Archive

  • Is aspirin a wonder drug for everyone?

    CREDITED with reducing strokes and the risk of bowel cancer, and even curing the odd headache, aspirin is our latest “wonder drug”. But could a daily dose do healthy people more harm than good? Taking aspirin has so many proven benefits some have hailed

  • Communal areas in Basildon will be given £25,000 makeover

    COMMUNAL areas in Lee Chapel North and Vange are being given a £25,000 makeover. The work will involve refurbishment of rubbish storage and recycling facilities and measures to improve security. This is necessary as the communal areas for 2 to 28 Ballards

  • Trains delayed following London blaze

    COMMUTERS are facing severe delays after a blaze broke out under railway arches. Twenty firefighters from the London Fire Brigade were called to a car repair workshop in Cable Street, Shadwell, at 4.15pm. Train operator c2c suspended

  • Troubled pub stays open ...but opening hours cut

    A PUB which neighbours claim has made their lives a living hell has had its opening hours cut. Following the trouble, the New Mayflower pub in Jacksons Lane, Billericay, was told to take on a new manager and adhere to strict conditions including having

  • We were fined £25 – for upside down blue badge

    A WOMAN told of her shock and disgust after being ticketed because a disabled badge was placed upside-down on her dashboard. To compound her anger, Sunita Parbhakar was hurrying to Southend Hospital with her family to visit her dad, whom they

  • Basildon schoolgirl dies after being hit by ball

    A SCHOOLGIRL died after being hit by a rugby ball during a PE lesson. Leonie Nice, 12, suffered a fit when she caught the ball at Woodlands Comprehensive School in Takely End, Basildon. The year seven pupil was hit in the chest by the

  • Plucky Westcliff make Tonbridge work

    WESTCLIFF suffered a 41-17 defeat at high-flying Tonbridge Juddian. They were hit by late injury blows when both skipper Simon Jones and back row man Bryn Hudson pulled out. But they still came close to securing a losing bonus point. Early pressure

  • Southend Rape Crisis centre to receive £107,000 grant

    SOUTHEND's Rape crisis centre is set to receive a £107,000 cash injection. The Government grant means they will now be able to offer specialist support to children and young people. Justice Minister, Crispin Blunt, announced today that

  • Feuding swim clubs agree

    TWO feuding swimming clubs have reached a compromise over their use of Southend’s public pools. Southend Swimming Club and the Borough of Southend Swimming Club have come up with a plan to share the pools at Garon Park in Southend and Leigh’s Belfairs

  • Thieves attempt to steal ponies

    THIEVES attempted to steal three minature ponies from a field near the A127. The Shetland ponies had been in field in St Mary’s Lane, West Horndon, when the crooks tried to load them into a van. They escaped and ended up roaming for

  • Man suffered burns after putting out garage fire

    AN ELDERLY man suffered minor burns after he tackled a blaze in his garage. The 71 year-old was taken to Southend Hospital by family members for treatment to burns on his hands and knees. He had been working on his lawn mower when it

  • Brad subbed after dressing room problem

    CANVEY manager Glen Alzapiedi said he had to substitute red-hot striker Bradley Woods-Garness on Saturday because of a problem in the changing room at half-time. Woods-Garness was replaced at the interval by Danny Heale, just minutes after he had given

  • Island college rises in Meppel Avenue

    Canvey’S new £6.3million vocational college is now taking shape. Builders expect the Canvey Skills Campus, in Meppel Avenue, Canvey, to be ready by next January. Foundations have been laid and the metal framework is clearly visible above

  • Brace of wins takes Leopards to the top

    LEOPARDS are now joint leaders at the top of the English Basketball League after tasting two more triumphs over the weekend. The Big Cats beat fellow high flyers Derby Trailblazers 91-79 on Saturday night and then followed that up by hammering Reading

  • Hammer attack on car by crazed man

    A CRAZED man smashed up a car with a hammer. Neighbours watched in horror as he went berserk on the Renault Clio parked in St George’s Drive, Westcliff. They were woken in the early hours of Saturday by the sound of glass shattering. Some ran out of

  • Southend determined to arrest their decline

    SOUTHEND suffered their sixth defeat in eight games at Henley. The defeat pushed the Seasiders down to 11th in the National Two South standings. And it also left experienced second row Andrew McClintock a frustrated man. “To say it was disappointing

  • Basildon edge to win

    SECOND placed Basildon had a rare off day but were still able to beat bottom of the table Beccles 5-3. Beccles were stronger in the tight and about the park and had a couple of good chances to score tries. They took a deserved lead with a penalty

  • Out-of-sorts Rochford back into drop zone

    ROCHFORD Hundred slumped back in to the relegation zone after a disappointing 37-18 defeat at Chingford. Rochford impressed against second placed Letchworth Garden City last weekend. But they were nowhere near those standards this time around. In

  • Jack in race to face Bulls

    SOUTHEND United’s on-loan striker Jack Sampson is fighting to be fit for Saturday’s clash at Hereford United. The 18-year-old’s groin injury, which he picked up during last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Accrington Stanley, is not as bad as first feared.

  • Burglary crackdown in Southend

    A CRACKDOWN has been launched on burglary in Southend - with postcards set to be delivered through the doors of 60,000 homes. The campaign has been launched by independent charity, Crimestoppers,who are also providing pubs and clubs with beer

  • Vandals damage trees in Rayleigh park

    Vandals have damaged trees in aRayleigh park. They ripped down several trees in Sweyne Park on Sunday night. FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE TOMORROW'S ECHO.

  • Injured footballer walks with crutches for the first time

    A FOOTBALLER who was partially paralysed after being attacked outside a nightclub has walked using crutches in hospital for the first time. Billericay Town goalkeeper Nicky Morgan, 26, has come on leaps and bounds in his rehabilitation and has met all

  • Rochford Art Trail launched

    APPLICATIONS are now open for artists and art groups to apply to be part of this year’s Rochford Art Trail. For one week, Rochford transforms into a giant exhibition space as artists display in shops, cafes and public spaces. Residents and visitors

  • Southend sorting office will close next Monday

    WORRIED residents and politicians fear post in Southend and Castle Point could be delivered later than ever before. Concerns have intensified ahead of the closure of Southend’s main sorting office on Monday, March 19. The site, in Short Street, employs

  • Lorry on fire near Tilbury

    THREE fire crews were called to a lorry on fire which was carrying white goods. The 12-tonne lorry was well alight and crews from Grays and Orsett attended the scene on the Dock Approach Road near the A1089 on Monday just after 5.30pm. Police were

  • Knifeman raids Basildon bookies

    A KNIFEMAN raided a bookies in the centre of Basildon – just days after he is believed to have targeted another of the town’s betting shops. The masked thug stormed into Coral, in East Square, at about 7.30pm on Saturday and held a woman at

  • Fox jumped fence to attack my chihuahua

    A CHIHUAHUA was attacked in a back garden by a fox. Two-year-old Lexi was wrestled from the vermin’s jaws by owner, Vicky Reeves. The little dog suffered severe bite wounds to her neck. Mum-of-three Vicky, 29, put Lexi in the