

Boy who ‘saw red’ as he stamped on a schoolboy’s face handed referral order

11

Police chase man in a stolen car loaded with drugs

13

Drug addicted gang jailed for masked robbery at newsagents

21

Man attacked by yobs after enjoying night out at the pub

14

Yobs cause estimated £500 worth of damage to mental health charity garden

8

Child who waved meat cleaver in front of house spared jail and told to make amends

New scheme with hospitals supporting youths to help combat gangs

5

Wildlife trust says fire caused irreparable damage to popular nature reserve

9

Boy, 14, must register as sex offender after child sex abuse images found

Motorists left frustrated after quadbikers cause chaos on A13

32

Traders call in heatwave staff for Easter rush

11

Woman punched in face by armed mugger in country park

9

Homeless street party is success after 100 weeks of help

500 back room hospital staff to move into Southend as merger gets underway

5

Nearly 90 per cent of Southend kids get primary school first choices

Man accused of harassing Labour MP appears at court

Safety concerns for horses kept on 'eyesore' piece of land

19

Rogue trader targeted elderly victims in Essex with 'pointless repairs'

8

Man released under investigation after more than 450 cannabis plants found

58

Nominate your community hero: 12th year of Citizen of Southend Awards

Man, 50s, dies after lorry crash on M25

Crash with horse lorry blocking A127

3

Updated

Man dies at scene of lorry smash on M25

1

GP practice not effective or safe says watchdog

11

Teen charged after commando knife discovered on train from Southend

Bosses excited about opening new £1m ride at Adventure Island

4

Future of council's energy company secure with new partnership

1

Pop up sofa shop with bar opens at Lakeside Shopping Centre

10

Commerical buildings could be demolished to make way for new flats

15

Block of flats could be built on site of one of Southend's oldest schools

9

Council could extend £1 billion agreement with highways contractor

7

Updated

Traffic light damaged in Southend crash

2

Aunt’s horror as see-saw breaks while children play

10

Shop owner 'will be scarred for life' after town centre attack by yobs

8

Outrage as memorial plaques are stolen from seafront

13

Man once helped by Billericay FC owner Glenn Tamplin admits assault

2

Murder probe launched after man dies in high street

Southend Film Festival unveils jam-packed line up for 2019

Southend stars in new music video for Stones Roses front man Ian Brown

1

Bird watching hide destroyed by arsonists at popular beauty spot

6

Teen rushed to hospital after drink spiking claims at Unit 7 nightclub

Actor launches app to get more people going to the theatre

Home-schooled children are 'at risk because of lack of checks on their lives'

12

All the Blues news

Blues defender Demetriou needs knee op and will miss the rest of the season

Shrimpers fan in the stand: 'Home form has been a disgrace'

Blues defender Elvis: We have to deal with pressure if we want to stay up

Read more All the Blues news

Sport

Sussex: Basildon are not already on holidays despite survival

Westley: we are looking to address one-day shortfalls

Freddy bags winner as Blues go back top

The Cowley brothers complete ‘objective’ of winning promotion

Beale hails Concord's character after victory at Truro

Emmanuel insists Billericay are treating each game like a play-off tie

Blues boss Bond: We're still up for the fight

5

Blues striker Kelman watches Wycombe clash with fans

Blues' youngsters lose to Exeter

Bowers boss Small: I’ll never forget what Felixstowe did

Win the chance to be a Blues mascot at Sid Broomfield Trophy

Beale: Play-off place is perfect motivation for Concord

Southend Saxons finish season in style

Rochford unbeaten for second term in a row

Westcliff make promotion play-offs with final day win

Blues still waiting for Demetriou update

The final say: Blues facing a huge battle to stay up after Wycombe defeat

6

Read more Sport

National sport

A closer look at England’s Champions League semi-finalists

McLeish’s second spell as Scotland manager ends with the sack

Cult hero Cassidy keen to watch new Wigan heroes shine against St Helens

Former Scotland captain Boyd calls for SFA to show ambition when replacing McLeish

The rise of Manchester United Women: Who, how and what next?

Jarrell Miller: I’ve never knowingly taken any banned substance

Potential alternatives for Anthony Joshua if Jarrell Miller is suspended

Read more National sport

Read more National sport

Blues

Boss Bond is shocked by Blues’ performance against Wycombe

6

Blues boss Bond explains decision to leave out Moore

Blues midfielder Hyam set for 'two or three weeks out'

Wycombe boss Ainsworth praises ‘awesome’ Akinfenwa

1

Frustrated Blues fans have their say on defeat to Wycombe

4

Blues boss Bond: We played like we were already doomed and it's unacceptable

Match report: Southend United 0, Wycombe Wanderers 2

Read more Blues

National news

Bus crash probe begins as officials confirm all 29 killed on Madeira were German

Hundreds of people with learning disabilities ‘trapped in hospitals’

Eugenie joins the Queen for Maundy Thursday service

Brexit ‘an aberration’ in bid to strengthen peace process – Pelosi

UK dog owners more likely to meet physical activity targets, study suggests

Alliance leader announces she will run for European Parliament

Ukip’s controversial candidates cause chaotic scenes

Read more National news