Firefighters were called to tackle a blaze at car wash lock up. The two Basildon crews were called to London Road, Vange, just before 8pm today and spent 45 minutes tackling the blaze in the storage unit. They reported it was 100 per cent alight
CHURCHES across south Essex are set for major revamps after bagging a share of a £100,000 grant. The Friends of Essex Churches Trust has brought Christmas cheer to churches in Basildon, Benfleet and Rettendon. St Martin’s Church, in Basildon
A BAIL hostel for high-risk criminals on the Felmores Estate can be moved outside Basildon – or even Essex. The Ministry of Justice has agreed the hostel, in Littlebury Green, which houses sex offenders, can be moved to a business park or even
Police cordoned off a stretch of road in Southend this evening. Victoria Avenue, outside the Thamesgate building, was cordoned off around 4.40pm but had reopened before 5pm. It is not yet known the precise reason for the action, however it
IF you were a Bond villain, you could do worse than hide out in Bern. The pretty Swiss city, which became the latest destination from Southend Airport in October, rivals Ottawa and Canberra as the world’s least-known capital. Sure enough, Piz
A WOMAN who gave up her home to care for her dying father is facing a Christmas housing crisis after he died. Patricia Wooten, 64, and her partner, John Ward, 66, have nowhere to go after Basildon Council told them they must be out of her father
A MAIN road through Basildon has reopened after a horrific crash. Broadmayne, in Basildon town centre, was closed in both directions between Southernhay and the roundabout with the junction of Upper Mayne for more than an hour this morning after
TWO south Essex charities have received a £38,000 boost to help their work. Craylands Activity Centre in Basildon received £25,756 from the health lottery, while Southend’s Trust Links got £12,456. The money came via a programme set up to invest
AFTER securing four league victories in succession against teams from the bottom nine, Saturday’s trip to table topping Wycombe Wanderers was always going to give a clearer indication of Southend United’s promotion credentials. The signs were initially
STREET artists have placed winter scenes made of fabric on post boxes to bring Christmas cheer to south Essex. Members of the Benfleet-based Craft Club have left “yarnbombs” – public displays of colourful crocheted scenes – on top of six post boxes
A MAN was left with a broken nose and facial injuries after being assaulted following a night out. The 20 year-old was struck in the face as he walked down Quilters Drive, in Billericay- near the Ivory Rooms- between 2am and 3am on Saturday.
PLAYERS Thank you to all the fans for the excellent support in numbers. Different class throughout, although we let you down. The result HURT but we will bounce back and stick together. On to the next one. @dan_bentley1 FANS More effort
SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown slammed his side’s defending and a red card shown to Jerome Binnom-Williams after suffering the heaviest league defeat of his Shrimpers’ tenure at table-topping Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday. The Shrimpers sunk
A FAMILY has promised to play Santa after winning more than £1,000 of prizes in the Echo’s Christmas competition. The Tapsell family, of Vicarage Close, Canvey, won a huge pile of prizes – from panto tickets, to jewellery – in the Echo’s Win Christmas
MEMBERS of a gang which stole a haul of guns and sold them into the criminal underworld have been jailed for a total of 33 years. One of the stolen guns was sold on and used in an East London shoot-out, it has been revealed. Most of the 77
A MAN who was crushed to death at work was not supervised and trained in safety procedures, it has been revealed. Raymond Holmes, 59, of Rayleigh, died from multiple injuries when an excavator reversed into him as he cleaned a large sand filter
POLICE are recruiting volunteers to help them tackle crime in Billericay. Essex Police are recruiting “active citizens” to assist neighbourhood officers with crime reduction initiatives, such as leafleting and handing out crime prevention advice
TRAINS in and out of London could be delayed after a passenger was taken ill. A passenger was taken ill at Stratford train station at about 7.25am today, delaying Greater Anglia trains into London. Trains affected include those from Southend
A BROKEN down vehicle is delaying traffic on the A127. A vehicle is broken down in the outside lane of the London bound carriageway between Noak Bridge (A176) and the Fortune of War Roundabout. Police are on the scene.
Urgent action must be taken to protect vulnerable children on a Canvey caravan park, councillors have warned. Fears have been raised about Thorney Bay Park, off Thorney Bay Road. A Castle Point Council meeting on Wednesday heard cold and poorly-insulated
A MAN has been charged with trying to rob Burger King. Paul Fox-Hetherington, 56, of Old Southend Road, Southend, allegedly stabbed a Burger King worker in the hand as he tried to rob the fast food restaurant in Southend High Street. The incident
FIREFIGHTERS scrambled to a Leigh restaurant after its roof caught fire. Two crews from Rayleigh Weir and another from Leigh were called to the Old Vienna restaurant on Eastwood Road, Leigh, just after midnight after a large number of calls from
SOUTHEND Council has thrown out plans for a proposed one-way system after residents protested. Disgruntled residents in Cromwell Road, Southend, handed in a petition against the proposals, with more than 20 households objecting to the road becoming
KERRY Smith has quit as Ukip's candidate in South Basildon and East Thurrock after being forced to apologise for a series of offensive comments. In recordings of phone calls, the would-be MP was said to have mocked gay party members and joked about
RAIDERS smashed their way into shops to steal charity collection tins. Hundreds of pounds were taken from Angela’s Kids’ Boutique, 2nd Time Around Boutique, and Weller Dry Cleaning & Ironing, all in London Road, Hadleigh. The businesses
SUPPORT for proposals by opposition councillors to switch the streetlights back on in Rochford is gathering momentum. John Mason, leader of the opposition at Rochford District Council, wants to pay Essex County Council £59,000 to turn the lights
BASILDON Hospital’s finances are being investigated after its debt was predicted to more than double in just one year. Health watchdog Monitor is urgently looking into the matter after the debt estimate for the end of this financial year rocketed
A SCHOOLGIRL was hit by a car and ended up being thrown across the bonnet. The youngster, thought to be aged 12, managed to escape with just minor injuries after being hit by the car at about 3pm yesterday in Southchurch Avenue, Southend. Ambulances
MEMBERS of a gang which stole a haul of guns and sold them into the criminal underworld have been jailed for a total of 33 years. Nine defendants from Southend and Thurrock were jailed yesterday at Basildon Crown Court for their parts in the theft
A teacher who has taught at the same school for nearly half a century was surprised by pupils and staff to mark his 70th birthday. Keith Lester took his first job at Lee Chapel Primary School, in The Knares, Basildon, in 1967 and has worked there
