Basildon firefighters were left exasperated when a house holder admitted a new smoke alarm was still waiting to be fitted at a house were a smell of smoke had been reported. At 8pm on Tuesday they rushed to premises in Maplestead, in Basildon
WHEN neighbours reported a smell of smoke Basildon firefighters rushed to a flat in Middle Crockerford, Vange at 6pm Tuesday. Their experience told them the smell was burnt food but they were alarmed when they discovered the male occupant had heart problems
SEAN Morrison is determined to bounce back from a nightmare start to his Southend United career. The 18-year-old centre-back, who is on loan with the Shrimpers from Swindon Town, was sent off on his debut at Yeovil Town on Saturday.
IT’S an ancient art which was in danger of dying out, but now a new breed of stylists are taking up the barbering challenge, and they are women. The word barber comes from the Latin word barba, meaning beard. But what was once a male
DO you hanker for the celebrity lifestyle, and the glitz and glamour of the red carpet? Well now is your chance to pout and pose like Posh, at a charity pamper night this Thursday. Beautician Dee Ahmed is hosting the evening at Runnymede Hall, in Kiln
X FACTOR finalist and former Basildon schoolgirl Rachel Adedeji performs at Bas Vegas on Thursday, November 19. The 18-year-old, who attended De La Salle school, will be singing at Chicago Rock Cafe, at the Festival Leisure Park, from 9pm.
FIRE crews staged a blaze to test their ability to deal with a fire on the pier. To make the scenario as real as possible, smoke machines were used and actors played the part of casualties. The aim was to make sure all emergency services
A DEVELOPER keen to rid Southend seafront of aneyesore has accused the council of dragging its heels. Esplanade House, a former office block in Eastern Esplanade, Southend, has been left part demolished for more than a year to the frustration of people
A SHOEBURY warehouse company has been fined £21,000 for flouting health and safety laws. Southend Magistrates fined South Essex Stockholders Ltd, which trades as Industrial Metal Services, for two breaches in July last year. Fortunately in each incident
CAMPAIGNERS against plans to redevelop Basildon Golf Course have unearthed a “hidden” report which shows it is home to protected species, including badgers. The Friends of Basildon Golf Course hope the report of an environmental study – which the council
BRAZEN thief has escaped with a suspended sentence after he stole a Poppy Appeal tin. Thomas Roberts, 30, stole the collection box from the Factory Shop in Rayleigh High Street on November 5. Two days later he stole 50 pounds of cosmetics
A BURNT-OUT car was dumped in the middle of a country road. The wrecked Vauxhall Astra had been torched and abandoned at the junction to East End in Paglesham and was reported to police at 7.30am on Sunday. Officers have been unable
GUN toting robbers threatened a security guard with a gun before fleeing with a five-figure sum of cash. The guard was refilling an ATM cash machine inside the Nationwide bank in Kings Parade, Stanford-le-Hope, when the armed robbers walked into the
AN ALLOTMENT watch scheme has been launched in an effort to deter teenagers from committing antisocial behaviour. Police plan to roll the scheme out across Castle Point to help protect people's plots from criminal damage. The first group
A WOMAN defrauded banks and councils across Essex out of more than £14,000. Lisa Jensen swindled Southend Council to get more benefit than she was entitled to, and lied to open bank accounts, writing cheques which bounced. The 30-year-old, mother-of-two
ANGRY residents packed a meeting and voiced their objections about plans to build a massive prison in Wickford. Some residents were forced to stand at Runwell Village Hall, after 130 people turned up to quiz Ministry of Justice staff, who are behind
POLICE have released CCTV images of two suspected shoplifters who are believed to have struck in Leigh. The first theft happened on Saturday, October 24 when a bottle of wine was removed from Tesco Express in London Rd, Westcliff. Police wish
SCHOOL choirs from across the borough will lead the singing at the Castle Point Mayor’s annual Christmas Carol concert. The Hadleigh Salvation ARmy band will provide the music at the free event on Sunday, December 13, which is the traditional beginning
HUNDREDS of worried residents voiced their concern about the expansion plans at Southend Airport. The plans, by owners the Eddie Stobart group, would see more planes landing at the airport and the runway extended across Eastwoodbury Lane.
POLICE have released CCTV images of two suspected shoplifters who are believed to have struck in Leigh and Westcliff. The first theft happened on Saturday, October 24 when a bottle of wine was removed from Tesco Express in London Rd, Westcliff
SENIOR councillors have bitterly criticised plans which could force them to find space for 18,000 new homes in the district. Basildon Council’s ruling cabinet agreed to fight proposals by the East of England Regional Assembly to build up to 900 new homes
AN inspirational community worker who is dedicated to helping young victims of sexual abuse has been shortlisted for a hero of the year award. Betty Makoni is in the top ten CNN Heroes for her work to help young girls who are victims of sexual
I found the report of the lazy postman (Nov 7) incredible. In two years, he was able to dump 11,000 items of mail which were only discovered by police when making a different inquiry. Surely, there must have been inquiries made by the public
In an age of declining incomes owing to the mismanagement of our taxes, it would be an insult for local government to raise council tax. We can’t pay taxes if we are not working. And we are not working because capitalism is not working. If you
There is some constitutional misinformation at the start of Mr Monte’s letter on Europe (Nov 10). Our elected representatives do not have the power to commit treason or sign away our sovereignty by illegally assuming the royal prerogative, which
I would like to make it clear that the support offered to me by the Thorney Bay Caravan Park owners on Canvey, regarding a more suitably located building for use by my neighbourhood specialist officers, is simply to provide officers with a base
I was greatly surprised by the attendance of people at the Armistice Day service in Southend. I had an appointment at 11.30am, but deliberately went to Southend early in the hope of finding something going on as it was Remembrance Day. As I
For Mike Assenheim’s benefit (Nov 4), in 2005 councillors Terry and Velmurugan formed Alliance Southend along with two sitting Conservative councillors at the time. It was registered with the electoral commission, had Martin Terry as leader
I received a letter from Southend Council stating I had requested a parking permit. This was news to me as I had done no such thing. I spoke to the department responsible and was informed that there were no restrictions on its use. Providing
I was reminded of an incident last year after reading Cheryl Cutter’s letter (Nov 5) about finding a partridge in Southend High Street. When visiting my daughter in Milton Street, Southend, we discovered sitting on her step was a woodcock. We
When I was a lad, anyone over the age of about ten seen riding a bicycle on the pavement was greeted with the cry “Doesn’t mummy let you ride on the road yet?” Now, however, the urban myth is perpetuated that it is too dangerous to cycle on
I would like to pay tribute to the recently departed John Trollope. John was chairman of Castle Point Labour Party and a stalwart of the local community. Aside from politics, his interests included sport and local charities. I was selected as
The damage to a resident’s car caused by a heavy lorry using Hazelmere Road, Benfleet, as a means of access from the A13 to Church Road illustrates the need for Castle Point Council to at least consider the option of creating a new business park
A THIEF stole a Poppy Appeal charity box just before Armistice Day. The crime was even more galling, because the Royal British Legion collection box was in a church community centre when it was stolen. It had been in the entrance of the Christ-church
BEACH hut owners have called for action to stop cyclists pedalling along the promenade on Southend seafront, over fears they are causing a danger to children. Southend Council and Essex Police were urged to act against the pavement cyclists at a meeting
TRAVEL and tourism students at a Southend college transformed the building into a mock airport for a day. A group of nearly 20 second year students took over the atrium of South East Essex College as part of their course assessment.
PARAMEDICS attending emergency calls reported 95 assaults by members of the public last year. The East of England Ambulance Service described the figures as 'completely unacceptable'. It is up from the previous year when there were 84 assaults reported
SHOPS in Essex have been praised for refusing underage buyers of fireworks. Essex County Council has applauded shopkeepers after Trading Standards test purchases found that only four of 35 businesses sold fireworks to underage volunteers. The tests
SCHOOL leavers have marked the end of their education by donating £190 to Little Havens Children’s Hospice. Parents at the Eastwood School arranged a fundraising leavers' ball at the Mill Hall in Rayleigh so students could commemorate their achievements
AN unemployed man cashed two Jobseekers’ allowance cheques and then claimed for them again. Ben Chaplin, 24, pleaded guilty at Southend Magistrates’ Court to two counts of making false representations to obtain Jobseekers’ Allowance. On January 2 and
DELIGHTED Florence Beament was joined by family and friends to celebrate her landmark 100th birthday. Florence, of Lower Road, Hullbridge, reached the milestone in style with a packed party at Wickford Cricket Club. Among the scores of presents Florence
COUNCILLORS have voted to press ahead with a scheme to start weekly collections of kitchen waste. Members of Castle Point Council’s Environment Policy Development group unanimously approved recommendations to support the introduction of the
A DRUG addict who attacked good Samaritans on two separate occasions has been spared a jail term. Stephen King, 46, was convicted last month of one assault on Alistair Grimmer, who stepped in to help when King had a row with his girlfriend. Mr Grimmer
OSCAR winning actress Dame Helen Mirren has sent a letter of support for Southend Hospital's new bereavement suite. The former pupil at St Bernard's High School in Westcliff praised the "special people" who have created the haven for newly-bereaved
MAJOR gas works look set to bring delays on the A127 for several weeks. The £4 million works on gas mains will see a 40mph speed limit brought onto the busy dual carriageway between the Nevendon and Fairglen junctions of the road, from the start of
A £1.5million house refurbishment scheme is launching with the revamp of a Rochford maisonette. Run Pathmeads Housing Association in association with Southend, Rochford, Basildon, Castle Point and Thurrock district councils, the Empty Homes scheme
Rent for Canvey allotments may go up in exchange for improved services. Some allotment holders claim they would be prepared to pay more for their patches in return for improvments such as better security and site access. The news comes as Canvey Town
MORE than 30 older people were treated to a trip to the Cliffs Pavilion, thanks to the Rotary Club of Rochford. Ten Rotarians collected the pensioners from the sheltered housing complexes at Rupert Jarvis Court, Hockley and Wedgwood Court, Ashingdon
A SUNDAY league football team is helping players 3,000 miles away by supplying them with new kit. Daws Heath Football Club, part of the Sceptre Sunday Football League, and their sponsors Rayleigh Spicy Indian Restaurant, have set up a partnership
THERE is good news for Essex commuters after National Express announced fares would either be frozen or reduced next year. The firm, which runs National Express East Anglia services as well as the c2c lines into London Fenchurch Street and
