Archive

  • Does this jewellery ring a bell with you?

    POLICE recovered suspected stolen jewellery from a pawnbrokers in Southend. Officers want to trace the owners of the haul, which includes two silver wedding bands in sizes R and S. There are also gold rings which spell out Mum and Dad, a gold pendant

  • Chimney fire at home in Southend

    FIREFIGHTERS spent two hours battling a chimney fire in a family home. The blaze started at a house in East Street, Prittlewell, about 6.30pm today. It is believed to have begun from a log burner that caused soot in the chimney to catch

  • Errol’s harp at blues night

    ERROL Linton’s Blues Vibe bring a Caribbean flavour to the New Crawdaddy Blues Club, Crays Hill, tomorrow night. Three times winner of Blues Harp Player of the year, Errol and his band play eclectic British blues, but with a taste of West Indies heritage

  • Slick in the groove

    THE Slick Notes plan to get you into the groove at Bar Lambs, Station Road,Westcliff, on Thursday, February 12. A group of Essex musicians, from Shoeburyness to Colchester, via Maldon, the band play a mixture of original material, written by trumpeter

  • Quartet will celebrate Ken’s birthday

    THE Simon Spillett Quartet play a special 75th birthday tribute to Kenny Baxter at Churchill’s Cafe Bar, Southend, on Sunday. Kenny, known affectionately as the Godfather, promoted live music in the town for an incredible 55 years. He started playing

  • Danny shows a classy band

    DENNY Newman and the Regulars bring a bit of musical pedigree to Blues at the Farm, Billericay, on Saturday afternoon. As a singer, songwriter and guitarist during the Seventies, Denny worked with Manfred Mann and the Pirates, before recording his own

  • Punk band is headed for a future with a legend

    A COLLABORATION with Buzzcocks’ Pete Shelley was a dream come true for RedTrack. The punk trio play a hometown gig at Chinnery’s, on Saturday, as they gear up for the release of their new double-A side single, Pole Dancer/Addicted to Lust, released on

  • It’s never too late for Quo

    STATUS Quo fans attending the rescheduled gigs at the Cliffs Pavilion next week get the added treat of watching a bright new talent. Luke White, 20, supports the old rockers in Westcliff, on Tuesday and Wednesday, playing a set of atmospheric bluesy-pop

  • Good wishes for Harry's stunt double

    GET well messages have been flooding in via a social networking site for a stuntman badly injured on the new Harry Potter film set. Leigh stunt double David Holmes, 25, suffered a serious back injury while standing in for star Daniel Radcliffe, during

  • Changes offer kids in care a better future

    CHILDREN and young people in care will benefit from a new system which encourages them to take more risks and make more decisions for themselves. Over the next three years, 200 staff in the county council children’s homes will be retrained

  • Car skids on ice and hits gas main

    A WOMAN spun out of control in her car on and hit a gas main. The crash ruptured a pipe in the front garden of a house in Langham Crescent, Billericay, causing a leak. A cordon was set up and residents were evacuated following the crash this morning

  • Catching crooks on camera

    POLICE in Pitsea have become the latest officers to be given headcams. They will use the £1,500-a-piece headgear on patrol in Pitsea, Vange and Basildon’s Festival Leisure Park. The devices, which hold up to five hours of footage, will

  • Robber pulls knife on terrified shop worker

    A TERRIFIED shop assistant was threatened with a knife during an armed robbery. The 21-year-old man was working at The Local off-licence on Stacey’s Corner, Timberlog Lane, Basildon, when the raider burst in and demanded bottles of booze and

  • Talks on new health centre plan continue

    A HEALTH trust has said it is still in talks to build a health centre in Wickford. The South West Essex Primary Care Trust said it was working with residents and Basildon Council, to make sure the new health centre went ahead. Plans for the centre are

  • Marine inquiry raises trawler safety fears

    CONCERNS have been raised over the safety of small fishing vessels, following the sinking of a Leigh trawler. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has published a preliminary report about the sinking of the 40ft trawler Louisa and the loss

  • Assistant teachers' job cuts

    AN equal pay scheme could see schools having to cut non-teaching staff in a bid to balance the books. But Southend Council insists the education of primary school children will not suffer despite the cuts being made following an equal pay agreement last

  • Plea to unmask graffiti bandit

    A SPATE of more than 50 graffiti tags have sprung up across Leigh. The bright green and orange tags, which bear the words Mask and NH for nasty habit, have been daubed across walls in Belfairs Park, the cinder path along the seafront, Manchester

  • Winning the battle against teen yobs

    HUNDREDS of children on a Canvey estate have been sent packing by a police crackdown on antisocial behaviour. Since a dispersal order was introduced for the Winter Gardens estate on November 19, police have given formal notices to 300 youngsters

  • Dalla Bona reveals Zola approach

    ITALIAN midfielder Samuele Dalla Bona has offered his services to West Ham having recently cut short his contract with Napoli. Dalla Bona, who spent four years at Chelsea before joining AC Milan in 2002, is eager to again prove his worth in the Premier

  • Supermarket may open new petrol station

    A SUPERMARKET chain is thought to be planning a town centre expansion. The Hadleigh branch of Morrisons has refused to confirm or deny it is considering buying the former Lookers Land Rover plot, next to its store in London Road. Lookers shut up shop

  • We’re young at art

    ARTISTIC youngsters have got plenty to show off about after having their work put on a display at their school. Pupils at Willows Primary School, in Church Road, Basildon, had their artistic endeavours framed and mounted in a special gallery.

  • Nieminen’s started, so he will Finnish

    KAUKO Nieminen only managed nine meetings for Lakeside last season before he sustained a broken collar bone that ended his season prematurely. But he had done enough to impress the Hammers management team to include the Finnish-born rider in their plans

  • When music is the food of rescue

    A MUSIC lover who was forced to give up her hobby due to poor health has donated her instruments to charity to help raise £500. Avril Osborne-Taylor, 76, was advised to cut down on playing her beloved clarinet, saxophone and accordion after

  • Storm in a tea dance as council demands licence fee

    AN arts charity may have to rethink an educational workshop after being told it needed an entertainment licence. Sit and Fidget, a Southend-based group, wanted to hold a 1940s workshop at the end of the month. However, Government red tape means it will

  • Rayleigh in decay says planning boss

    COUNCIL bosses hope Rayleigh town centre can be revamped to try to attract better shops and more restaurants and bars. Rochford district councillor responsible for planning, Keith Hudson, said the town centre of Rayleigh, like Hockley and Rochford

  • Travellers to meet council over eviction plan

    TRAVELLERS are preparing talk to Basildon Council officials in a series of meetings before evictions from the Dale Farmsite can start. Representatives from the Crays Hill site are due to meet officials at the Basildon Centre on Friday. Council leader

  • Thugs, one just 15, snatch handbag in violent attack

    A WOMAN was pushed to the floor and robbed of her handbag by violent muggers – and one of them was believed to be just 15. The 30-year-old was attacked by two males in Argent Street, Grays. She was walking along the street when the attackers grabbed

  • Sladden thorn in Runnymede side

    RUNNYMEDE A are still leading the race for the Premiership title in the Southend Table Tennis League following their narrow 5-4 win over third-placed Rawreth A. Kevin Caldon and Stuart Gibbs both bagged a brace and Dave Bowles added one, but they all

  • Musson goes carp crazy as he storms to victory

    A STUNNING performance by Stanford le Hope matchman John Musson saw him demolish the opposition at the Ridley Angling Products Gloucester Park Open, finishing more than 80lb clear of the field. Having won the previous match at the venue with a 55lb-carp

  • School trio Fitz the bill for Essex in English Schools

    THREE star athletes from Rayleigh’s FitzWimarc School have been chosen to run for Essex in the English Schools’ Cross-Country Championships in Leicester on March 21. Their selection follows outstanding displays by the trio when the County Schools’ Championships

  • Colchester: Man dies as car hits lamp-post

    A MOTORIST has died after his car crashed into a lamppost. Police were called after a black Volkswagen Passat hit a lamp-post in Brinkley Grove Road, High Woods, Colchester, knocking it across the road at 1.20pm yesterday. Ambulance

  • Harry turns junk into art

    A STUDENT at South East Essex College created a giant clock device entirely out of unwanted junk. Harry Foottit, a 19- year-old art and design foundation diploma student, created the work using chairs, a wardrobe, a desk fan and a number of

  • £86,000 fun park for youngsters

    New play equipment for 11 to 16 year olds, has been installed in Lake Meadows park, Biller- icay and is proving a hit with youngsters. The playground includes a shelter to meet friends, obstacles to climb and hang off and a large space net

  • School drop clogs up road

    PARENTS who clog the roads around a Westcliff school have been warned they could cause an accident. The streets near Crowstone Preparatory School have become so congested at drop-off times, children cannot see to cross safely. The issue was raised at

  • O'Keefe shortlisted for awards

    SHRIMPERS midfielder Stuart O’Keefe has been been shortlisted for the 2009 Footballer League Awards. The 17-year-old is up for glory in the apprentice of the year section. But he faces competition from Carlisle United defender Tom Aldred and MK Dons

  • Robinson out to turn up the juice

    THEO Robinson wants to show he has the talent to get to the top during his loan stint with Southend United. The young striker, from Watford, produced a superb man of the match display for the Shrimpers in last weekend’s 1-0 win over Bristol Rovers.

  • Call-off was a first for veteran Dougie

    HAVING turned professional 17 years ago, Shrimpers striker Dougie Freedman probably thought he had witnessed all there was to see in football. But that was before last night’s antics at Roots Hall. Referee Keith Hill decided to call off Blues’ game

  • Adkins backs referee

    SCUNTHORPE United manager Nigel Adkins felt referee Keith Hill made the right decision in calling off last night’s clash at Roots Hall. The game was called off 20 minutes before kick-off, with the pitch frozen. And Adkins, who worked as the club’s physiotherapist

  • Three car smash in Shoebury

    THREE cars were involved in a smash in Shoebury. An ambulance and rapid response vehicle was called to Royal Artillery Way at just before 8am. When the crews arrived they found no one at the scene.

  • Injury-ravaged Westcliff hit by Stevenage

    WESTCLIFF'S hopes of survival suffered a huge blow at the weekend as they were thrashed 52-0 by relegation rivals Stevenage Town. Before kick off, Stevenage were just one place against Westcliff towards the foot of the table but the visitors never looked

  • Spencer sparks Rochford triumph

    ROCHFORD Hundred continued their promotion charge with a 42-11 win over Saffron Walden on Saturday. The story of the first half, after the shock of conceding two quick penalties from the strong-kicking Saffron Walden full back, was of Rochford

  • Man injured after Southend smash

    A MAN in his 30s was taken to Southend hospital following a car crash. Two vehicles were involved in the smash at the junction of Queensway and Victoria Avenue at just before 6am. His injuries are not serious.

  • Islanders see off leaders

    CANVEY Island superbly shocked league leaders Colchester with a 13-10 triumph on Saturday. Tries from scrum half Brett Smith and fly half Jay Bedford, plus a penalty from full-back Ben Chandler were enough for the win. And Canvey started the game

  • Essex quartet face IPL franchise calls

    ESSEX may have to start their season without four star names if the Indian Premier League franchises select the talented quartet of Ravinder Bopara, Graham Napier, James Foster and Danish Kaneria. Essex followers had accepted that Bopara and his Essex

  • Refinery workers walk out again

    WILDCAT strikes at Coryton oil refinery have escalated after bosses threatened protesters with the sack. Between 400 and 500 workers joined a mass picket outside the Petroplus-owned oil refinery, yesterday. Several strikers claimed they

  • No more snow - yet 90 south Essex schools stay closed

    THE aftermath of heavy snowfall in south Essex saw nearly 100 south Essex schools closed for a second day. Many schools may have been closed, but main roads across south Essex were open, with traffic moving smoothly and no major accidents.

  • Jeremy Kyle's traveller show

    CONTROVERSIAL talk show host Jeremy Kyle is facing his toughest challenge yet...bringing to- gether travellers and residents at Dale Farm, Crays Hill. The ITV daytime star, who hosts a Jerry Springer-style studio audience programme, hopes to succeed

  • Julie’s a leader thanks to course at work

    A WOMAN who has returned to education after 15 years passed her course with flying colours. Julie Clark, 33, from Westcliff, works for Southend company, Genesis ICE, which makes audio equipment. She took the work-based NVQ in team leadership when

  • Salon’s campaign for a fairer cup of coffee

    A LEIGH salon has signed up to a campaign to get hairdressers and beauticians in the area to back Fairtrade produce. The Fair Cut campaign is hoping to encourage all salons to serve Fairtrade tea and coffee to their clients and help raise awareness of

  • Sisters prepare for trek of a lifetime

    SISTERS will be doing it for St Luke’s Hospice when they undertake a gruelling 70km trek at the Grand Canyon. Sue Forrester and Kay Frowen are set to embark on their adventure in September this year, but first they must each raise £3,000. Sue, 52, of

  • Anger as hundreds of garages sit empty

    MORE than 1,500 council-owned garages are empty across Basildon, new figures reveal. The news has angered residents who claim the garages are desperately needed to provide secure off-street parking. Basildon Council admitted a total of 1,574 garages