PERFORMERS are wanted to take part in the opening of a new exhibition. Five people are needed to take part in the opening of the Please Touch exhibition which will be held at the TAP gallery in North Road, Southend from June 3. Participants can
ARRIVING at one of Leigh’s most renowned restaurants I have to admit I was rather underwhelmed by the brick-surround entrance and the big poster, running along the top of the doorway, boosting cut-price lunch offers. To be honest, from what I had heard
ESSEX have agreed a new three-year sponsorship deal for its Graham Gooch Cricket Centre. It will now be known as the Essex Auto Group Graham Gooch Cricket Centre, as the club strives to produce another Alastair Cook or Ravi Bopara. Club chief executive
A DEVOTED father has given his sick little girl the greatest present she could hope for – the gift of life. Three-year-old Olivia Taylor, from Thorpe Bay, received a kidney from loving dad, Paul, in a life-saving operation. Little Olivia was diagnosed
A VIOLENT teenager has been given an eight-and-a-half year sentence for carrying out a horrific hammer attack on a frail shopkeeper. Ben Watkins, 17, will serve four-and-a-half years behind bars, and four years on licence, after attacking the
HE famously said he would never “do the Crouch” again until England won the World Cup. Yet towering England and Spurs footballer Peter Crouch has been reprising his robotic dance routine – thanks to a little help from some Basildon streetdancers
A TROUBLESOME family have been given two weeks to leave their home. The family, who live in South Ockendon, have been constantly abusive to their neighbours. They were taken to Basildon County Court by Thurrock Council – which owns the family’s home
THIS season was supposed to be the year Essex all-rounder Graham Napier reinforced opinion of his talents. But it has not worked out for the Colchester-based star just yet. Early last summer he was in England’s Twenty20 World Cup squad. Fast forward
A MAN who ilegally rented out rooms in his property has been fined £6,000. Marcus Brade, 38, let out rooms in the three-storey house at 8 Sturrocks, Vange without having the appropriate licence. Brade of Wickhay, Basildon was not in court for the hearing
A BURST water main led to a section of a busy Pitsea road being closed off. Work crews from Essex and Suffolk Water were quick to the scene after a water main burst and sent water gushing out onto the B1464 London Road. It happened at 12pm
NEW faces have taken over responsibility for finance and the environment at Rochford District Council following a cabinet reshuffle. The new portfolio holder for waste and the environment is Michael Steptoe who has taken over the reigns from
BASILDON Council chiefs say they have no plans to install additional toilet facilities at Wick Country Park. The blow comes as some users of the beauty spot, off Tresco Way, Wickford, complained there are no facilities open round-the-clock for park
RAYLEIGH'S first team recorded a narrow three-run win at home to Burnham Sport in Division One. Jon Cook (58) and Danny White (49) top-scored for the hosts as they posted 206-8, before Cook took 5-58 as Burnham were bowled out for 203. Rettendon defeated
HIS designer T-shirts are already a feature on the red carpet, but now Tim Allen’s brand has made it on to the big screen. Mr Allen, 31, set up his own clothing line Sho Sho 18 months ago and has just opened his first shop in Westcliff. The Sho Sho
FED-UP Basildon Council chiefs have hit another hurdle in their battle to clear illegal traveller sites...this summer’s World Cup. Delays to the eviction of scores of families at Hovefields, Wickford, and Dale Farm, Crays Hill, near Billericay
A SENIOR Tory councillor has been slammed as “disgraceful” for telling residents Basildon Golf Course could be used for housing if revamp plans were blocked. Geoff Williams, Basildon Lib Dem group leader, criticised Malcolm Buckley, Basildon councillor
THE new coalition government has strengthened the case for regional airports like Southend by scrapping plans for new runways at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, MD Alastair Welch says. The Government has cancelled plans for Heathrow and has
PEOPLE are asked to take part in a survey about local pharmacy services. NHS South East Essex needs feedback to help understand how people use pharmacy services, how they rate their experiences and what they would like to see in the future. Ian Stidston
VOLUNTEERS who enjoy gardening are needed to help out at Southend Hospital. The hospital grounds and flower beds need sprucing up, and a work day has been organised on Saturday, May 22. The “Dig for Southend” session runs from 8am to 1pm and is part
AN EXTRA floor could be added to a three-storey block of flats to accommodate eight new apartments. Plans to build eight new two-bedroom flats at Manners Corner flats, off Manners Way, Southend, have just been submitted to Southend Council. The Manners
A BENEFITS cheat who helped himself to £9,250 in state handouts has been ordered to pay it all back. Simeon Olaleye, 64, of Audley Way, Basildon, falsely claimed £250 in council tax benefit and £9,000 in pension credit. He failed to declare a
SOUTHEND'S new mayor has announced the three charities she will be supporting during her year in office. Ann Holland was invested as mayor last week, taking over from retiring councillor Brian Smith. In a ceremony today at the official mayoral residence
FORMER Southend United star Adrian Owers has had a World Cup call — at the age of 45. Owers, who also played professionally for Brighton and Gillingham, has been picked to represent England in the Seniors’ World Cup in Phuket, Thailand. “I’m really
A relative in the construction industry often boasted of its plan to push through “awkward” developments. The first proposal, Plan A, was for something really obnoxious which no one would support and would stir objections. Once the objections
I and many others are waiting to see whether Messrs Cameron and Clegg will carry out Gordon Brown’s proposals to introduce explicit sex education into primary schools, or whether they will use their better judgment to scrap the proposals, putting
I appreciate Dr Robin Bell’s comments about the “virtual ward” (May 12), which was his name for the district nursing team. I was a district nurse in the Seventies, in a country area of Kent. More recently, my husband and I have had good cause
Can someone please tell me why the building of Roscommon Way on Canvey has been started at Haven Road, and not at the Morrisons end of the island? Common sense would have dictated that starting at that end would have been safer. We already have
The introduction of the green belt in 1948 achieved much in conserving quality countryside. However, the price the country has paid for this restriction is that it seriously curtailed the supply of decent, affordable housing. All overseas people
TORIES in Thurrock have lost their majority on the council after the defection of Conservative councillor Stuart St Clair-Haslam. The ward councillor for Little Thurrock has formed an alliance with Corringham and Fobbing councillor Anne Cheale. She
THE new Tory MP for Castle Point has signed a petition aimed at taking power from the council’s Conservative-run cabinet and handing it to an elected mayor. Rebecca Harris is among 2,600 people who have signed up to the campaign for an elected mayor
A teenager whose aim in life is to serve up top nosh on Royal Navy submarines proudly marched on parade after successfully competing his basic training. Trainee logistician Joseph Bass, 19, a former pupil of South East Essex College, arrived
HUNDREDS of new fish are being put into the lake at Northlands Park. More than 600 carp, each weighing between 1lb and 6lb, will be put in the water by the Basildon Angling Centre, which manages the district’s fish stock for Basildon Council. It
A DETERMINED businessman is continuing his battle to keep his popular restaurant open after being repeatedly denied permission to carry on running it. The Rose Garden restaurant, in Aldermans Hill, Hockley, has been operating without proper
WHILE waiting for his club lakes to open, young Jon Lofthouse spent a few weeks bowling around Northlands Park road lake. On several of these trips, Lofthouse noticed some very good fish, so he decided to pre-bait a few areas at each end of the lake
A WOMAN who went through an 11-year boundary dispute with a neighbour is set to lose her home when it is sold at auction to cover her adversary's legal costs. In 1999, Milica Markos took her neighbour Alan Goodfellow to court after her knocked down
A CAREERS fair is being held today for people interested in health and science. South Essex College is holding the event from 12pm to 5.30pm today (Wednesday) at the Basildon Campus in Nethermayne. Visitors will be able to talk to tutors and healthcare
FORMER Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls visited Pitsea before the expected launch of his campaign to lead the Labour Party. Mr Balls visited St Gabriel’s Youth and Community Centre Pre-School, off Rectory Road,
A MAN had his shirt yanked over his head during a terrifying street robbery in Laindon. The victim, aged 31, from Basildon, was walking in the subway between Long Lynders-wood and Pamplings when he was set upon by two men. The attackers grabbed him
Ruth Sims and Sue Bonner are appealing to the public to donate items from their wish list to continue their work at a dedicated malnutrition unit at the Mulago Hospital in Kampala. The full list of items that the duo needs are as follows: Digital camera
THE Southend United Community and Educational Trust, together with Rochford District Council, is running Fit for Life - a five week programme designed to encourage everyone over 50 to gradually become more physically active. Starting on Thursday
A MP says he is delighted to have been made a Government whip. James Duddridge, MP for Rochford and Southend East, was a Tory whip when the party was in opposition and will carry on his work in the new coalition Government with the Lib Dems
A school celebrated 350 years of the Royal Society with a science competition. The father of modern science, Galileo Galilei and the biologist Alexander Fleming, who discovered penicillin, provided inspiration for Year 9 youngsters at St Hilda
FLOAT fishing has been productive all week at Basildon’s Aquatels lake, although as we headed into the unsettled weekend weather the tench disappeared for everyone except Matt Price who turned up for an evening stalking on the north bank. Having decided
A PETROL thief is wanted by police after he stole from a service station in Benfleet. Officers have released CCTV of a man they want to trace in connection with the theft of £63.49 of fuel from Kents Hill service station, in the High Road, on April 10
HAVING avoided “Armaged-don” by ensuring their Premier League survival, co-chairmen David Gold and David Sullivan have outlined their vision to take West Ham forward. Their 10-point plan includes issues including the appointment of Gianfranco Zola’s
SCOTT Spencer is close to signing a one-year contract to stay with Southend United. The striker scored four goals in five starts for Blues last season after signing during the January transfer window. And he looks set to stay at Roots
OSEI Sankofa was not surprised to be released by Southend United. The right-back made 44 appearances during two seasons with Blues but has not been offered a new contract by manager Steve Tilson. And it did not come as a shock to the 25-year-old.
SOUTHEND United striker Harry Crawford has been called-up for the Republic of Ireland’s under 19 squad for the first time. Crawford, who forced his way in to the Blues’ first team towards the end of last season, will fly out to the Ukraine this morning
SHOPS are being urged to continue to check for identification to avoid selling restricted goods to underage youngsters. In a recent crackdown in Laindon Trading Standards officers, using an underage youngster who attempted to buy goods such as booze
A WOMAN suffered a broken jaw after she was punched in the face during a horrific attack. The 21-year-old woman from Canvey was enjoying a night out at Basildon's Festival Leisure Park when the attack happened. Police are now hunting the culprit to
RESIDENTS can watch how Basildon’s Sporting Village is springing up at just the click of a button. A webcam has been put up at the site of the £35million complex in Gloucester Park, so people can chart its fast-moving progress. The latest images from
CHARITIES which help the homeless and people with mental health problems have been given a cash bonanza of more than £750,000 to support their sterling work. The Homeless Action Resource Project, known as Harp, in Southend and Westcliff, will
SOUTHEND has made it into the top ten most holiday-friendly areas of the UK. The town came eighth in the list of the places best-suited for UK holidays in a survey conducted by Virgin Money Travel Insurance. Eastbourne topped the list with Manchester
PROPOSED jobs cuts at Essex County Council would damage public services and hit those on low incomes, a trade union has warned. Unison says a leaked report shows the council is planning to axe 85 full-time positions and introduce a two-year
A LEADING Southend company has donated almost £100,000 to pay for road safety signs on the A127 to stop accidents. A staff member at Olympus KeyMed raised concerns about traffic pulling in and out of the Alton Garden Centre on to the busy A127
A BUILDER told how he started to grow his own cannabis because he did not want to be exploited by street dealers. Robert Tomkins, 38, was given a four-month jail sentence, suspended for six months when he appeared at Basildon Crown Court yesterday.
EXTRA train services will be operating in Southend for the air show when thousands of visitors are expected to travel for the two-day event. Essex train operators c2c and National Express East Anglia will be increasing both the frequency and carriage
