WESTWOOD Karate Academy fighters have just returned from the FSKA world championships in Italy clutching an armful of trophies and medals. Competitors from more than 20 countries – including teams from Argentina and South Africa – fought at the event
REECE Gunn has been shooting his way to success on the basketball court. The 13-year-old Eastwood School pupil was called up for the East of England squad in the National Regional Development Tournament. And he played more minutes than any other player
WORRIED residents in flats earmarked for demolition near Roots Hall are fed-up with living limbo. On Friday, the Echo revealed a joint plan from Sainsbury’s and Southend United had finally been submitted to Southend Council for redeveloping
IT may be November, but East Essex Players’ latest production is Third Week in August. The fast-moving comedy is set in a caravan park. The time, as the title suggests, is the height of the summer vacation season. A varied group of characters, all with
FOUR schools were celebrating at the weekend after making the English Schools Cross-Country Cup final. The two Southend High Schools, Eastwood and King John School all made it through to the finals in Warwickshire on December 3 after qualifying from
A MASSIVE 10,000 tickets have already been sold for this year’s festive panto at the Towngate Theatre in Basildon. With just two weeks to go until the start of Dick Whittington, bosses from the 550 seat theatre say they are looking at a record-breaking
DETECTIVES investigating a fight which left a talented footballer partially paralysed need to trace a man who they believe was involved. The incicent happened behind the Sugar Hut in William Hunter Way, Brentwood, and Billericay Town goalkeeper Nick
A DANCE teacher will showcase her talents in front of a worldwide audience after being picked to perform at the Olympic Games next year. Michelle Harkes, 44, has been selected to perform in the opening or closing ceremony of the 2012 games. She could
A MAN exposed himself to a 13-year-old girl as she walked her dog. The youngster was in woods at the Common, in Thundersley, when he stepped out in front of her and performed an indecent act. It happened at about 1.45pm on Saturday,
C&K BASILDON Ladies made club history by making the first round of the Women’s FA Cup for the first time. Goals from Carly Eagles, Charlie Dolby and Nicola Carty handed Basildon a 3-1 win at home to Hemel Hempstead Ladies. And Basildon’s reward is a
SOUTHEND Leisure and Tennis Centre will launch its first swimming sessions for disabled children on every other Sunday in January 2012. Managed by Short Breaks Services, the sessions will provide enjoyment and fitness to families who have a disabled
VISITORS to Barleylands in Billericay can meet Santa, tuck into a mince pie and snap up some festive bargains all on the same night. The craft village and farm’s annual Christmas evening will be making a welcome return on Friday November 25. The event
CYCLE Southend’s Re-Cycle Centre wants more unwanted bicycles to recycle and sell on to somebody else to love. Any old bike will be welcome at the Centre in Brunel Road, off Progress Road, Eastwood even if you thinks it’s destined for the scrap heap.
FRIENDS and family are rallying round to help the family of a young rapper, dubbed the Legend of Laindon, who has died aged 26. A special club night with a range of DJs is taking place at the Edge nightclub in memory of John Arnold, of Gernons, Basildon
I’m sure people remember Anne the elephant. Anne was an elderly, arthritic elephant travelling with Bobby Roberts’ Circus, which visits Rochford each year. Footage was released showing Anne being beaten by her groom. Over a three-week period
Ann Chalk says my view that travellers may attempt to use facilities on East Beach, Shoebury, was “absurd” (Nov 10). Had she, like myself, spoken to those who used to manage the caravan site, she would know their constant worry was to ensure
I would like to thank everyone who attended the Come and See session in Leigh, on Saturday, to find out more about our vision for a new Fair Havens Hospice, and to all those who have visited us over the previous 23 meetings we have held. From
Historic buildings are an integral part of today’s towns and their preservation is an element of basic architecture. Not that Basildon can be called historic, by any stretch of the imagination, but even new towns with a 60 year old legacy have
THE foul stench which has plagued residents for five years is set to be eliminated by a £700,000 investment from Anglian Water. Families in Benfleet have been kicking up a stink about bad smells from Benfleet Sewage Treatment Works, in Watlington Road
SOUTHEND’S director of rugby Chris Green refused to blame Sam Arnott’s red card for his side’s 30-11 defeat at Clifton in National Two South on Saturday. The Seasiders were leading 11-10 at half-time when their scrum half was dismissed for an alledged
*On web* BASILDON and Billericay MP John Baron has labelled efforts by the UK government to save the Euro as “economic claptrap”. Speaking during a debate in parliament the outspoken Tory MP also raised concerns about Britain pumping another £10 billion
AN off-song Rochford Hundred fought out a hard, dour battle with old rivals Chingford. But they eventually ended up with just a losing bonus point after suffering a 22-16 defeat in London One North. Rochford could have easily taken more from the game
WESTCLIFF returned to National League Three London & SE action with a 43-10 defeat at home to second-placed Tonbridge Juddian. But their performance was better than the score-line suggested. The visitors were forced to withstand an early spell of pressure
BASILDON moved up to second in the London Two North East table with a 20-7 win at Old Streetonians. A penalty from Charlie Baker put Basildon into an early lead which was then extended in the 16th minute with a try from scrum half JD O'Mahoney who finished
For the second season in succession, Southend United will host Brentford in the second round of the FA Youth Cup at Roots Hall tonight. Blues beat the Bees 3-0 last time around. But the club’s head of youth Ricky Duncan is expecting a far tougher
MICHAEL Timlin is focusing on his football and not his future at Southend United. The midfielder, who is on loan from Swindon Town, has been in stunning form since arriving at Blues in August. But he is not sure where he will be playing
Job Title: NEW BUSINESS ADVISOR Post No. VN50 Newsquest (Essex) Ltd is part of England’s largest regional newspaper publisher, with an expanding portfolio of newspapers, websites and magazines.
YOBS slashed the tyres of 34 cars in Vange and Pitsea. The cars were hit between Sunday night and Monday morning and the damage totals more than £2,000. The roads hit included Alcotes, Sandon Road, Lindsell Green, Collingwood Road, Maplin Gardens, Linsell
TWO sets of traffic lights failed in Southend earlier today. Around 11.30am a set of lights on the A127 at the West Street junction broke down before being followed by another set on Southchurch Road near Chichester Road. Motorists
THE mum of a man held in a Spanish jail accused of attempted murder has sold her home to raise cash for the legal fight. Sharon Harris, 56, only put her three-bed home on the market at the end of last month – it sold within a week. The property in Brunswick
PLANS for the development of Pitsea town centre will be unveiled tomorrow (Wednesday). A public exhibition is being run at the Pitsea Leisure Centre on Northlands Park, in Rectory Park Drive. It is on from 2pm to 6.30pm where the new vision for the
A TEENAGE boy is making a determined effort to think outside the box and find an employer. Charlie Appleby, 17, of Lundy Close, Leigh, is fed-up with sending out his CV and getting nowhere so he has started handing out A5 leaflets to potential bosses
ALMOST 1,500 people have responded to a consultation about the future of the Laindon war memorial – with 90 per cent saying they want it in the town centre. The memorial is currently outside the Laindon Centre, off High Road, and Basildon Council want
NEARLY half the 4,000-plus strong workforce at Basildon Hospital has now been vaccinated against the flu, just one month after the vaccination became available. Bosses at the hospital trust started offering the jab on Monday, October 10, which it dubbed
TWO men were arrested as they were allegedly about to sell stolen trolleys to a scrap yard as part of the latest crackdown on metal theft. The men, from Basildon, were arrested as police launched a crackdown on metal thieves who have plagued
A NEW shopping centre could be built on a car park in Wickford. Basildon Council hopes this will revive the ill-fated Wickford masterplan. The original £125million masterplan, which included a new swimming pool, fitness centre, community centre, healthcare
THE estate agents helping to sell the plush Officers’ Mess development at Shoebury Garrison says 60 per cent of the homes on the market have already been snapped up. Fine, based in The Broadway, Thorpe Bay, are selling high-end homes in
A MYSTERY patriot put put his own take on Armistice Day by fixing a giant poppy to the Basildon sign. Motorists driving passed the well-known landmark were touched by the warm-hearted act of remembrance on Friday. The massive red poppy
