Archive

  • Wright shines for Essex

    Chris Wright took a Twenty20 best four for 24 as last year's semi-finalists Essex won for the first time in this season's competition with a 17-run victory over Sussex at Hove. Sussex seemed to be in control when they bowled out the Eagles for 148

  • Essex Eagles put the bite on Sussex Sharks

    ESSEX defeated Sussex by 17 runs in their Twenty20 Cup match at Hove. Skipper Mark Pettini won the toss, decided to bat and saw his side bowled out for 148 from 19.4 overs. England star Ravi Bopara lead the way with 45, while Pettini added 31 and Ryan

  • Reigning on parade

    THE visionary Lord Mayor of London, Sir William Heygate, who proposed Southend’s first wooden pier 180 years ago, would have been proud of what a modern young couple have achieved with one of the legacies of early 19th-century Southend. Ed Findlay and

  • Fans chip in to honour comedy duo

    ULVERSTON is a quiet Lancashire town on the southern edge of the Lake District. It has just one claim to fame – an immortal was born here. The year 1890 saw the birth of Arthur Stanley Jefferson, the son of a music hall impresario. Now, 120 years later

  • Man suffers smoke inhalation after chip pan fire

    A PENSIONER had to be given oxygen after attempting to put out a chip pan fire. The 67-year-old man had just returned from a holiday to celebrate his birthday when he left a chip pan on the heat. The oil caught fire and he tried to put it out with a

  • Teams take it to the max

    WESTCLIFF Hard III and Deanes men’s teams have the proud boast of being the only Leigh & Westcliff LTA summer league outfits to not have dropped a set so far. Deanes have a maximum 12 sets from their two matches in Division Five, where they lead the

  • Street artist Dan to give Royal Albert Hall a new look

    A GIFTED street artist has been picked for a prestigious project to paint one of the most famous entertainment venues in the world – the Royal Albert Hall. For the first time ever, the famous London landmark will open up its doors to the cream of the

  • Ex-Stranglers singer set for Basfest

    A PUNK legend and soulman will headline this year’s Basfest. Former Stranglers frontman Hugh Cornwell and soul musician Jimmy James will top the bill in Basildon’s Gloucester Park on July 4 and 5. Also entertaining the crowds will be dance duo Signature

  • Thorpe top the tables

    THE first Southend & District Junior League is up and running with Thorpe Bay U14 topping the Boys’ U14 team events. Some matches were played before the bank holiday weekend, but the new league’s first round of matches were completed last weekend. Thorpe

  • Woodland campaigners vow to fight for public access

    THE fight to protect an area of ancient woodland could end up with a public inquiry. Campaign group, Friends of Coombe Wood, first applied for official village green status for the area between Bread and Cheese Hill and Church Road, Thundersley, in 2004

  • Young guns go for it as junior events start

    ROCHFORD tennis club played host to the opening round of the Southend & District LTA mini tennis and girls’ grand prix events. The mini tennis, featuring boys and girls under 10, comprised mainly players from the host club and Westcliff Hard. Jessica

  • England international at hoop club launch

    PINK Spirit Netball Club held a successful launch night at Garon Park. England international netballer Louisa Brownfield was among the guests. And the Southend based club, which was originally established in January 2007, now have more than 20 members

  • Cook has winning recipe at Boyce

    BOYCE Hill’s female section held their spring meeting with 66 members taking part and finding the course in excellent condition. Three winning scores were returned, the champion being Margaret Cook with 39 points on countback from Caroline Wagstaff

  • Kindred clubs get together

    SOUTHEND Golf Club hosted the Kindred Clubs Past Captains’ Golf Society spring meeting. The five local clubs, made up of the hosts, neighbours Belfairs, Thorpe Hall, Rochford and Boyce Hill played for the Millennium Trophy, with each team’s best four

  • Campers are warned about staying on the cliffs

    CAMPERS have set up home on a dangerous piece of Southend’s seafront, despite warnings and fencing being put up. A large green tent remains on the patch of land, which overlooks Gilbies, a cafe on Western Esplanade. But others are thought to be accessing

  • Depeche Mode singer has cancerous tumour removed

    BASILDON music stars Depeche Mode have said their world tour will continue after lead singer Dave Gahan had a tumour removed. The frontman was rushed to hospital around two weeks ago after falling ill with gastric flu (gastroenteritis), where doctors

  • Lib Dems say they will oppose airport

    CONTROVERSIAL plans to extend the runway at Southend Airport are to be opposed by Lib Dem councillors, group leader Graham Longley has announced. Mr Longley said the 11-strong Lib Dem group had considered its position in the light of the party’s national

  • Best pub for real ale says Camra

    staff were celebrating after their pub was named the best in south east Essex. The Horse and Groom, in Southend Road, Rochford, was awarded Pub of the Year 2009, by the South East Essex branch of the Campaign for Real Ale. The award was presented to

  • Support grows for anti prison petition

    HUNDREDS of people have backed an internet campaign hoping to stop a prison being built in Wickford. The protest group, Essex Against Prisons, has seen 630 people sign up to it on Facebook, - up from 40 it had just ten days ago. It was

  • Basildon pair shine in Mail

    PAM Gray and Maureen Parkin continued their excellent form for Basildon Ladies when they played in the third round of the Daily Mail Foursomes at home to Boyce Hill. The pair played at the top of their form and finished the match with a decisive

  • Visteon workers fear they may lose out on pensions

    MORE than 100 former workers from a car parts factory attended a meeting to discuss how to rescue their pensions. Visteon UK went into administration two months ago, closing its car parts factory in Christopher Martin Road, Basildon. The Government-run

  • It’s the power and the glory for Wells

    A FRACTURED ankle eventually turned into a lucky break for Canvey based Ian Wells. The injury brought the 31-year-old’s football career to an end but also led to him taking up power-lifting. And, less than a year later, Wells has been crowned the British

  • Plum win for Boyce team

    THERE was a nail-biting climax in the Norman Plum County Match when Basildon played against Boyce Hill. The competition sees teams of six pairs playing four-ball better ball, with three duos on the home course and three away. On the home course

  • Gabbidon surprise addition to Wales training camp

    DANNY Gabbidon was a surprise addition to Wales' training camp today, 18 months after he last played a match. The West Ham man has battled back from a serious stomach muscle injury, amid rumours that he might not play again. But he turned up at Wales

  • Man bailed following Thorpe Bay crash

    A MAN has been released on bail following a crash in Thorpe Bay which left his passenger on a life support machine. The 36-year-old driver was arrested after his red Toyota Supra crashed into railings in Thorpe Esplanade. The front-seat passenger, a

  • Pett Sounds: We’re not only ones surprised by Alastair

    NOT only were we surprised to see Alastair Cook clear the boundary at Kent, but the man upstairs was sufficiently shocked to the extent that it was thundering with lightning within a matter of minutes. Whether it was his way of saying bravo, we’ll never

  • Bopara in for Eagles against Sharks

    ESSEX have received a massive boost on the eve of tonight’s Twenty20 visit to Sussex Sharks. For the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) have given permission for the Eagles’ England One-Day international and Test star Ravi Bopara to be available

  • Cook: England can win Ashes

    ALASTAIR Cook believes England’s Test series win over West Indies can provide the hosts with a perfect platform for Ashes success. England bounced back from their Test series defeat in the Caribbean by comprehensively beating the West Indies 2-0 on

  • Tough task for Lakeside

    ON paper Lakeside Hammers look to be facing their toughest few days of the Elite League season from tonight. Having beaten Swindon Robins 53-42 at the Arena-Rssex Raceway last Friday, Hammers visit the Wiltshire club this evening. Many people have

  • Flack goes but player of the season Dumas stays at Town

    THERE is good and bad news on the team front for Billericay Town. On the debit side, striker Joe Flack has decided to quit the New Lodge club and looks set to follow Matt Game and Lynvall Duncan to Blue Square South Braintree Town, where ex-Town boss

  • Kitesurfers back moves to improve East Beach

    A SPORTS group is backing the controversial plan to build a car park on Shoebury’s East Beach. Essex Kitesurf Club argues the Southend Council plan for a 175-space car park would make the popular spot safer for people using it. The council’s facelift

  • Tiger cubs take up coaching offer

    THE school half-term holiday “golf for beginners” courses at the Lord’s Club in Rayleigh are proving a swinging success. Originally they were due to be held with club pros Tony Blackburn and Aaron Quinn over just two days. But such was the response

  • Fraudster took loan in brother's name

    A FORMER soldier who posed as his brother-in-law to take out a £9,000 loan has avoided going to jail. Colin Hall, 31, had fallen into debt and his home had been repossessed. He was so desperate for cash he used his brother-in-law Christopher Wall’s name

  • Masters' festival triumph

    YOUNGSTERS at a south Essex drama school are celebrating winning a heap of trophies and medals at the Leigh Musical festival. The Masters Perfmorming Arts College’s haul of two trophies and nine medals is even more remarkable, as it the first time the

  • Referendum vote overwhelmingly against green belt plans

    More than 6,000 residents voted against plans to build on Canvey's green belt when the results of an unofficial referendum were counted last night. The result is a resounding rejection to Castle Point Council plans to build on green space near the Dutch

  • Swift soars into the Spencer Trophy final

    TED Swift was flying high in Rochford Hundred’s popular weekly midweek Stableford competition to qualify for the Scott Spencer Trophy final. Swift bagged five pars and, appropriately, three birdies in his 41 points and saw his handicap cut by one to

  • Super seven for Heycroft

    IT has been a case of lucky seven for the football-mad pupils of Heycroft Primary School. For they have collected no fewer than seven soccer trophies in the campaign that has just finished. They took league and champion of champions honours for both

  • Duncan’s relishing twin role with Blues

    RICKY Duncan is relishing staying involved with Southend United’s reserve team next season. As reported in Echosport earlier on this week, Duncan will be working with the Shrimpers’ second string as well as the youth team next term. And he is looking

  • Chas at Town

    CHARLES Ademeno, one of the young players to emerge through the ranks at Roots Hall under Ricky Duncan’s guidance, has signed for Blue Square Premier side Crawley Town. The striker was released by the Shrimpers at the end of last season.

  • Crates’ career in the balance

    DANNY Crates admits his long and successful career is in the balance after he suffered a reoccurrence of a hamstring injury during the Paralympic World Cup last weekend. The 36-year-old Thurrock Har-rier was forced to pull out of the 800m in Manchester

  • Burglars: We're on your case

    CONVICTED burglars are being hounded by police in their toughest clampdown ever. Officers are following six serial burglars, day and night, to make sure they don’t reoffend. Laindon-based Insp Simon Anslow has written to them all, warning

  • Woman saved by her smoke alarm

    A WOMAN escaped unharmed from a burning house after being woken by the fire alarm. Firefighters went to the detached house in Steepleview, Laindon, after receiving a call from the owner just before midnight yesterday. When they arrived

  • Battle to beat the recession

    THOUSANDS of people in south Essex are jobless as one of the toughest recessions in modern times has ravaged businesses. The latest information from the Office of National Statistics makes for bleak reading. A total of 16,984 people

  • Two homes hit by arsonists

    ARSONISTS have targeted two homes on Canvey, shoving lit pieces of paper through letterboxes while the homeowners slept upstairs. Police believe the early morning attacks yesterday in Oxford Road and Rosback Road may be linked. Essex Police spokesman

  • Taxpayers pick up lunch bill...but only 23 showed up

    TAXPAYERS’ cash of up to £5,500 was spent on lavish lunches for 110 VIPs at Southend Airshow...but only 23 people turned up. Southend Council pre-booked the £50, five-course buffet in the Cliffs Pavilion restaurant for 50 guests on Sunday,

  • David's supporting role

    OFFICERS from Essex Fire and Rescue Service are providing an escort for Southend’s deputy mayor, Ann Holland, and will continue when she takes over the top job as mayor next year. Mrs Holland’s official escort will be the chief fire officer of Essex

  • Musical students step back to the Eighties

    STUDENTS at a Thundersley college have gone back to the Eighties for their latest musical extravaganza. BTEC performing arts students from Seevic College, in Runnymede Chase, are busy putting together the last of the arrangements for their graduation

  • Museum is given seal of approval

    SOUTHEND Pier Museum is celebrating after being given the seal of approval by the organisation that governs museums. The museum has won accreditation from the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, which sets nationally agreed standards for all museums

  • Get them protected

    HEALTH officials are inviting parents to use the half term break as an opportunity to get an MMR jab for their children. NHS South West Essex is urging parents of children who have not had the controversial vaccination, to get it done this week, at one