A POPULAR police officer who patrolled the streets of south Essex for 20 years has died aged 76. Charlie Burt worked in Basildon and Canvey, from 1964 until the late 1980s, where he is remembered as a cheerful, jovial man. His son John, 47, who lives
GOOD old Shandy has outlived all his stable mates, still has his own teeth, and could well be the oldest horse in the UK. He may be small, but this grey-speckled Dartmoor pony is still in fine fettle, at the grand old age of 48. Shandy was bought more
A SENIOR councillor has been accused of scaremongering after claiming Southend Airport could be used as an asylum centre if it was forced to closed. Tory cabinet member Mark Flewitt, responsible for social care, said he understood the centre was a "distinct
THE leader of a political party claims it will have virtually no voice under planned changes to the council's decision-making system. The Canvey Independent Party, which represents more than 40,000 people in Castle Point, has been told it will not be
A GROUP of hospital porters have scooped hundreds of thousands of pounds on the lottery. The 36-strong syndicate, who all work at Basildon Hospital, together won £344,736 in the Euro Millions draw - £9,576 each. It was only the third week they had got
I AM trying to arrange a reunion for former staff who worked at WH Smith in Southend between 1975 and 1980. I worked in their travel agency during this time and I recently met Lin Howe who worked in the books department and we thought it would be a
I AM trying to arrange a reunion for former staff who worked at WH Smith in Southend between 1975 and 1980. I worked in their travel agency during this time and I recently met Lin Howe who worked in the books department and we thought it would be a
WEST Ham could share Upton Park with fierce rivals Tottenham Hotspur for two seasons, it has been revealed. The North London club wants to re-develop its White Hart Lane home, adding 16,000 extra seats to take the capacity up to around 52,000. However
WEST Ham captain Lucas Neill is believed to be in talks over a bumper new £75,000-a-week contract. The new deal would put the Australian, who signed a £60,000-a-week two-and-a-half year contract with the Irons when he joined them from Blackburn Rovers
WEST Ham's Carling Cup quarter-final tie against Everton at Upton Park will take place on Wednesday, December 12. The match - which takes place three days before the clubs face-off in a Premier League game at the same venue - will kick-off at 7.45pm
A HOSPITAL worker with a passion for percussion has taken ownership of a rare new hang drum. Chris Baron, 36, became the first person in the world to receive a diploma in therapeutic drumming in July. The father-of-two was invited to Switzerland to
CASTLE Point mayor Beverley Egan has celebrated being given the all clear from cancer with an afternoon of champagne and chocolates. The St Peter's ward councillor underwent an emergency hysterectomy and removal of her lymph glands at Southend Hospital
A CHURCH has celebrated the completion of a two-year £250,000 refurbishment project. Christ Church United Reformed Church, in Rayleigh, has reopened and marked the occasion with a family fun day. Hundreds of church members and visitors turned up to
SHANDY, 48, a Shetland pony from Canvey, is believed to be the oldest surviving horse in Britain. He is the equivalent in human years of 168. So now at last we know the perfect diet for longevity. It should soon be popping up on menus everywhere - grass
SUDDENLY Thames Gateway is in business, and wants us to know it is. A £600,000 grant for the revamp of Warrior Square, Southend, has been backed by a personal visit from Government minister Yvette Cooper, the Gateway's boss of bosses, to reinforce the
RECKLESS motorists could soon find themselves on the wrong side of the law after two electronic anti-speeding signs were put up along a busy road. The two devices were installed along both sides of Thorney Bay Road, Canvey, following a string of complaints
DRUNKEN yobs have returned to cause mayhem in two notorious tower blocks. Residents of Royal Court, in Laindon, claim gangs of youths have taken over the stairwells of the blocks where they drink, smoke drugs, urinate, vomit and even have sex. Thugs
NEW homes could replace a health centre in Shoebury, councillors fear. South East Essex Primary Care Trust plans to build a state-of-the-art health centre in Shoebury, possibly at the garrison site. This would mean the closure of the current health
TRAVELLERS are refusing to divulge personal details to Basildon Council. Next month, the council will once again vote over whether or not to boot families off Dale Farm, Crays Hill, before the fight goes to the High Court in February. Councillors want
FIREFIGHTERS have tackled a blaze in a bungalow in Hockley. The roof is well alight and crews from Hadleigh, Rayleigh and Hawkwell are at the scene in Mount Crescent. A 45-year-old man was taken to Southend Hospital suffering from burns to his hands
RUNWELL Wyverns remain top of Essex Three after beating Ravens 27-8 on Saturday. Ravens opened the scoring with a penalty but Runwell hit back with three points from Shane Jones. A try from number eight Ryan Jones then put them ahead, with Jones
WHEN the Southend Borough Combination Veterans League charity night was held at the Hollywood Restaurant, Benfleet, a special presentation was made to one of non-league soccer's most endearing characters, Ron Hanley. One-time Basildon United boss Hanley
BASILDON taxis have new markings to protect passengers and stop cowboy cabbies earning a dishonest living. All licensed taxis must now have stickers, emblazoned with their Basildon Council licence number, fastened to their cabs. Previously, taxi drivers
LUIS Boa Morte has admitted his frustration at being left out of the West Ham team in recent weeks, but still believes he made the right decision to join the Irons. The Portuguese forward left Fulham in a £5million deal in January and was part of the
BILLERICAY Town fans are expected to snap up the last tickets for the club's first ever date with Football League opposition on Saturday in the next day or so. Town take on the Swans with a 1pm kick-off in the FA Cup first round proper and the New
A QUICK thinking neighbour alerted fire fighters after a flat on Canvey was targeted by suspected arsonists. Smoke and water was spotted spilling from the ground floor flat on Gafzelle Drive. Vandals had left a towel on the hob and turned on the
Harry Potter lookalikes tricked shoppers at the Eastgate Centre. The Basildon shopping centre held a Potter fun day. Children out with their mum and dads were delighted to meet lookalikes of the boy wizard hero, from JK Rowling's blockbuster books, and
FIREWORK displays are under threat from increasing red tape, it has been claimed. Increasing amounts of health and safety legislation have led to spiralling costs as organisers must now carry out risk assessments and only professionals can set off fireworks
A FIREWORK spectacular on Canvey had to be delayed because youths broke through a hedge and were spotted loitering around the display area. Castle Point Council's annual firework display was attended by more than 5,000 people and hailed as a great success
EMERGENCY roadworks to repair a burst water main gridlocked traffic in Rayleigh this morning (Tuesday). Essex and Suffolk Water are working to repair the main in Eastwood Road which burst in the early hours. Twenty properties have had their water supply
SOUTHEND United's promising midfielder Franck Moussa is again aiming to prove his worth when the Shrimpers travel to Nottingham Forest tonight. The 18-year-old Belgian was a surprise starter at Northampton Town on Saturday. And he is now looking
PLANS to develop a privately-run mini hospital in south Essex have been scrapped, an MP claims. Billericay's Tory MP John Baron said the Government has confirmed there will be no health centre built on the Festival Leisure Park, Basildon. He said: "
SOUTHEND Rugby coach Kevin Harman heaped praise on his side after they returned to winning ways with a 40-6 demolition of Waterloo at Warner's Bridge on Saturday. The Seasiders ran home six tries, with Faapulou Soolefai scoring twice, but Harman was
BASILDON secured their first victory of the season, beating Billericay 28-10. Despite the eventual outcome it was Billericay who began brightly as skipper Steve Butler released Robinson. But just as he was about to go over he was denied by a great
WESTCLIFF maintained their amazing start to the season with a 43-14 win at Ipswich on Sunday. A scintillating first half display effectively ended their latest triumph after just 20 minutes. By then Westcliff were 36-0 up and out of sight. Warren
BASILDON Sunday League side Nicholas Wybacks saw their run in the FA Sunday Cup come to an end when they lost 3-1 to Mayfair United in the second round at the weekend.
THE Southend and District Badminton Association will be holding their second badminton bonanza tournament next month. The event is open for social players who do not play in any leagues and will be held at Southend High School for Boys on Saturday,
HADLEIGH & Thundersley take on Thurrock League champions Stanford-le-Hope in a play-off at Chelmsford tomorrow night. The winners will then qualify for the Essex finals in January. Hadleigh warmed up for the big game by beating Rankins by six wickets
SOUTHEND Swifts senior women's team were rewarded for an excellent National Cup first round win with a visit to Division One London Heathrow Acers, who finished third in last season's championship. Heathrow have an outstanding group of players including
SOUTHEND United goalkeeper Steve Collis heads back to his former Nottingham Forest side tonight looking to continue his fine form between the sticks. The 26-year-old, who has now started the last 12 matches for the Shrimpers, impressed while keeping
FORMER Southend United trainee Matt Lockwood has been ruled out of tonight's clash at the City Ground with an ankle injury. The left back joined Forest from Leyton Orient during the summer but has managed to make just one appearance so far this season
CONCORD Rangers could take over third place on goal difference if they can overcome one of their main challengers for honours, Barkingside, in tonight's key Essex Senior League fixture at Thames Road. The Canvey side are in a rich vein of form at the
A £600,000 boost for Southend's town centre has been revealed by housing and planning minister Yvette Cooper. The Government minister made a whistle-stop visit to the town as part of her role in charge of the Thames Gateway development. The new money
For some time now this country has been suffering from an epidemic, about which the Government failed to warn us. I refer to "celebrity flu," the effect of which seems to be the destruction of all reason and restraint in the sufferer's attempt to latch
Steve Horgan seems to not understand about the Wickford masterplan (Nov 1). Residents are not against our actual town centre being improved, what we object to is the fact that so far there is no sign of this. My complaints are things such as
Bandstand and seaside - go together like "horse and carriage", like "salt and pepper" and like "Southend Council culture department and wrong decisions". Is there anyone in our town, apart from councillor David Garston, who cannot foresee that it is
POLICE are investigating a fire at a primary school which forced 650 pupils to be evacuated. The fire service are treating the small fire at Westborough Primary School, in Westcliff, as deliberate and are working with police to identify the cause. It
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a cyclist died from serious head injuries following a smash with a Ford Mondeo. Kenneth Lofthouse, 55, was cycling along Westbourne Grove, Southend, on October 27 when his pedal bike collided with a blue Ford
I DON'T spend every Friday night trying to pull Sally although apparently, I should. Before I get too many raised eyebrows though, the Sally I'm talking about is the tufted handgrip on a bellringer's rope. Last week, I became an honorary bellringer
SAID to be Michael Jackson's clone, Essex-based impersonator Navi is about as close to the real thing as you will ever get. The 34-year-old mega fan started performing as the King of Pop 19 years ago and has gone onto have extensive plastic surgery to
A COUNCIL has defended a parking warden who parked a van on double yellow lines as he issued a ticket to another motorist. Eagle-eyed Dan MacPherson took a quick photo of the Rochford District Council vehicle. The parking enforcement officer was ticketing
A VOLUNTEER group is seeking young at heart gardeners, ballroom dancers and cooks to boost its project bringing different generations together. Castle Point Association of Voluntary Services hopes its Uniting the Ages initiative will help banish popular
SOUTHEND Council is spending £5million every year employing agency staff. Officials are now hoping to slash the bill by up to 10 per cent by joining with Essex County Council to agree joint contracts for temporary workers. Agency staff have been brought
BACK in the late eighties you would be forgiven for thinking that music only consisted of cheesy soap stars cashing in on their moment of fame. Amidst your Kylie Minogues, Jason Donovans and Stefan Dennises a small Scottish band where shining a beacon
A FIRE broke out in timber pallets on an industrial site. The flames caught hold near a skip in Progress Road, Leigh, at 9.10pm on Monday. Firefighters took 20 minutes to douse the fire.
A grass fire broke out in Leigh Hill, Leigh. Firefighters put out flames at the side of the road at 9.30pm on Monday.
CAMPAIGNERS who are demanding a 200-year-old footpath is reopened are facing opposition from neighbours who say it is "nothing but trouble". Residents formed a protest group after Thurrock Council installed gates at the entrance of the footpath connecting
DRUNKEN yobs have returned to cause mayhem in two notorious tower blocks. Residents of Royal Court, in Laindon, claim gangs of youths have taken over the stairwells of the blocks where they drink, smoke drugs, urinate, vomit and even have sex. Thugs
A MAN had to be treated for hypothermia after his canoe capsized - leaving him clinging on to a moored boat in freezing waters. Dan Castle, 24, and John Dixon, 26, were paddling in two canoes when one tipped over, near Westcliff Esplanade. The RNLI
COUNCIL bosses have apologised for sending residents a "confusing" letter, which created fears they would have to shell out thousands of pounds on repairs. Barry Hughes, 65, from Royal Court, Laindon, received a letter from St Georges Community Housing
POLICE want help in tracking down these men. (1) Jason Portman, 30, was last known to be in the Shoebury area and is wanted for failing to appear at court for traffic offences. He is 5ft 8ins tall, slim, with brown eyes and brown hair. He has two front
A DOCTOR is campaigning for a change in attitudes towards a devastating illness, which can leave sufferers unable to walk. Southend Hospital consultant physician Dr Tony Collings wants to tackle the stigma surrounding chronic fatigue syndrome or ME
ASK any teenager why they hang around on street corners and they often complain it's because they've got nowhere else to go. But youngsters across south Essex no longer have that excuse, after Essex County Council spent £333,000 on a new fleet of mobile
A SPECTACULAR fireworks display turned the air blue... red, green, silver and gold! Thousands of wide-eyed spectators who crammed into Gloucester Park, Basildon, were wowed by the dazzling array of colourful explosions. Basildon Round Table organised
REGULARS at a pub raised an impressive £12,000 for charity as a result of fundraising events throughout the year. Michelle Matson, landlady of the Hoy and Helmet pub, in High Street, Benfleet, presented the cheque to London's Great Ormond Street Children's
A PASSENGER was punched and robbed of his mobile phone by an unlicensed cabbie. The 26-year-old man hailed the unlicensed mini-cab in Shoe Lane, in the City of London, after a night out. The cabbie dropped the victim near to his home in Centurion Way
A TENACIOUS teenager met the Duke of Edinburgh when she picked up a prestigious award at St James's Palace. Charlotte Claughton, 19, of Coxes Farm Road, Billericay, was invited to the palace, in London, after achieving her Duke of Edinburgh gold award
WORRIED residents want assurances about the development planned for an allotment at Warners Bridge, Southend. Ted Lewin, Lib Dem councillor for St Lawrence, said locals have been repeatedly told this is going to be a waste transfer station. However
