VETERANS LEAGUE DIVION ONE Pools United recorded a narrow 2-1 win over Glassmasters on Saturday, the Glassmasters goal being netted by Peter Smith. VETERANS LEAGUE DIVISION TWO South Woodham lost 2-0 to a determined Writtle Manor outfit. VETERANS LEAGUE
Residents in some Colchester streets face a rise in parking charges, while shoppers' fees are frozen. The Colchester Council's planning and traffic regulation committee last night (Thursday) agreed to the prices going up from £28.20 per year to £29.30
Colchester's postal service was thrown into chaos as dozens of workers were off sick. Post went undelivered because 40 out of the 300 staff were ill. A Royal Mail spokesman said: "We had about 40 postmen off sick in Colchester during the weekend." which
Terry Canty has been appointed head teacher of the Rickstones School in Witham. Mr Canty has been acting head since September last year when former head Norma Turner retired. She was the school's first and only head, appointed even before the school was
The week in review Mar17-23 Weekend Sport Striker Karl Duguid capped a memorable win with the goal of the game 17 minutes to clinch a merited 3-1 win against Brentford in Division Two. Southend United were sent spiralling even further away from the Third
There could be major school exam chaos next year, because of the Queen. If Essex County Council does not agree to change the published dates for the summer half-term break in 2002 to make way for the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations, the exam timetable
A special unit for pupils with severe learning difficulties at a Witham school faces closure. For many years Templars Junior School has had a 12-place support unit which caters for pupils, aged six to 11, with severe and complex emotional and behavioural
Parents at a Downham school have raised concerns that fencing separating their children's playground from a busy road, has not been replaced in more than two months. Downham Church of England Primary School, in Church Road, taped off the hole after vandals
A Stansted man is concerned a safety barrier on a road bridge running over a railway track is inadequate. Ken Hall, of St John's Crescent, believes an accident there could lead to an accident, similar to the recent Selby crash. He said the barrier on
A dog owner is searching for two pedigree labrador puppies, worth £500 each, which have been stolen from her Stisted home. Thieves sneaked into the Coggeshall Road garden of international show judge Peggy Rae and took the puppies from a kennel near the
Education secretary David Blunkett has told teachers in the county he was doing all he could to help with the staffing problems in schools. Mr Blunkett was in Braintree yesterday (Thursday) visiting Tabor High School, which was recently given Beacon Status
Two south Essex men have appeared at a London magistrates' court charged with conspiracy to supply, possess, purchase, acquire, sell or transfer an MG42 general purpose machine gun and ammunition. Car repairer Lesley Wassell, 51, of Fane Road, Thundersley
What a transformation! He became the scruffiest man in Clacton - but all for a good cause. Brian Brandom of Meredith Road, Clacton, raised £3,065 for the breast unit at Colchester's Essex County Hospital by lasting 15 months without a haircut and 13 months
Lessons have not been learned since the foot-and-mouth outbreak of 1967, a leading farmer claimed today (Friday). At the time the epidemic peaked at 2,364 cases and an inquiry in its wake recommended "a complete ban should be imposed on imports of mutton
A former newsagent today (Friday) told how he tried to chase a mugger who pushed him to the ground and took his wallet. The 61-year-old man was walking home after visiting his mother when he was attacked. The robber approached him from behind along an
Maldon's dreams of glory in this competition disappeared as Lowestoft came from a goal down to steal the semi-final berth. Disappointed manager Colin Wallington said: "We let ourselves down. We are better than that. "If we had won this game, I was confident
Southend United boss David Webb has dared a fan who labelled his team as "gutless" to come forward and train with his players. The Blues supporter criticised Webb as he stepped off the team coach at Brentford on Tuesday night, ahead of the LDV Vans Trophy
With so few races taking place due to the foot and mouth crisis, there was an impressive turnout of Springfield Striders at the Brentwood half marathon on Sunday. With the London Marathon only a month away and the cancellation of so many of the usual
Sunday saw virtually the whole programme cancelled, and my personal view now is that we will struggle to get a majority of the league programme finished. Some clubs have shown that they don't appear to be prepared to organise 'double headers' and fixture
Boswells School, Springfield, has excelled in the field of gymnastics when at the secondary schools floor and vault competition held at Riverside in Chelmsford, both the Under 19 girls and the Under 19 boys gymnastics teams returned some superb results
Basildon are refusing to concede the London Three North-east league title - despite the huge task they face in catching Southend . New towners are six points behind the leaders with a game in hand and need Southend to lose both their final games to have
After a week's break from league action, Chelmsford returned with what they knew would be a tough encounter against third-in-the-table Bishop's Stortford at Coronation Park on Saturday. The away fixture had seen Chelmsford go down dismally 51-0 so they
Chelmsford City will be looking to further strengthen their top of the table position when they go to Warthorpe Road on Sunday to take on sixth placed Stamford in a Dr Martens League Eastern Division match (kick off 3pm). City go into the match with a
Representatives from Heybridge Swifts, Braintree Town, Wivenhoe Town and Witham Town have been called to an extraordinary meeting of the Ryman League on April 9 to discuss the possibility of extending the league season. The unrelenting rain has put paid
Southend United boss David Webb failed in a £25,000 transfer deadline swoop for Yeovil Town hitman Barrington Belgrave yesterday (Thursday) afternoon. Webb had lined up the 20-year-old striker as a replacement for ten-goal Martin Carruthers, who completed
Mothers and children gathered in protest around construction workers preparing a site for a mobile phone mast and base station at the heart of a Springfield estate on Monday. Resident David Rose said: "Everyone round here is outraged that a mast can be
FANS and players are celebrating news their football club can finally buy its ground after a long 30-year wait. Witham Football Club has gained permission to buy its Spa Road ground from Braintree Council, a move which will allow the club to press ahead
Football is suspended in Great Totham because the parish council has closed all its recreation grounds for the duration of the foot and mouth outbreak. On the advice of Maff and Maldon District Council, public access to the Jubilee and Totham Hill Recreation
Scientist Anna Moscrop will head a team in the first-ever search for porpoises off the Blackwater estuary next week. Anna, 34, from Witham, is research manager of the International Fund for Animal Welfare project which will probe the murky depths with
Health bosses at Colchester General Hospital have snubbed a gift of free teddy bears for traumatised children. Essex Freemasons ordered a consignment of 30,000 teddy bears to give out to children in the county's accident and emergency departments. Under
Rawerth A, who finished third last season, are storming towards the first division title in the Chelmsford & District Table Tennis League and they remain the only team in the main portion of the League with a 100percent record - 19 wins from 19 matches
ESSEX INTERMEDIATE CUP SEMI-FINAL Rayleigh Town and Barnston AFC met on Saturday to battle for a place in the final against Takeley. Rayleigh, unbeaten in their senior division one campaign, were the favourites against their second division opponents
Only five of Saturday's scheduled 36 matches took place as heavy overnight rain and the foot and mouth restrictions prevented the majority of games taking place. The last time a full Saturday's programme took place was on October 14 and the season now
South Woodham's first ever day nursery will open at the end of next month. Chelmsford Borough Council this week gave the go ahead for a former newsagents opposite the station on Hullbridge Road to be used as a 7am to 7pm nursery for 42 youngsters. Nursery
League leaders Southend as good as clinched the London Three North East title with a convincing victory over bottom-of-the-table relegation scrappers Braintree on Saturday. The wind and rain prevented an open game, but Southend's forwards got on top early
The annual Witham puppet festival is half-way to raising the money they need to stage the event this year. Braintree District Council and the Witham Chamber of Commerce have each donated £500, leaving the organisers with a similar sum to raise. The district
A busy road being used as part of a diversion route was closed for more than two hours yesterday (Thursday) after an articulated lorry became stuck. The vehicle was in Broad Street Green Road, Heybridge, during peak traffic time when it tried to turn
Basildon College is celebrating after a report hailed "significant improvements" following a stormy 18 months. The report shows the college has achieved the second greatest level of improvements ever recorded by the Further Education Funding Council.
Frustrated patients left for months without a permanent doctor now face even longer delays - because the task of finding a replacement has gone back to first base. Just one application was received to take over the Ladysmith Avenue surgery in Brightlingsea
A tidy burglar vacuumed up fragments of broken glass after breaking into a house in St Catherine's Close, Great Leighs, a court heard on Tuesday. Neil Stannard then made off with a PlayStation, jewellery, cash and a bottle of champagne, said Matthew Gowen
A youth team's annual football competition has been saved thanks to a lottery grant of more than £4,000. The Valley Green Youth Football Club in Witham needed to find the cash for 11 sets of goalposts before their annual five-a-side tournament which takes
Friends and neighbours of a Wethersfield family whose farm has been devastated by foot and mouth, have rallied round to help them through the crisis. Roy and Cherry Threadgold, who run Boydells Farm with their son Kiley, have had to watch their 500 sheep
Colchester Zoo has been sent donations by the public as the foot-and-mouth crisis threatens to cost it £700,000. Because of the second confirmed outbreak of the disease in Layer de la Haye, its re-opening has been put back again, until at least the last
Colchester United's crunch East Anglian derby with struggling Second Division rivals Cambridge United has been postponed. An Abbey Stadium spokesman said: "Not only is tonight's game with Colchester a washout, our match next Tuesday is in serious doubt
Wickford's Carousel Gym Club started the competition season in great form following their Basildon Sports Council club of the year award. They attended the prestigious compulsory levels four and three at Hemel Hempstead with the top four gymnasts in the
Wayne Brown has vowed to fight his way back into Ipswich Town's starting line-up - despite being sent out on loan to Queens Park Rangers. The defender, who has signed for the West London side until the end of the season, is desperate to breathe life into
The closing date for entries to the Hutton Cricket Club/Shepherd Neame Midweek League for teams who do not play at weekends is approaching and all entries should be notified to the organisers by April 7. The League is open to teams made up of players
Last weekend should have been the one that all local racing cyclists have been waiting for - the first 10 mile tt events followed closely by the start of the road racing calendar, but it appears that the foot and mouth outbreak is taking its toll on the
The new speedway season at Arena Essex begins tonight (Friday) with the staging of the traditional pipe-opener, the Essex Championship. An individual meeting for 16 riders over the 20 heat formula, the line-up appears to be competitive with a number of
Out-of-contract Ipswich Town striker Neil Midgley has sealed a free transfer to Barnet. The front-runner, who joined the Blues as a trainee in 1997, has been frustrated by his lack of opportunities at Portman Road. He joined Luton Town on loan in a bid
A BASILDON man has been arrested on suspicion of causing serious head injuries to a four-week-old baby. The young girl was rushed to Basildon Hospital and later transferred to a specialist unit at Great Ormond Street children's hospital in London. Her
Hopes that Brentford skipper Paul Evans would be a Colchester United transfer deadline signing today were diminishing by the minute. U's boss Steve Whitton said: "I have made two bids for the player, but have heard nothing from Brentford since they won
Yet another blank day last Saturday for most non-League clubs in the area brought disappointment all round so Braintree Town were not alone in cursing their luck as the weather again did its worst. As if losing a home fixture was not bad enough it had
A DISABLED pensioner today remained in hospital after a gas fireball ripped through his home in Basildon. A smell of gas was reported by a resident in Wyntersok, Kingswood, shortly before 7pm on Saturday. Moments later, neighbours heard a loud bang and
Council homes in Basildon are set to benefit from a £30 million package of improvements. From April 1, the district will receive an extra £5 million a year from the Government, after changes were made to the way cash for improvements to housing stock
A WOMAN was taken to Southend Hospital with a broken neck after a road smash at Nevendon early on Saturday. The 36-year-old was driving along the A127 towards Southend when her red Rover lost control and rolled over. The woman was the only person in the
Chelmsford Chieftains put in a powerful performance at Riverside on Sunday to capitalise on their first leg lead and reach the league play-off final against a spirited Dynamos team. With Jake French missing, Chieftains had just three fit defencemen and
Angry residents of three Colchester villages gathered together to air concerns over plans for a skip hire company to alter movements of their lorries. Colchester Skip Hire, based in Packards Lane, Wormingford, had applied for permission to extend its
Maldon's Plume School and other district primary schools have gone to the top of the class for high achievement - and scooped nearly £70,000 of Government cash. Intended to fund bonuses for school staffs - the awards are for improvement and have been
Despite going down to their arch rivals Ipswich at Chelmer Park on Sunday, Chelmsford were able to celebrate their Premier Division survival when Loughborough Students and Sutton Coldfield failed to win their respective matches. Sunday's local derby was
The family of tragic Derek Hills have released this treasured photograph in the hope of being reunited with his stolen possessions. Thieves burgled Mr Hills' home, in Southview Drive, Westcliff, as he lay dead in his bathroom after suffering a heart attack
Chelmsford Carnival, cancelled in 1999 and abandoned last year, could make a torchlight comeback this autumn. Carnival chairman Christine Rolfe is being offered support for her plans for a torchlight procession through the town on September 22 -- although
Two graffiti artists who admitted causing more than £11,000 damage by scrawling motifs on buildings across Southend narrowly escaped jail. Southend Magistrates' Court heard how Matthew Hampson, of Leigh Hall Road, Leigh, and Paul Lewsey, of Hart Road,
Colchester's Grey Party, formed to push older people's rights, lifted their profile with a town centre balloon launch. Their candidate for the forthcoming election, Leonard Overy-Owen, was outside the town hall to meet passers-by, talk about his policies
A man who celebrated his 107th birthday on Wednesday puts his long life down to always being a bachelor! Harry Laverick, who is a resident at Middleton Manor Care Centre, Maldon, is thought to be the oldest man in Essex. Speaking on his birthday, which
Environmental health officers took samples of school canteen food after a mystery bug hit pupils at St Cedd's Preparatory, Chelmsford. The children, aged between four and 11, complained of sickness after attending a swimming gala at Chelmsford's Riverside
Saturday's match at the Brentwood Centre was decided by two players. One played and one did not. For the Bullets the dominant presence under and around the basket of Antonio Garcia, prevented the Leopards from penetrating their zone defence as he helped
Rochford residents are to have their say on an ambitious £100,000 improvement project in the pipeline for the town centre. At a meeting of the Rochford District Council transportation and environmental services committee last night councillors agreed
Clacton Town have made a double signing in the shape of former Wivenhoe Town co-manager Joff March and ex-Braintree Town defender Trevor Gunn. The pair are in the Seasiders' squad for the weekend clash with Jewson League premier division high-flyers AFC
Teacher John West is feeling the cold weather round his neck. He reluctantly agreed to have his beloved pony tail chopped off to raise cash for charity. Deputy head teacher at Alderman Blaxill school, Colchester, Jacky Froggatt, bet Mr West that if she
A disabled couple say the garden of their council bungalow is useless because it is too steep for them. Kenneth and Mary Featherstone, who both suffer from osteoarthritis, have lived in the specially-designed home in Lime Avenue, Greenstead, for several
Traders have come up with a package of projects to boost Maldon. The newly created Maldon Promotions Group met last week to thrash out ideas. It was formed by traders who were determined to be proactive in attracting people back into town since the High
A boy is facing prosecution after he hoaxed coastguards into a late-night search of the Thames. Three boats were launched and the Essex Police helicopter scrambled after the youngster used his mobile phone to call the emergency services claiming his dad
Water was turned off in a street after it was flooding into a woman's house - and no-one could find the stop cock. The woman hasd just moved into the house in Fronks Road, Dovercourt, when a pipe burst. But she could not find the stop cock - and neither
Witham will soon get the long-awaited new lavatory in The Newlands car park. The present building was closed after being allowed to deteriorate until it was unusable. Plans hit a snag last August when the first round of tenders was too high. Now Braintree
Schools funding in Colchester was today branded "perverse" by the leader of the Liberal Democrats. Charles Kennedy today went to speak with teachers and children at St Benedict's College, Colchester. Speaking about the differences in the way schools in
A Witham school has been given £170,000 of Government money to replace temporary classrooms with a modern building for the 21st century. Chipping Hill School made a successful bid for funding last autumn and is seeking planning consent from Essex County
Health chiefs are planning an assault on waiting lists in north Essex to cut waiting times for operations. North Essex has one of the longest waiting lists in the country and the North Essex Health Authority (NEHA) board has approved plans to cut waiting
South Woodham councillors this week backed angry residents who are furious over plans to build a fast food restaurant and drive-through near their homes. Around 35 people attended Tuesday's planning and development meeting to tell town councillors of
Space shuttle Mir crash-landed into the Pacific today - as Thundersley pupils watched their own rocket take off after a dramatic launch countdown in the school grounds. The rocket was the culmination of a week of lunch breaks spent painstakingly building
Although entries have been flooding in for the Great Baddow Charity Races, organisers Chelmsford Mildmay Rotary Club, still need more sponsors for the event of May 20. Graham Nutt, races press officer said: "We would like anyone to contact us who feels
Southend United striker Martin Carruthers has completed a cut-price £20,000 move to Scunthorpe. The 28-year-old forward, who has hit ten goals this season, tied up the deal after agreeing personal terms with Blues' Third Division promotion rivals. And
Southend United's supporters club trust are appealing for the family of a fan hurt in a Roots Hall match against Macclesfield Town to come forward. The youngster was hit by a ball kicked into the crowd by Macclesfield's red carded goalkeeper Tony Bullock
Chelmsford were on the wrong end of a 10 goal thriller on Sunday when they went down 6-4 at Brooklands. Although Hampstead & Westminster finally wrapped up the League title with victory over Stourport, Doncaster's fine win over Lewes means that the
Charges could be introduced at council-run car parks in Tendring, it has been revealed. Tendring Council is reviewing all its car parks, and that could mean bringing in controversial charges for some of them which currently are free. There are 41 council
An opinion poll on Stansted Airport, which says residents support plans to extend passenger numbers to 25 million a year, has been slammed by a local councillor. Cllr Norman Mead of Great Hallingbury parish council claims the sample used in the poll,
FANS and players are celebrating news their football club can finally buy its ground after a long 30-year wait. Witham Football Club has gained permission to buy its Spa Road ground from Braintree Council, a move which will allow the club to press ahead
A housing scheme in Jaywick has won a top national award - despite a catalogue of complaints about the homes. The Civic Trust announced last night (Thursday) that the Lotus Way development had scooped the 2001 Rural Housing Award. It is given to the best
