Stories for 7 January 2003

Basildon,Brentwood,Essex News

South Essex: Six get the Duke's award

Six youngsters from the Basildon district have achieved gold Duke of Edinburgh awards after taking part in a wide range of volunteering activities and exciting challenges.   more...

Billericay: Placards slate `scumbag' thief

Furious builder Alan Atkinson has let passers-by know exactly what he thinks about a thief who stole his tools.   more...

South Essex: Post natal group for new parents

Newly-made mums and dads in the area are set to benefit from a range of activities to help them with their new baby.   more...

Basildon,Brentwood,Essex Sport

Soccer: Billericay boosted by Morris return

Billericay Town have brought back a popular former player to strengthen their squad following the £10,000 departure of Roy Essandoh and Martin Carthy to Grays.   more...

Rugby: Stanford 0-13 Billericay (EC One)

The red-carding of Stanford's prop for stamping helped Billericay to victory in a closely-fought derby.   more...

Basildon,Essex News

Basildon: `Hospital unit was appalling'

A former hospital chaplain has described conditions at Basildon Hospital surgical assessment unit as "appalling" after visiting an elderly friend.   more...

Canvey: Golden couple's life of love

Eileen and Alf O'Connor celebrated in style as family and friends joined them to mark their golden wedding.   more...

Basildon: Judge locks up girl attacker

A Basildon schoolgirl has been locked up after she kicked another pupil in the face, fracturing her jaw and injuring her arm and back.   more...

Basildon: Council proud to fly Union Flag

Basildon is to have the Union Flag flying over its council offices every working day from today.   more...

Basildon: Kids' special garden smashed by vandals

A headteacher today told of her devastation after vandals went on a spree of destruction at a garden used by children with learning difficulties.   more...

Vange: Ill three forced to flee

Three men who have helped control each other's mental illnesses have been forced from their home by a torrent of abuse.   more...

Basildon,Essex Sport

Rugby: Canvey Island 0-28 Maldon (EC One)

Canvey Island coach Richard Smith and skipper Jason Carter are threatening to quit over their side's poor attitude to training.   more...

Snooker: Lisa out to pocket top tournament titles

Lisa Ingall is in the right frame of mind for an assault on the women's snooker World Championships in April.   more...

Brentwood,Essex News

Harold: MP's concern over post offices

Harold MP Angela Watkinson is calling on Post Office bosses to reveal details of any plans they may have to close sub-post offices in the area.   more...

Chelmsford,Essex News

Chelmsford: Plans for Hylands on view

Plans for the next stage of work on Hylands park and house start to go on display to the public this Friday.   more...

Essex: Poppy appeal nets £600,000

Essex Royal British Legion raised more than £600,000 for the national Poppy Appeal last year and spent £84,000 assisting 275 members-in-need with grants.   more...

Chelmsford: Cash still needed for cathedral

More than half a million pounds is needed to complete Chelmsford cathedral's development appeal.   more...

Chelmsford: Hells bells! Turn that alarm off

What a racket! A 64-year-old has given a sigh of relief after an alarm which rang continuously for seven days and nights behind his house was finally turned off.   more...

Colchester,Essex News

Jaywick: Digger driver banned

A digger operator has been banned for three years for drink-driving, a court heard.   more...

Colchester: Water worries

Water use in Colchester is set to spiral by more than four million litres each day because of new housing in the town.   more...

Colchester: Bogus postman alert

A fake postman snatched a bag of mail destined for Colchester homes.   more...

Colchester: Handbag stolen at church

Thieves struck in a Colchester church, stealing a woman's handbag.   more...

Colchester,Essex Sport

Soccer: Striker blow for U's boss Whitton

Lee Bradbury has turned his back on Colchester United to play for Sheffield Wednesday.   more...

Essex Business

South Fambridge: Anchor's away as pub closes

A riverside village with just 61 homes is to lose the heart of its community, its pub.   more...

Tilbury: Top teacher checks out award

Teacher Jen Davies won applause from pupils as she collected a top award from supermarket Asda.   more...

Thurrock: Lakeside to launch toy box appeal

Lakeside shopping centre's first charity Big Toy Box appeal is to be launched on Thursday by celebrities Tamara Beckwith and Stacey Young.   more...

Burnham-on-Crouch: Facelift for station

Victorian Burnham-on-Crouch station is to get a spring facelift from First Great Eastern.   more...

Leigh: Jewel display is a gem

An eye-catching way of displaying jewellery has become a bit of a talking point among Leigh traders since new jeweller David Roberts came to town.   more...

Basildon: Pie shop wrecked in arson attack

Police and fire investigators were today searching through the remains of Basildon's most popular pie shop after it was gutted by arsonists.   more...

Stansted: Charles asked to back airport expansion fight

Environmentally-friendly Prince Charles has been called upon to back the campaign against expanding Stansted Airport.   more...

Essex Mike

South Essex: Snowfall causing traffic mayhem

Motorists in south Essex slipped and slithered to work today as the first snow of winter caused chaos on the roads.   more...

Essex News

Essex: Council security leak

Sensitive information detailing security arrangements at Essex County Council buildings was accidentally posted on an internet website.   more...

Essex: Beware icy roads - warning to drivers

Firefighters in Essex are on stand-by today to deal with the threat of icy roads.   more...

Tendring: Cash problems hit service for elderly

A vital service for elderly and vulnerable residents in Tendring faces the axe unless new cash can be found to save it.   more...

Castle Point: Youth centre ready to go

Youngsters in Castle Point were celebrating today after a £125,000 youth centre and skatepark was given the go-ahead.   more...

South Essex: Snowfall causing traffic mayhem

Motorists in south Essex slipped and slithered to work today as the first snow of winter caused chaos on the roads.   more...

Canvey: Think of a letter - and take a walk

A decision to close down a post office provoked concern today from councillors.   more...

Hockley: Bullwood labelled `a model prison'

A women's prison has won high praise for its work with young offenders despite operating amid a serious staff crisis.   more...

Witham: Job centre shuts on Monday

Witham job centre is closing for refurbishment.   more...

Castle Point: MP's 10 minutes to curb youth drinking

Castle Point MP Bob Spink has vowed to try to bring in new laws to combat under-age drinking.   more...

Mistley: Animals dumped in cold outside centre

Unwanted baby rabbits and cockerels were abandoned in freezing conditions outside an environmental centre.   more...

Jaywick: Man dies of natural causes

A war veteran who was attacked and robbed at his home has died of natural causes.   more...

Castle Point: Silent tribute to colleagues

Heads were bowed for a minute's silence at last night's Castle Point Council meeting for three colleagues who died in the last three weeks.   more...

Halstead: Lights stay up for dad's homecoming

A family are keeping their Christmas lights sparkling until their father is able to come home from hospital.   more...

Wivenhoe: 'GM pair' walk free

The "Wivenhoe GM Two" today walked free.   more...

Clacton: Man armed with a knife robbed town's chemist

A man is receiving hospital treatment after he armed himself with a kitchen knife and robbed a Clacton chemist.   more...

Shoebury: Masons lay on a party

Freemasons funded a Christmas party for children from the Little Treasures Parent and Toddler Group, at the residents' hall in Delaware Road, Shoebury.   more...

Essex Specials

Lights stay up for dad's homecoming

A family are keeping their Christmas lights sparkling until their father is able to come home from hospital.   more...

Essex Sport

Soccer: Powling - Time to prove a point

Clacton Town manager Richie Powling hopes his side prove a point tonight when then entertain Ipswich Wanderers.   more...

Soccer: Fifth time lucky for the Jam-makers?

Frustrated Tiptree manager Neil Farlie has dismissed fears of a fixture pile-up and insists his side will pull out all the stops to beat Waltham tonight (kick-off 7.45pm).   more...

Soccer: Town accept Clapham offer

Jamie Clapham was in talks with Birmingham City today to discuss a shock £1.5 million move to St Andrews.   more...

Soccer: Swifts are trained to perfection

Heybridge Swifts head into their Essex Senior Cup quarter-final clash at home to Chelmsford City (kick-off 7.30pm) without the services of several key players.   more...

Soccer: Hammers close in on Bowyer deal

West Ham are on the verge of unveiling their first signing of the transfer window, if Lee Bowyer agrees terms at Upton Park today.   more...

Essex,Southend News

Westcliff: Police in plea for stolen rifle

Burglary squad officers fear raiders who stole a decommissioned rifle may use it to scare off victims.   more...

Southend: Town centre drivers to be tamed

Campaigners who have been calling for better road safety measures in residential streets around Southend town centre look set to have won their battle.   more...

Southend: Police chief's anger as Ronnie walks free

Southend's police chief today said he was disappointed after a teenage tearaway escaped being locked up.   more...

Southend: Girl truant's mother gets month in jail

A mother was today behind bars for failing to send her teenage daughter to school.   more...

Shoebury: Man butted girl who dumped him

A man who headbutted his ex-girlfriend in the face narrowly avoided jail.   more...

Southend: Crossing help for elderly

Elderly residents who have problems crossing an Eastwood road to get to nearby shops are set to be given a boost by Southend Council.   more...

Southend: Fury at pool chlorine pain

High chlorine levels which left children with streaming eyes and sore throats forced Southend's Warrior Swim centre to close completely only a day after it reopened.   more...

Essex,Southend Sport

Soccer: Daggers will be sharp warns Tilson

Southend United travel to Dagenham and Red-bridge in a hastily arranged Essex Senior Cup quarter-final tonight, kick-off 7.45pm.   more...

Athletics: Sarah sits out 2003 season

Injury-jinxed former British sprint champion Sarah Wilhelmy today said she was unlikely to make a competitive comeback until 2004.   more...

Essex,Thurrock Sport

Rugby: Thurrock 23-14 Twickenham (London Two)

Marc Chandler was the hero as Thurrock surged back from 14-6 down to KO fellow strugglers Twickenham.   more...

Speedway: Second spot for Hammer Lanham

Leigh Lanham, who is set to start his sixth season for the Arena-Essex Hammers in the forthcoming season, started 2003 by finishing runner-up in the annual New Year's Classic meeting at Newport.   more...

  
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