Stories for 16 July 2007

Echo Education

School's trophy night

STUDENTS were rewarded for their good attendance during an awards ceremony.   more...

Country dancing festival

MORE than 450 children took part in a country dance bonanza.   more...

Echo News

Free bus travel to cost council £2m

THE extension of free travel for the elderly on bus services across the country will cost Southend Council more than £2million, it has been revealed.   more...

Children escape blaze in home

AN oven fire was started when three children tried to cook their dinner.   more...

Festival dog demonstration saved

A TRADER came to the rescue when an integral part of a festival demonstration was stolen.   more...

Benefit service is top

CASTLE Point Council's benefit service has come out on top following a survey.   more...

Museum brings past to life by hosting a day dedicated to the 1940s

SPAM sandwiches, ration books and tin helmets were some of the 1940s artefacts bringing wartime back to life at a special open day.   more...

Tenants' association is forced to disband

CASTLE Point Tenants' Association has disbanded amid allegations it failed to keep tenants fully informed about a proposed transfer of council homes.   more...

Spanish cops left my partner to die

THE DEVASTATED partner of a man bludgeoned to death while on holiday has slammed the police investigation into his murder.   more...

Pupils develop green fingers

BUDDING Charlie Dimmocks and Alan Titchmarshes have been showing off their greenfingered talents at a special contest.   more...

Bus driver's pregnant pause

A BUS driver took a detour and left a busload of passengers waiting outside Basildon Hospital's A&E department while he popped inside to see his pregnant wife.   more...

Youngsters enjoy a bite to eat with their bears

IT was picnic time for teddy bears, toddlers and their families at a special fun day.   more...

Allotments waste plans are stalled

PROTESTERS trying to block plans for a waste transfer station on allotment land have been given a last-minute reprieve.   more...

College wins praise for its truck safety

BASILDON college is taking a lead role in trying to reduce accidents involving heavy lorries on the A127 and A13.   more...

Cig ban action hit by red tape gaffe

SOUTHEND Council staff seeking to enforce the new workplace smoking ban are being held back by red tape, it has been revealed.   more...

Shop owner touched customer’s breasts

A SHOP owner touched the breasts of a customer when he overheard a conversation about a boob-job, a court was told.   more...

Updated: Killer dad jailed for at least 19 years

A CRUEL and violent thug who stabbed a man to death in Basildon town centre has been jailed for a minimum of 19 years.   more...

Ex-airline chief will supervise volunteer teams

A FORMER airline manager has been named as the new head of a group representing hundreds of voluntary groups in Southend.   more...

Country dancing festival

MORE than 450 children took part in a country dance bonanza.   more...

School's trophy night

STUDENTS were rewarded for their good attendance during an awards ceremony.   more...

Roaring off for hospice funds

MOTORCYCLISTS braved the rain to honour the memory of a ten-year-old boy and help raise cash for a children's charity.   more...

Anger at seafront improvement delay

COUNCILLORS have hit out at delays in agreeing a programme of improvements to rejuvenate Southend seafront.   more...

Fun day is family treat

YOUNG Olivia Jex had a wheel good time at a school fun day in Chadwell St Mary.   more...

60 years of give and take

A COUPLE who enjoyed a "simple wedding", followed by a reception, in their front room are poised to celebrate their diamond wedding.   more...

Don’t put a block of flats in our cul-de-sac

RESIDENTS are protesting against plans for a block of flats in their street which they claim will destroy its character and lead to traffic chaos.   more...

Revamp for museum thanks to cash grant

A COMMUNITY centre which aims to keep history alive in East Tilbury will be revamped, thanks to a £110,000 hand-out.   more...

Town building plan may go out for scrutiny soon

THE future blueprint for building in South Woodham Ferrers could be thrown open to public opinion, following a council vote.   more...

Less is definitely more!

WHAT springs to mind when you hear the word, Bonsai? An unnatural mutation of a normal-sized tree, or a perfectly created wonder of nature?   more...

Police welcome plan for headcam increase

POLICE across south Essex could soon be armed with head cameras in their battle against crime.   more...

Revamp to say thanks to hospice

A DIY-CRAZY dad has pledged to undertake a host of renovations at a hospice as a thank-you for its support in looking after his son.   more...

Bus route scaled back due to lack of users

THE only bus route to serve a rapidly developing part of west Rayleigh and Rawreth will run less often because few people are using it.   more...

For sale: A piece of history

A MOTORING enthusiast is reluctantly parting with his lovingly-restored vintage car, which saw service during the Second World War as a farm tractor.   more...

It's good to talk, the Chief Constable says...

E-MAIL use among Essex Police has dropped by almost 30 per cent in the past year.   more...

Could MP's Bill tame the taggers?

GRAFFITI vandals across the country could be forced to meet their victims and clean up their "tags" under a new law proposed by a south Essex MP.   more...

Space cadets have a blast

AN OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD experience was had by all after a school was transformed into an imaginary planet.   more...

Our Charlotte's a true Blue

Little Charlotte Pennington was proudly showing her support for the Shrimpers - just two hours after being born!   more...

Offices to replace town supermarket

A SUPERMARKET in Southend town centre could be redeveloped into offices to help provide the 6,500 extra jobs needed by 2021.   more...

Opportunity for new traffic plan

WARD councillors have broadly welcomed plans by Sainsbury's to move to Roots Hall.   more...

Operation Cricket aims to hit crimes

POLICE visited 200 residents and stopped hundreds of motorists during a crime awareness blitz.   more...

Victim’s denial of knife attack claim

A MAN was reported to have been cut during a fight outside a pub.   more...

Where will gas plant inquiry be held?

POLITICIANS and campaigners have called for assurances the forthcoming planning inquiry into the extension of the Calor Gas plant will take place on Canvey.   more...

Arrest over doorstep shooting

A MAN has been arrested following the doorstep shooting of a businessman.   more...

We are sailing! Special needs pupils’ treat

SPECIAL needs pupils will embark on a sailing trip to learn outdoor activities.   more...

Memorial for war dead restored

A NEGLECTED war memorial has been restored thanks to a £20,000 grant from the Government.   more...

How far will our balloons float?

A SCHOOL released 100 balloons to commemorate the same number of years of the Montessori methods of teaching.   more...

Pirate ship visitors robbed by the tide

VISITORS hoping to taste life as pirates were disappointed when access to a touring ship was cut off at the end of Southend Pier.   more...

A true blue at two hours old!

LITTLE Charlotte Pennington was proudly showing her support for the Shrimpers - just two hours after being born!   more...

Space cadets have a blast

AN OUT-OF-THIS- WORLD experience was had by all after a school was transformed into an imaginary planet.   more...

Echo Sport

High praise for Bopara from Essex man's hero

INDIA legend Sachin Tendulkar has told the Echo that Essex youngster Ravinder Bopara has a bright future in international cricket.   more...

No end in sight to Wickford misery

WICKFORD skipper Matthew Bate issued a stern warning to his troops as yet another defeat left them staring relegation in the face.   more...

Maximums keep duo heading in the right direction

HORNDON and Orsett both continued their marches up the table with second consecutive wins and 20-point hauls.   more...

Duo get back to winning ways after blip

OLD Southendian & Southchurch and Benfleet both returned to winning ways on Saturday.   more...

Victory over Hadleigh keeps Basildon flying high

BASILDON and Pitsea stayed top of Division Two with a convincing six wicket win over Hadleigh and Thundersley on Saturday.   more...

Rain leaves Ryan's win hope frustrated

RYAN ten doeschate was left cursing the weather as Essex's hopes of starting their Pro40 campaign with a victory were washed out by the Manchester rain.   more...

Bopara in awe as his hero Tendulkar smashes 173

RAVI Bopara will never forget the last three days at Chelmsford, even though he hardly set the world alight while turning out for England A against India.   more...

Gazette Features

Ringing the school bell for the last time

Clive Waddington chuckled as he remembered one of the more challenging moments as headteacher of St Helena School.   more...

Gazette News

Harwich: Work starts on 200-home site

Work has started on the biggest construction project a town has seen in 30 years.   more...

Walton: Sister saves her brothers from sea

Two brothers aged 12 and 13 were rescued from the sea by their life-saving sister.   more...

Dovercourt: ‘Please come to crime panel meetings’

A poorly-attended crime-fighting panel has made an appeal for more people to attend its meetings.   more...

Holland-on-Sea: Beach huts torched in repeat arson attack

Beach huts have been destroyed in yet another arson attack on the seafront.   more...

Harwich, Parkeston: Store packed with bio-fuels

One of the warehouses destroyed in an early morning blaze was packed with highly-flammable fuels.   more...

Essex: A12 aims to oust Route 66

A budding rock star's song about Essex has been making waves in America.   more...

Colchester: Pub boss pledges to help neighbours

A pub landlord has promised to do more to help his neighbours after being granted a variation to his licence.   more...

Mersea: We’re all crazee now!

Mersea Island rocked to the sound of Slade's Merry Xmas Everybody as the annual Mersea Music Festival came to a close.   more...

North Essex: 69 hospital attacks

More hospital staff are being attacked by patients, the Gazette can reveal.   more...

Copford: Richard and Judy open summer fete

TV presenters Richard and Judy popped in to open a summer fair for a local residential home.   more...

Colchester: Drugs police in raid at town semi

A huge haul of what police believe are cannabis plants were seized by police after a tip- off.   more...

Colchester: Addict threatened to infect security staff

A heroin addict sarcastically applauded magistrates as she was jailed for assaulting two security guards who suspected her of shoplifting.   more...

Colchester: Councillors unite to stop waste plant

Opposition councillors have come together to form a campaign against plans for an incinerator to be built in Stanway.   more...

Colchester: 'Take my rubbish away'

A green-fingered couple are seeing red after their carefully-collected garden waste was deemed too heavy to remove.   more...

Witham: MP backs Cyprus father

A Euro MP has pledged his support for a father jailed in Cyprus.   more...

Frinton, Walton: Device to make yobs buzz off

Coastal councillors are to invest in a buzzing sound system to repel troublemakers.   more...

Thurrock Gazette News

Survivor Claire backs transplant campaign

A WOMAN who has survived a double lung transplant is breathing life into a lifesaving campaign.   more...

Called to crash

EMERGENCY workers have been called to a road traffic collision on the A13 near South Ockendon.   more...

Fighting crime with the kids

SCHOOLKIDS have been learning the rights and wrong of vandalism in lessons of a different kind.   more...

Right royal day for Jake

A COURAGEOUS wheelchair-bound teen managed to keep a cool head when coming face to face with the future king of England - and pop star Nelly Furtado.   more...

Emily Rose aims for model role

PRETTY Emily Rose Hale is hoping to be named the Face of new London-based modelling agency, Divinity.   more...

School successes acknowledged

STUDENTS were awarded for their good attendance and excellence during an awards ceremony at The Ockendon School.   more...

In court on child sex charges

A THURROCK man has been charged by police with several sexual offences against children.   more...

MP backs store campaign

MP Angela Smith visited a Thurrock shop to throw her weight behind a campaign to crack down on violence towards shop workers.   more...

Crackdown on rail fare dodgers

RAIL officials carried out a clampdown on fare-dodging commuters in an early-morning blitz at Ockendon station.   more...

Stolen car used in raids

POLICE are looking for a Ford Fiesta used in two shoplifting incidents.   more...

Conmen crooks trick old folk again

CROOKS posing as council workers duped their way into two pensioners homes in the same road at the same time.   more...

Thurrock Gazette Sport

It's a 999 day for Hammers

LAKESIDE Hammers' return to action after a 12 day break will be next Monday's Sky-televised clash with Coventry.   more...

New look Dockers open with draw

Cornard United 1, Tilbury 1   more...

Grays Reserves Fixtures

Pontin's Holiday Combination League Fixtures.   more...

  
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