Avram Grant's reign as West Ham manager looked set to have ended in defeat as Arsenal romped to a 3-0 win at Upton Park. The Irons boss was widely expected to lose his job tonight, regardless of the result, with Martin O'Neill ready to step in to try
FIREFIGHTERS were called out to rescue a horse stuck in a ditch. Crews from Rayleigh Weir and Southend were called out just after 5pm last night to reports that a horse was stranded in Great Wheatley Road, Rayleigh. They had managed to rescue
OPERA and comedy don’t at first glance have much in common, but for Jonathan Veira the two are all in a day’s work. The international opera star, who’s used to treading the boards of the English National Opera, Glyndebourne and the Royal Opera
THE Don Valley Stadium is better known for hosting athletics than football. And it was at the Sheffield venue this afternoon where Southend United got back on track after two successive defeats with a 2-1 triumph over Rotherham. Early
PAUL Sturrock has made three changes to his starting line up for this afternoon's game at Rotherham United, with Louie Soares, Blair Sturrock and Peter Gilbert all returning to the team. Gilbert comes in for Johnny Herd at left-back for his
MOSAICS are all over Southend, emblazoned on the front of a school or glimmering from the walls of the pier information centre. Amazing to think then they have almost come from one man. Paul Siggins, who is to open a new gallery-cum-studio-cum-shop
POLICE have charged a man in connection with a fight on Canvey. The incident happened just before 2.15am on Saturday, November 13 last year. An 18-year-old was left scarred after he was bottled during the scuffle. He has had 26 stitches
FIREFIGHTERS returning to the station after a routine call answered a mums desperate calls for help after her baby was having difficulty breathing. The Basildon crew were driving in Whitmore Way when the mum flagged them down. They called an ambulance
WEST Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady has pledged not to interfere with team matters at Upton Park amid mounting speculation manager Avram Grant will leave the club. Former Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has been linked to take over from Grant who
AVRAM Grant has exploded his image as football's 'Mr Glum'. The Israeli is famous for never celebrating a goal but insists he has to fight to control his emotions. If the rock-bottom Hammers beat Arsenal in the London derby today, however, he revealed
WEST Ham forward Victor Obinna is suspended after being sent off against Birmingham in the Carling Cup. Lars Jacobsen returns after a lengthy lay-off and Danny Gabbidon is available. Carlton Cole is also fully fit and could start after
THE head of UK Athletics claims there is a clear moral choice to be made over the future of the Olympic Stadium: to take Tottenham's "filthy lucre" or keep the promises made when London was bidding for the 2012 Games and go with West Ham. Ed Warner
THE waste plant proposed for a site in Basildon would produce material which could be burned to generate electricity. Essex County Council has revived plans for a mechanical biological treatment plant in Courtauld Road, Basildon, capable of handling
A South Essex man has gone from working as a carpet fitter to being an international model...aged 50. Rob Knighton is set to give up the day job and swap laying carpets for walking on red carpets. Mr Knighton, a fitter for 30 years,
CYCLE cops have made 150 arrests across Essex in the last year. The officers have been out on their bikes as part of the force’s Operation Velo, which saw officers clock up 100,000 miles on their beats. The idea was to return to the good old days where
A COUPLE were stunned when their car was written off as they sat watching TV. Ann and Lee Dowling were relaxing in the front room of their home in Richmond Avenue, Shoebury, when their peace was shattered by an almighty crash. They both
A WELL-RESPECTED headteacher has died following his battle with cancer. Philip Rodbard, 58, was at the helm of Lancaster Special School in Westcliff for almost seven years. He had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year, and
AFTER shedding eight stone, beating cancer and enduring six failed IVF attempts, Hayley Black is used to overcoming obstacles. So when faced with “Rake in the Face”, “Tight Rope of Terror” and “The Dread-mill” on BBC1 game show Total Wipeout
GETTING kids into Shakespeare can be a challenge, but there’s one theatre company with it’s sights firmly set on engaging youngsters in the work of the Bard. Shakespeare 4 Kidz is the brainchild of director Julian Chenery and he’s bringing one of it’
