BBC newsreader Fiona Bruce was harassed by a viewer who sent flowers and cards signed "your kingfisher and loving husband", a court has heard. Australian-born Peter Oakey, 51, of Brentwood, sent more than 20 cards to the BBC, referring to the 46-year-old
A PENSIONER was helped to safety by a neighbour after his garage went up in flames. Fire crews were called to the blaze at midday in Cater Wood, Billericay. Crews from Billericay and Basildon described 20 foot flames coming from the detached garage
A BRAND new £28million school in the centre of Canvey will kickstart the regeneration of the town centre, it has been claimed. Politicians, teachers and pupils joined representatives from building firm Skanska for a ceremony to mark the official start
A DOG believed to have been stolen is back with its family after it was spotted living in another house around the corner. Rolo, an 11-week-old brown and tan dachshund puppy, is believed to have been taken from the family home in Newington Close, Southend
RESIDENTS fear a building being demolished in Westcliff may contain deadly asbestos in its roofing. People living near the former Brookside Engineering Works, in Springfield Road, and allotment holders at the adjacent site have reported the demolition
A 24-hour counselling service for Basildon Council workers is safe from the axe. Basildon Council chiefs are set to extend the council’s support service, which is offered to its network of more than 1,000 staff. Under the scheme, employees and their
LOCAL rivals Billericay and Concord will replay tomorrow after this stalemate where it was very much the referee who stole the show. A series of controverisal second half decisions were the major talking point after an even match that saw the teams
When we enter into the twilight world of hearing loss, where hearing aids only amplify, but do not distinguish, between differing sounds, all surrounding speech is akin to poorly enunciating Daleks, and we rely so much on the television sub-title
I have never voted anything but Conservative, which may upset some, but I am entitled to vote for what I believe. What a knock I got when I attended the meeting a James Hornsby High School, in Laindon. I had always believed Conservatives were
I agree with Tino Callaghan, with regard to the waste of money that Southend Council seems to generate. What about the pointless green cycle markings that nobody seems to adhere to? The glossy magazine is also a waste, as are the stickers on
Not having been given a survey about recycling in Castle Point to complete, nor knowing anyone who had, I looked at Castle Point Council’s website. The way the survey was worded would in fact mean people would vote “strongly agree” with recycling
Frank Tomlin (Sept 21) attempts to misrepresent that his Conservative group is innocent of seeking to rob various areas of Basildon of its open spaces. Perhaps he needs to look again at the true situation and re-assess his and his group’s approach
I thought when I signed a petition, along with over 2,000 other people, to stop the closure of Southend’s Warrior Square pool, it would probably be a waste of time. Most people realised the plans had been put in place for years without proper
I’m beginning to throw my hands up in horror each time I open the Echo and find out the next ill thought out and costly “improvement” Southend Council is getting involved in. There is no pressing need to get rid of the existing library in Victoria
Ok Castle Point, we get the picture regarding recycling. I, like many others recycle anything I can at the local supermarkets, and hope these are used in some form again. The only worry I can think of with the new bag collections and food recycling
There are more takeaways nowadays than you can throw a chopstick at, but it wasn’t always so. In the Sixties you could count the Chinese and Indian takeaways on the fingers of two hands and as they didn’t do home deliveries you’d have to collect
It would be a dangerous option to rely entirely on digital electronics for Canvey’s flood early warning. Unless the old sirens are kept, there would be no manual back up system in the event of widespread disruption to electronic communications
JAKE Parratt left GREAT WAKERING ROVERS feeling as sick as a parrot after his late equaliser stopped them picking up their second Ryman One North win of the season at Potters Bar Town. Ryan Wilkinson’s troops looked set to secure only their second three-point
Further to the headline Two-Week Wait For Bin Bag Collections (Sept 15), I would like to avoid any confusion this may cause about the collection of refuse in the Castle Point area. From April 2011, food waste will be collected weekly, as it always
Cannot see why we are referring to the development on the Western Esplanade Cliffs as the new museum when so little is allocated for that purpose. It would be more appropriate to refer to it as the New Restaurant, Theatre, Conference Centre and
In spite of Castle Point Council’s many promises to the contrary, black bag rubbish collections will become fortnightly. I would like to thank everyone who voted in favour of this change. Thanks to them every family in Castle Point will have
How are youngsters supposed to get anywhere in life? There are no council properties available for them, and if they try to rent on the council deposit scheme they are tarred with the same brush as non-payers. My daughter lives in a rented
I read the Echo’s Taste Test review for the Anchor pub, in Canewdon. I was stunned by how negative it was. I found it very hard to recognise the pub I know and enjoy going to. Certainly the Anchor isn't a “gastro-pub” and it makes no pretensions
It seems Southend Council’s attitude to trees serves its own interests, rather then that of the likes of me. I wanted a tree removed from a central position outside my house. This would enable a driveway, allowing me a safe vehicle access on
I attended Thursday’s Basildon Council meeting as an impartial observer. I don’t live near any of the playing fields, I haven’t signed any petitions and I don’t belong to any campaigning groups. I was horrified by what I witnessed. The Conservative
South East Essex college may be all-singing and all-dancing, but it is not doing its learning disabled students any favours at all. In the last six weeks – during the summer holidays – it has changed the study days and, as of this week with only
On Monday evening at 10.45pm I met a bunch of youngsters in Rochford Square and stopped to talk to them. One looked to be about eight. I asked if he shouldn’t be at home, in bed. He replied: “Ain’t got no key and me mum is out wiv her boyfriend
Following the Government’s announcement of a £1.166billion reduction in grants to local authorities, Southend Council officers and councillors will be sitting down over the next few weeks to discuss ways in which these cuts can be met ahead of
Further to the letter of Pam Dwyer (Sept 9). I too remember the “good old days” of Laindon. Waking up in the winter with ice on the inside of bedroom windows and mum lighting the kitchener stove in the living room, which was the only form of
The Echo (Aug 24) carried a story of a 20-year-old man receiving a derisory 2½ year sentence for causing the death of a cyclist by driving at 70mph along a residential road. On the same day, in the In the Courts column, there was an account
I decided to visit my library and took a short cut past a playground. As I walked the path, something almost whipped off my glasses and, being partially sighted, I grabbed to save them dropping, only to be scratched on the arm. Once I reached
It must have been obvious to Basildon Council’s cabinet, which earmarked sites for sale to fund the sports village, that significant community facilities would disappear and the communities surrounding them would be disadvantaged. The open spaces
It comes as no surprise to Canvey Coarse Anglers Club that Canvey Town Council will not be starting to de-silt the lake as it requires planning permission. We were told by Castle Point Council years ago of this requirement. It appears we must
W H Diment asks (Sept 16) if there is a political agenda which justifies sending men to their deaths other than to preclude or minimise an attack on this country. In attempting to provide an answer to this question, much will depend on how the
Graham Lockwood (Sept 3) correctly stated hazardous sites like the Calor gas plant, on Canvey, are heavily regulated. However, this simplification does not represent the reality of the regulatory controls practicalities. The HSE and the Environment
I attended Castle Point Council’s cabinet meeting to hear what would happen about the new pool on Canvey’s Concord Beach. The cabinet was being asked to approve a recommendation that the community policy group undertake a review of the technical
I am bemused by the statement that all Castle Point residents were “consulted” concerning food recycle bins (Sept 16). Having myself “consulted” with neighbours and friends, not one was aware of this proposal before the Echo report. Am I to
If ever a news story had been compiled to bring on the red mist of fury towards anyone it was the one in the Echo reporting LBS had clamped water company vans whose operatives were trying to fix a leak but happened to park in the honey trap
BASILDON United were celebrating after a 4-0 win away to Clapton. Jamie Gray put the Bees in front after 20 minutes and scored a second ten minutes later, sandwiching a goal from Chris Lewis on 25 minutes. But Basildon had to wait until the 75th minute
A WOMAN who ran a brothel at her home has had 20 extra hours of unpaid work added to her sentence. Appearing at Basildon Crown Court, Vicki Stansfield, 32, of Carlton Drive, Thundersley, missed two unpaid work appointments with her employer on July
ESSEX Pirates were beaten 98-70 at home to Leicester Riders in the BBL Trophy on Saturday night. Pirates trailed 29-22 at the end of the first quarter and that became 52-34 at half-time. In the second half, Riders continued to extend
SOUTHEND Rugby Club continued their excellent start to the season with a 44-32 victory at Shelford on Saturday. The Seasiders remain unbeaten in their opening four matches of the campaign and sit third in the National Two South standings. Full report
CANVEY Island booked their place in the third qualifying round thanks to an Alex Rhodes goal five minutes from time against 10-man Whitstable Town at the Brockwell Stadium. Rhodes netted with a volley after the Kentish visitors looked set to hang on
A TEENAGE cyclist who was found with a fractured wrist in Southend cannot remember what happened to him. Police are appealing for information after the 15-year-old rider was found injured in Prittlewell Chase, Southend at about 8.35am on Wednesday
MATT Paterson and Scott Spencer could both be heading out of Southend United on loan. The strikers were left out of the squad for Saturday’s trip to Hereford United. And Blues boss Paul Sturrock has confirmed they now look likely to leave the club.
MICHAEL Timlin ended his 19-month goal drought in spectacular fashion for Southend United at Hereford on Saturday. But the on-loan Swindon Town midfielder insisted it was the 3-1 victory which gave him most pleasure. Timlin, who had gone 44 games without
BLUES have completed the loan signing of Cardiff City striker Nathaniel Jarvis. The 18-year-old forward played the final 14 minutes of Saturday’s 3-1 win at Hereford United. And Southend boss Paul Sturrock is pleased to have brought the youngster to
BLUES boss Paul Sturrock was pleased by the result but not the performance at Hereford United on Saturday. The 53-year-old Scotsman was delighted to see his side fight back to win 3-1 at Edgar Street. But he felt the display did not match those against
HE may be as deaf as a post, but that doesn’t stop this little pooch. Despite being born totally deaf, two-year-old Boston Terrier Zippy has proved animals with disabilities can be amazing too. Where others may have given up on Zippy
