VANDALS went on a wrecking spree by smashing off car wing mirrors in a Southend street. Residents living in Kenway say they have suffered at the hands of yobs since the start of the year, with one man having his car targeted four times. Ray Jervis,
DEVELOPERS behind controversial plans to build on Benfleet green belt land have been accused of “chancing their arm” by the council’s head of economic regeneration. Cheshire-based Fox Land and Property hopes to submit a planning application later this
POLICE were called to reports of a fight in Southend. Officers arrested a man for public order offences outside the JobCentre in Tylers Avenue at 4pm today. He remains in police custody.
COMPLAINTS about controversial clamping company LBS Enforcement will be examined by Essex Police after all. Police had previously said they could not get involved in clamping disputes because they are civil matters on private land. But
A BUSINESSWOMAN swapped her office for the kitchen as she whipped up a three-course culinary treat for fellow contestants on hit TV show Come Dine With Me. Tracy Jones, who runs Southend-based publicity company Brera PR, treated three other contestants
A CHIROPRACTOR who is facing allegations of sexual misconduct has also been accused of giving unnececessary X-rays and telling patients they needed more treatment than they needed. The General Chiropractic Council is now investigating a number
MICHAEL Timlin has joined Southend United on a month long loan deal from Swindon Town. The 25-year-old will spend at least the next four weeks at Roots Hall. And he is excited to be standing in for Blues’ injured captain Craig Easton
An elderly woman is being treated by paramedics after ploughing into a garden wall in Thorpe Bay. The woman, in her 70s, is believed to have been in collision with a Porsche before hitting the wall in the Broadway just before noon She
A £60,000 project to replace a wooden breakwater, which helps prevent flooding and protects two beaches, has got under way. Contractors, working on behalf of Southend Council, are removing and replacing the groyne between Chalkwell and Joscelyn beaches
ONE lane of a busy seafront road is closed and a woman is trapped following an accident. Ambulance crews were called to Eastern Esplanade at 11.20am and saw two elderly patients suffering with neck and back pain. An elderly woman was cut out of
SOUTHEND Council has insisted seafront palm trees are doing well, despite having to replace some. The 9ft palm trees were planted early this year as part of the council’s City Beach scheme. The trees have been planted in stages and in total there will
A BRAVE boy who doctors said would never walk has joined family and friends on a stroll to raise money for the hospital and charity that cared for him. Jake Stacey was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, a condition which affects the nerves of the
SOUTHEND United centre-back Mark Phillips is closing in on a return from a hamstring injury. The 28-year-old has missed Blues' last five matches with the problem he picked up during training. But he could soon be back in action.
THE PRANKSTER behind a mock-up of the “Basilwood” sign is up to his old tricks to support businesses. Salon owner Jerry Watson, 52, created a cut-price Benfleet version of the £90,000 Basildon sign out of hardboard on April Fool’s day. Now he and his
DEBUTANT Ashley Hawkins hit a brace to give Great Wakering their first league win of the season and lift them off the foot of the table. Luca Frankis also helped himself to a double as Ryan Wilkinson’s side ran out 4-2 winners against struggling
A SERIOUS accident involving four vehicles closed Sutton Road for six hours today. Police, ambulance, fire crews and two air ambulances attended the scene at the junction with Chandlers Way and Fossetts Way. Several people were trapped
TWO Tory MPs have broken party ranks to question the wisdom of selling off Basildon’s playing fields to fund the £38million sporting village. South Basildon and East Thurrock MP Stephen Metcalfe thinks Conservative-controlled Basildon Council
CAMPAIGNERS are calling for a change of rules so they can have their say on plans to build houses on much-loved playing fields. A big turnout is expected at a full meeting of Basildon Council on Thursday, where opposition councillors hope to overturn
A DEVASTATED mother who found out her two-year-old has a terminal illness has launched a fundraising drive to give her beloved son a “comfortable and fulfilled life”. Leesa and Allan Lynch were told the heartbreaking news in June. Their son, Ellis, had
Basildon is to have its first mayor after after the Queen gave approval for the area to become a borough instead of a district. Cllr Mo Larkin, who is currently chairman of Basildon Council, will become the area’s first mayor when the authority
A HERITAGE campaigner is hoping to save an iconic metal pineapple fountain which has stood outside the former Ford headquarters in Basildon for 35 years. Vin Harrop, director of the Foundation of Essex Arts, is worried about the future of the fountain
A ROAD was closed after a serious accident between a car and a motorbike. South Street in Rochford was closed both ways after the incident which happened at 9am this morning. The collision occured outside the police station near to North
A SWIMATHON inspired by a miracle tot known as Superted, has raised more than £7,000 for charity. The event, held at Wickford Swimming Pool in July, was organised by Ted and Sarah Drummond. Their son Ted, now three, was diagnosed with leukaemia when
FIREFIGHTERS across Essex will resume industrial action as part of a long-running dispute. The Essex Fire Brigades Union said the action, which will include a ban on overtime and a refusal to cover staffing shortages, will begin next Monday. The county
FORMER Essex County Council leader Lord Hanningfield looks set to finally face trial, after rejecting the opportunity to take his case to the Supreme Court. The Conservative peer, real name Paul White, was charged in February with six counts of making
PUPILS and staff at a Billericay nursery are devastated after being told they will not get £800,000 they were promised to build a new pre-school. Buttsbury Pre-school, in Perry Street, was given the bad news just weeks before work was due to start on
BASILDON Hospital will never fully eliminate the legionella bacteria from its water supply, its boss has revealed. Chief executive Alan Whittle said the hospital trust had hoped to remove all traces of the bug, which can lead to the potentially
A COUPLE are celebrating after winning a gardening competition – despite not knowing they had been entered. Brenda and David Yews have been lovingly tending their garden for 30 years, planting petunias and begonias, and growing vegetables. But they
COMMUTERS have heaped praise on rail company c2c as an athletics star helped the company celebrate scoring the UK’s best ever punctuality figures. Reigning national hurdles champion and double European bronze medallist Perri Shakes-Drayton,
BASILDON and Billericay MP John Baron has rebelled and voted for British troops to be pulled out of Afghanistan. Former Army officer Mr Baron was one of just 14 MPs from all parties who supported the orderly withdrawal of troops, following
THE owner of Adventure Island is again leading the way in extending the summer season and increasing revenue for seafront businesses. Philip Miller has introduced the Big Saturday Night Out featuring a wide variety of tribute acts, every Saturday
