THE Marrakesh Express pulls into the Touchline, Hullbridge, on Friday night. Performing the music of Crosby Stills Nash and Young, and the Byrds, this band is a spin off from Eighties favourites Diesel Park West. The original band’s main influences were
GET on your dancing shoes for an evening of Cajun music. Leigh-based dance band Acadian Driftwood will be playing at the John Burrows Hall, in Rectory Road, Hadleigh, on June 5. Keen punters can also pick up some steps from dance teacher Becca Moore
KURT Crandall and the Cadillac Kings park up at the New Crawdaddy Blues Club, Crays Hill, tomorrow night. Inspired by the late, great William Clarke, vocalist and harmonica player, Kurt is a master of jump, jive, swing and deep blues. Whether it’s solid
THE joy of acting is all about escapism, according to veteran performer Sue Holderness. “I have always thought that most actors are reserved,” claims the 59-year-old. “The pleasure of acting is to be outrageous and get away with it. “It gives you a
RACHEL Riley is having the time of her life. Six months after taking over from maths genius Carol Vorderman, Rachel has told how she is living her dream presenting one of the nation’s favourite quiz shows, Countdown. The former pupil of Southend High
TV SMITH beams on to the Bar Lambs, Westcliff, stage on Saturday, headlining an evening of riotous punk acts. He rose to prominence in the first wave of British punk rock, as singer and songwriter for the Adverts who, after frequent early appearances
ELECTROPOP sensations La Roux play a Glastonbury Festival warm-up at Chinnery’s, Southend, on Tuesday, June 23. Singer and synth player Elly Jackson and co-writer and producer Ben Langmaid, have recently been riding high at the top of the UK charts with
By David Breen If you fancy a break from the telly this week then there are two productions running locally that are sure to prise you from your armchair. First off, the Trinity Players are staging a trio of comedies sure to exercise your chuckle-muscles
THE Brand boys have been proving that football genes really do run in the family. Austin, 12, and Jared, 15, from Thorpe Bay, have both been on the glory trail this season, watched by proud father Paul, who played for Charlton Athletic. Striker Austin
THIS youngster clearly has a nose for news. Year 11 pupil Ross Williams, who goes to the FitzWimarc School in Rayleigh, created an outfit using old copies of the Echo. The eco-friendly creation was part of a recent lunchtime fashion
IT WAS more a case of skiffs, dinghies and jet skis than blues and twos when police apprehended thieves who tried to make off with a boat. The thieves had tried to pinch a skiff moored off Two Tree Island, Leigh, on Sunday, during the Southend Airshow
A SPECIAL needs school is being planned in Wickford. The proposal is to convert offices on the Wickford Business Park, Sopwith Crescent, off Hurricane Way, into a centre catering for up to 30 children, aged 11 to 17. However, councillors have raised
A CLUBHOUSE was left wrecked after vandals set fire to it. Fire ripped through the wooden clubhouse at Eastwood Cricket Club, in Eastwood Road North. An investigation by fire officials and police has concluded the fire was started deliberately. Witnesses
POLICE have launched a zero-tolerance crackdown on scramblers breaking the law in a bid to prevent any more unnecessary deaths. The blitz comes almost a month after James Simmons, 21, of Boult Road, Laindon, died in an off-road crash in Stanford-le-Hope
NEW-look neighbourhood meetings, aimed at giving residents a greater say in local decisions are set to begin next month. Castle Point Council is promising the meetings will be more than just talking shops – residents coming along will be given money
A CRAFTSMAN has spoken of his lucky escape after an accident set light to highly-flammable lacquer in his workshop. Furniture finisher James Taylor, 30, of Benfleet-based Nostalgic Pine, was working on a cabinet when he accidentally dropped an electric
A MAN sneaked into a curry house and tried to steal bottles of alcohol. But determined restaurant staff foiled the attempt, and Wayne Lambert, 27, from London Road, Leigh, ended up in court. Lambert was caught short in an alleyway when he spotted the
A PLAYGROUND destroyed by arsonists just three months after it opened will soon be back to its best. Billericay Town Council has promised the popular play area in Lake Meadows will be repaired so youngsters can enjoy the rope climbing frame, shelter
THE major expansion of Southend Airport, including a runway extension, will allow more controls over night flights and stop the prospect of uncontrolled use of the facility, according to Rochford District Council. A joint statement by council leader
HORSES in fancy dress helped raise money for animals in need. A walk was held in aid of Essex Horse and Pony Protection Society which helps animals which have been poorly treated. A shire cross horse, called Sefton, raised the most sponsorship money
A special night is being held in honour of a man with Down’s Syndrome who was attacked by yobs. Celebrities, including American rapper Cream and Jo O’Meara formerly of pop group S-club 7, will both be performing at the event taking place at the Sky bar
RAIL passengers are benefiting from the most punctual train services since records began, new figures reveal. The two rail operators serving the eastern region are celebrating some of their best ever results when it comes to getting passengers from A
THE hunt has begun for the candidate who will fill the shoes of the county’s top cop. An advert for the £141,000 a-year post of Chief Constable of Essex Police has officially gone live on the recruitment page of the force’s website. Candidates, who
IT has been a quiet week at Aquatels, although the fish have been coming out. Chris Smith fished the beach at the Basildon lake using Essex Carp Baits CIA bait. He banked fish of 18lb, 19lb, 29lb 8oz double linear, 25lb 12oz, 10lb stockie, 17lb 8oz
THE mild winds and pleasant sunshine again saw ninety per cent of the carp landed at Doggetts falling to floaters. But many visiting anglers discovered it is not as easy as it sounds when targeting the carp at the Rochford water. Lewis Clark and fishing
A MUM in a million was given an in-store treat after being crowned a supermarket’s mother of the year. Brenda Melville, 61 was presented with chocolates and flowers after being whisked off to a surprise reception at Asda’s Eastgate supermarket, in
HOSPITAL staff are to be specially trained to deal with obese patients. Southend and Basildon hospitals are working together to ensure all emergency staff are more clued up and adept at handling patients who weigh more than 20 stones. Manual handling
ESSEX Police Authority is organising a series of meetings in supermarkets so local people can give their views on policing. Local officers will be on hand at the events, along with police authority members. Stephen Keogh, who works for the authority
RESIDENTS can save money and learn how to reduce their impact on the environment while they shop in Southend. The Energy Saving Trust will be at the Royals shopping centre with Southend Borough Council to help people save money on fuel and heating bills
FORMER Basildon fishery manager Mick Toomer continues to make the most of his new-found freedom, landing 16 thornback rays over three consecutive days from local sea wall and boat marks. Toomer’s first session saw him fishing a seawall mark downriver
MATCH officials across the county are being urged to put their feet up over the summer — but not for too long. Essex County Football Association referee development officer David Dixon has unveiled a chain of sessions with respected men in black to ease
FROM the internet to back of the net — that’s Sceptre Elite who continue to go from strength to strength. The club were formed in March 2008 by Robert Hutchings-Spiller and Karl Wright after the idea was raised from an unofficial online messageboard
RETTENDON are really setting the pace at the top of Division Three after a 94-run win over Boreham Rettendon won the toss and decided to bat first on what proved to be a very good batting wicket. Boreham’s bowlers had a pretty lean time as far as wickets
I hope Southend United are not going to miss out on signing Theo Robinson. He was excellent towards the end of last season and certainly made a big difference to the team. Unlike our other forwards he always managed to avoid injury and I hope we are
UNBEATEN knocks of 114 from A Karkoski and 50 from S Khan helped Orsett to a 19-run win over South Woodford in the Premier Division. Orsett posted 243-4 and restricted South Woodford to 224-7 in reply. Horndon on the Hill recorded a 21-run win over
ESSEX batsman Ravi Bopara chipped in with 49 runs as England beat the West Indies by 58 runs in their one-day international at Edgbaston yesterday. Bopara was bowled by DJ Bravo before Matt Prior (87) and Owais Shah (75) led the way for England as they
SOUTHEND United’s young stars will be rubbing shoulders with Europe’s elite this weekend. For the Shrimpers are sending an under 17 side to a tournament which is being held in Lille, France. They will be up against the likes of Valencia
ROBIN Womack is rejoicing after winning his first ever medal at a major international competition. The Southend-based shot-putter finished third at the Paralympic World Cup in Manchester at the weekend. And the 37-year-old was overjoyed by his best
MUCH-LOVED internet star Old Man Stan is back, starring in a new video celebrating Basildon’s 60th birthday. As with Stan’s previous efforts, the film adapts a popular song and gives it a distinctly local slant. The latest footage is based
MP Angela Smith has warned businesses are using the recession as an excuse to change terms and conditions for staff. Mrs Smith raised the issue in the House of Commons after 170 former workers from the Visteon UK factory, in Christopher Martin
A MAN has been arrested on suspicion of illegal asbestos dumping after the Echo revealed the source of a hazardous flytip. Police and Environment Agency investigators took the 49-year-old into custody following a dawn raid in Laindon.
A MAN sustained serious injuries in a seafront horror crash. The car, in which he was a passenger, was left dangling over the edge of a 15ft drop, following the crash on Thorpe Esplanade in Thorpe Bay. Debris from the wrecked red Toyota Supra was strewn
A GANG of robbers attacked two men as they walked through a Southend underpass. The trio struck in the underpass leading to Kilworth Avenue, and claimed they had a knife. Their victims, two 21-year-old men, were jostled as the crooks
MORE than 20 pupils at a Westcliff school have won awards at Leigh Musical Festival. St Hilda’s School, Imperial Avenue, saw 22 children win prizes in the drama category of the annual festival, including six gold, seven silver and four bronze medals,
TWO more Canvey residents have tested positive for swine flu. NHS South East Essex confirmed two people who recently returned from holiday in the USA have tested positive. This follows two children from Castle View School contracting
A CANVEY pupil has won a top public speaking competition and could go on and represent his school at a national final. Alfie Stewart, a Year 10 pupil at Castle View School, saw off rivals from 14 other schools across Castle Point and Thurrock to be named
LABOUR MP Angela Smith is backing action to improve safety at Stanford-le-Hope’s level crossing. Network Rail says Stanford-le-Hope is a hotspot in the region because of people misusing the level crossing. There were nine reported incidents in 2008,
BASILDON groups dedicated to the arts were given a cash boost. Frank Tomlin, former chairman of Basildon Council, handed out two cheques to the Basildon Arts Trust and the Basildon Choral Society. It was the last act Mr Tomlin carried out before standing
