Stories for 23 March 2005

Basildon,Echo,Essex Sport

Speedway: Pirates pulverised by Hammers

Just 24 hours after it was announced that illustrious five times World Champion Tony Rickardsson had agreed a short term contract to deputise for injured Mark Loram, Arena Essex gave a distinguished performance when they thrashed current league champions Poole 61-30.  more...

Kickboxing: Allen must wait for title

Kickboxer Tommy Allen will have to wait a bit longer to get his hands on the British super welterweight belt.  more...

Angling: Big carp are biting

Lake Meadows regular Janzten Thompson took advantage of the rising water temperature to capture common carp of 21lb 2oz and 15lb 2oz when he fished the point swim.  more...

Football: Gulls cash in on Cowan

Canvey Island yesterday received a piece of good news in what has generally been a season of disappointment when they cashed in on a player they had expected to depart for nothing in little more than a month's time.  more...

Football: Defeat keeps pressure on Canvey

Canvey are left looking anxiously over their shoulders at the teams below them after taking their run of Conference games without a win to eight with last night's 2-0 home defeat by play-off chasing Accrington Stanley.  more...

Football: Time is up for Tes

Southend United striker Tes Bramble today confirmed he does not expect to ever play for the Shrimpers again.  more...

Chelmsford News

Essex: Drivers 'both to blame' for crash

Two competitive motorists were equally to blame for an accident in which a Burnham couple were gravely injured, an Appeal Court judge has ruled.  more...

Echo Echo Features

Blooming marvellous

KATE ESHMADE discovers some funky vases that could be even cooler than the flowers you put in them...  more...

Essex Business

Stansted: Investment group makes 'sterling' move

The owners of a Stansted-based low-cost airline have made a "sterling" move in their conquest of Icelandic air travel.   more...

Essex: Time is short for livewires

Young entrepreneurs have until March 31 to enter the Shell Livewire Awards 2005 for a chance to win £10,000.   more...

Essex Jobs

Jobs: Whatever happened to loyalty?

It's your first day in your new job, and excitement mixes with nerves as you're introduced to the new boss, the receptionist and the office gossip.   more...

Eveninggazette News

Essex: Banker is jailed

A high-flying bank manager was in jail today for diverting £13,000 into her bank account.   more...

North Essex: Driver trapped in van after collision

An ambulance crew had to smash a windscreen to get a driver out after an accident on the A120.   more...

Manningtree: Town needs flower waterer

A last-ditch plea has been made to save this year's Floral Manningtree.   more...

Essex: Convicted murderer to make appeal bid

Convicted murderer Michael Steele, 62, will make an application for bail pending a new appeal within the next two months, the Gazette can reveal.   more...

Colchester: Your Gazette leads the way

The Gazette has set the news agenda for TV, radio and newspapers across the country.   more...

North Essex: Minister backs call for support help

A vital group which helps support victims of crime has made a desperate plea for more volunteers to meet the growing demand on its services.   more...

Colchester: Grammar students share a special chemistry

A pair of Colchester students have finished in the top ten of young chemists in the country as they stake a claim for Olympic gold.   more...

Braintree: Woman guilty of arson

A woman has been convicted by a jury of setting fire to her flat.   more...

Brightlingsea: Pupils make it an exact science

Kids used the force to combine science with Star Wars in a fun learning exercise.   more...

Colchester: Assaults case - man not guilty

A man has been cleared by a court on rape and indecent assault charges.   more...

Tendring: Yobs target for police

Police in Tendring are to step up the battle against nuisance youths and yobs who are making residents' lives a misery.   more...

Colchester: Opening hours change?

A bar looks set to win permission to extend its opening hours.   more...

Colchester: Check your pockets

Pickpockets in Colchester town centre are back.   more...

Colchester: Wheels on fire cause chaos

Hot wheels went out in a blaze of glory after bursting into flames.   more...

Tendring: Churches under siege by vandals

More churches have come under siege from vandal attacks.   more...

Mid-Essex: Runners revving up for marathon challenge

Preparations for the London Marathon are now well under way with less than a month to go until the big event.   more...

Maldon: Police sorry for bungled raid

Police today apologised after a drugs raid wrongly targeted an innocent woman's house.   more...

Thorpe: Brothers band together behind the bar

Brothers Eugene and Stewart Storey will be pulling the pints at a village pub in future.   more...

Colchester: We need park-and-ride more

Park-and-ride is urgently needed on the east of Colchester to address congestion problems.   more...

Colchester: Man punched and robbed by attackers

A man was attacked and robbed today as he made his way home from a night out in Colchester.   more...

Chelmsford, Little Baddow: Swimmer, 10, died from heart failure

A sporty ten-year-old who swam three or four times a week died of heart failure, an inquest jury has found.   more...

Colchester: Driver fined over pensioner's death

A man has been given a fine and points on his licence after a crash which killed a pensioner.   more...

Chelmsford: Blaze victim named

A man killed in a house fire in Chelmsford has been named as Stephen Walker.   more...

Essex: Travellers and transport to be debated

Three reports into key areas of concern for Essex County Council were up for discussion today.   more...

Frinton: Bloomers show pupils the joy of gardening

Award-winning seaside bloomers have been doing a Jamie Oliver teaching youngsters the right stuff to eat.   more...

Braintree: Kimberley's cash drive for charity

The sister of a Braintree teenager, who died from a rare form of bone cancer, is trying to raise £100,000 to help other young sufferers.   more...

Braintree: Mum and dad raise cash for new playhouse

Children at a nursery have a house to call their own after the fundraising efforts of two parents.   more...

Chelmsford: Prisoner is found dead

An investigation has been launched at Chelmsford Prison after an inmate was found dead in his cell.   more...

Eveninggazette Sport

Athletics: Dominic takes crown

Dominic King reclaimed the National Racewalking Ten-kilometre Championship two years after first claiming the award and at the same time stealing the title off twin brother Daniel.   more...

Darts: MP Bob on oche with stars

Legends of the darts world were due at Parliament today as Colchester's MP stepped up his campaign to get the game officially recognised as a sport.   more...

Soccer: What dreams are made of

Gavin Cowan is delighted to have fulfilled his childhood dreams of becoming a professional footballer.   more...

Soccer: Cup dates for Town

Ipswich Town Under-18s now know the dates of their FA Youth Cup semi-final clash against Tottenham Hotspur.   more...

Swimming: Gibson looking for huge improvement

Witham ace James Gibson insists he has a lot of improving to do - despite booking his seat on the plane for the 2005 World Swimming Championships.   more...

Boxing: Coach is honoured

Martin Webb has gone a long way to putting amateur boxing back on the map.   more...