TAXPAYERS will be asked to pay an extra £3 a year in a bid to safeguard police staff and officers - but jobs will still be lost. Nick Alston, the Essex Police and Crime Commissioner, has announced that he would increase the policing precept part
RESIDENTS have the chance to raise crime concerns with Essex Police and Crime Commissioner Nick Alston. He will discuss local crime and community safety issues in Southend on Thursday January 8. The meeting is taking place at The Chase High
A PLAN to generate thousands of jobs across two new business parks near Southend Airport are set to become a reality. The proposals - known formally as the London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan (JAAP) - have been approved
ROCHFORD Hockey Club finished the year in fine style with a fantastic 4-0 win against fellow title contenders Witham IV where they came out as 4-0 winners. Rochford started the game well and the pressure paid off when James Morgan fired the ball
FOUR teenagers were snared by police on suspicion of stealing a car. Officers were alerted after a Ford Focus activated an ANPR camera in Billericay at about 11.50pm on Monday. The police helicopter was scrambled and the vehicle was stopped
DANNY Cowley believes this could be a “special season” for Concord Rangers after they crushed Conference Premier leaders Barnet 6-2 in the FA Trophy. Following Saturday’s 0-0 draw at the Aspect Arena, the Beach Boys travelled to the Hive Stadium
RYMAN PREMIER: East Thurrock United showed “real togetherness” to beat play-off chasing Enfield Town. That was the view of manager John Coventry, who watched his side run out 2-0 winners on Tuesday thanks to goals from Sam Higgins and Reece Harris
POLICE raided a house in North Benfleet, as part of an investigation in to fraud and money laundering. Officers executed a search warrant at the house in Harrow Road, at about 10.40am on Monday. A 26-year-old man from Romford and a 17-year-old
TWO motorists chased each other round the streets of Pitsea following a road rage spat. The shocking incident kicked off about 2.30pm on Tuesday, just minutes before children left school for the day. Police are interviewing 25-year-old men
THE new headteacher at Southend High School for Girls has spoken of her drive and determination to help her pupils be the best. Fiona Brierley, acting head and a former deputy head at the school, in Southchurch Boulevard, has been formally appointed
SOUTHEND & Benfleet go into the Christmas break sitting pretty in second place in the Essex Premier League after a gritty 3-2 win at home to Romford. It was a frantic opening and S&B’s youngest player Ellen Taylor had to be on her game
SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown has revealed Elliot Lee could return to the club in January. Lee’s loan spell from West Ham United was ended without him playing a game last month when he suffered a hamstring injury in his first training session
By Jack Staplehurst Bowers & Pitsea 6 Sporting Bengal United 1 A Lewis Manor hat trick helped Bowers & Pitsea stroll to another win over bottom side Sporting Bengal United at The Len Salmon Stadium on Tuesday night. Lewis
POLICE want to identify this woman in connection with the theft of groceries. A woman went into the Co-op on London Road, Leigh, at about 3.15pm on November 30 and left with about £170 worth of groceries without paying. Anyone who recognises
THE parents of an 11-yearold schoolboy who died of a brain tumour have taken their battle for better funding for research into the disease to the House of Commons. Sports-mad, fun-loving Danny Green, a former pupil at Leigh Beck Primary School,
A WOMAN has been reported for careless driving after a three car pile-up which injured two people. A BMW, Vauxhall van and Renault were seen crushed together after the crash in Bournemouth Park Road, Southend, near the junction with Walsingham
THE family of a pedestrian who died after a road collision in Basildon paid a loving a tribute to him. David Charles, 44, of Bourne Avenue, Basildon, died in the early hours of Saturday, November 29, after the crash in Cranes Farm Road, Basildon
SOUTHEND United’s first team squad spread some Christmas cheer on a visit to the children’s ward at Southend Hospital. The entire Shrimpers squad and manager Phil Brown handed out presents to the unwell youngsters. And Brown was only too happy
ONLY 20 people turned up to auditions for Britain’s Got Talent in Rayleigh. Simon Cowell sent his production team to Masters Performing Arts College in Rayleigh on Friday to stage auditions for next year’s series. But contestants were left
SOUTHEND United midfielder Jack Bridge is on the wanted list of a number of clubs. But Shrimpers boss Phil Brown is keen to keep him at Roots Hall, for now. The young midfielder impressed during a loan stint with Ryman One North side Soham
THESE pictures show the dramatic change along Canvey seafront following Castle Point Council’s pledge to spend thousands of pounds sprucing up the area. The area, from Thorney Bay to the the Point, has been undergoing an extensive clean-up over
Redbridge 1-1 Canvey Island (Redbridge won 4-2 on penalties) Essex Senior Cup Round Four By Jack Staplehurst Canvey Island were cruelly knocked out of the Essex Senior Cup following a penalty shootout defeat at Redbridge. The
TED Smith is pushing for a place in Southend United's first team squad, according to manager Phil Brown. Smith has represented England at under 19 level this season but has yet to make his first team debut for the Shrimpers. However, Brown
OUTRAGED residents have vowed to fight a planning application to build 500 homes in Hullbridge. The site, west of Malyons Lane, was identified by Rochford District Council in its housing plan for the next ten years and will have room for 250 homes
A THORPE Bay junior school will travel to Portsmouth after it won a Southend United football tournament – and it did so without conceding a single goal. Bournes Green Junior School won the Kinder+Sport Kids Cup at Waterside Farm, in Canvey against
SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown is contemplating calling striker Jason Williams back from his successful loan spell at Chelmsford City. The 19-year-old forward has bagged six goals in seven games in the Conference South with the Clarets.
BASILDON ladies first team showed plenty of spirit but eventually fell to a 4-1 defeat at home to Royston. Royston sit top of the table in Eastern Division Two C and have lost just twice this season but they were made to battle hard for victory
SOUTHEND men’s first team go into the Christmas break top of Eastern Division Three South East following a handsome 7-1 win over Brentwood. Southend started the game with the same intensity as the previous week, pressuring Brentwood from the off
BILLERICAY & WICKFORD boxers were narrowly beaten in their national finals at the weekend. Luke Hasson and Ollie Hood both lost on close points verdicts in the ABA Junior Novie Championship finals in Kent. Hasson was pipped by Birmingham
A FIRE at a cardboard box factory which could have burned for days was successfully extinguished within an hour. Fire fighters rushed to the cardboard box manufacturers on the Charfleets Industrial Estate in Canvey to avert a major incident last
FEARS of awinter crisis have been raised after Basildon Hospital ran out of beds again. Non-urgent meetings were cancelled and patients forced to wait longer to be admitted as demand from A&E outstripped available beds from 9am on Saturday.
A UKIP councillor has sparked anger by saying it was “not too much to ask” to have Englishspeaking care home workers in Southend. Lawrence Davies, who represents Kursaal for the anti-EU party, spoke out at a full council meeting. His comments
A MAN has been charged with trying to rob Burger King in an incident which left a member of staff with a cut to his hand. Paul Fox-Hetherington, 56, of Old Southend Road, Southend, appeared at Southend Magistrates’ Court yesterday charged with
A BUNGLING criminal who denied speeding while out on bail was caught out...by the electronic tag strapped to his leg. Speed cameras twice caught prolific offender Darren Girling, 38, of Harridge Road, Leigh, riding his scooter at 41mph in a 30mph
NEW security doors have been fitted to four notorious Southend towerblocks in an effort to cut vandalism and crime. The reinforced doors which feature powerful magnets so they close quickly and securely should help residents feel safer. The
