GUN dogs, jousting and vintage tractors are all set to arrive in the area this weekend. Now in it’s 24th year, the Essex Country Show takes place at Barleylands, Billericay, between 10am and 5pm on Saturday and Sunday. The highlights
THE stage is a slap-stick free zone as far as Adrian Edmondson is concerned and he leaves comedy well as truly behind him at this Sunday’s Wat Tyler Folk Festival Not quite his character Vyvyan from the Young Ones, who was hell bent on anarchy,
LET The Good Times Roll is a musical production steeped in nostalgia. As well as music from the Fifties and Sixties, the show features pictures, newspaper cuttings and historic facts from the era. The show is coming to Basildon’s Towngate Theatre on
PEOPLE are invited to come along and find out how they can learn new skills at an event tomorrow. Rayleigh library are hosting the drop-in event from 10am until 3pm on Saturday. There will be tutors from adult colleges on hand to answer questions
A MAN had to be rescued after falling 30ft within Havengore Bridge support on Foulness Island. The worker was climbing down to the plant room at the base of the inside of the main support of the bridge which links the MOD island to the mainland. The
A GOVERNMENT agency has offered all its land in Basildon district as possible sites for travellers to use. The Homes and Communities Agency says Basildon Council is considering its offer to set up sites as an alternative to carrying out the eviction
PLANS are in the pipeline to build 175 new homes on land near the A130 in Benfleet. The proposals, which are being put forward by Cheshire-based Fox Land and Property, would see a mix of houses and flats built on green fields and scrubland. The strip
Hannah Tointon is ready to step out of her big sister’s shadow after bagging a part in the cult comedy, the Inbetween- ers. Hannah, 22, a former pupil at Westcliff’s St Hilda’s School and younger sister of ex-EastEnders star Kara, will feature in the
THE grieving family of baby Leo Coombs have pledged to raise £60,000 for specialist equipment in his memory. Leo was born prematurely at Southend Hospital on August 25 last year, but sadly died 20 days short of his first birthday. Mum Donna, 35, was
CRUMBLING garages on a Canvey housing estate have been labelled a death trap. Neville Watson, a councillor representing Winter Gardens ward, is worried about six lock-ups in the Brindles estate, off Eastways. Mr Watson says two garage roofs have collapsed
ROCHFORD Council is taking part in the National Fraud Initiative. Run by the Audit Commission, the initiative matches electronic data held by the council with data from other public bodies, such as the police, local probation boards and fire and rescue
CALLOUS thieves have stolen a collection pot from a Westcliff charity shop. They targeted the Mind charity shop in Hamlet Court Road, Westcliff between 11am and noon on Monday, September 6. The thieves cut the chain which secured the
PLANS to transform a derelict office block into a new upmarket hotel have been given overwhelming approval. Developer Runwood Homes has been given permission to turn Victoria House, in Victoria Avenue, Southend, into an 84-bedroom hotel. Members of
A MAN determined to get fit has come up with a novel way of losing weight – training in every Olympic event scheduled for the 2012 games. Boris Wozstock, 33, has so far ploughed his energies into rowing, badminton, running, cycling, tennis and weightlifting
PLANS to build a block of 32 flats have been given the go-ahead after concerns about fumes and smoke from a nearby industrial estate were smoothed over. Developer Maywald Properties wants to demolish the workshops and warehouses at 285 Sutton Road,
ESSEX Pirates’ Colin Sing will be more determined than most to impress against Mersey Tigers tomorrow night. For the ever-improving Scouser is travelling down to the pre-season friendly at the Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre with the Tigers team.
A DOMESTIC abuse project helping victims in Southend has received national recognition. Southend Council's Sanctuary scheme was one of 11 local authority projects highlighted in a research report by the Department for Communities and Local Government
SEVEN students are to be evicted after councillors refused to give planning permission to allow a house to continue being used as bedsits. Castle Point Council’s development control committee unanimously voted the house, in Riverview Road, Benfleet,
Councils and health trusts in Essex paid almost £500,000 last year to staff carrying out union duties during working hours, a new report claims. Nationally, the Taxpayers’ Alliance estimates the public purse paid staff doing union duties about £67.5million
SOUTHEND Rugby Club’s head coach Andy Holloway has told his team they must improve on last weekend’s win over Richmond if they are to triumph at Hinckley tomorrow. The Seasiders ran home four tries during their opening day 35-22 victory at Warners Bridge
A COUPLE have been ordered to pay back £61,400 they swiped from a faulty cash machine. Darren and Joanne Jones, of Macgregor Drive, Wickford, appeared at Basildon Crown Court for a proceeds of crime hearing, where they were ordered to pay
Basildon Council has been praised for helping local companies by putting more than £4.5million of business their way last year. The Essex Federation of Small Businesses says the council is putting its money where its mouth is by using businesses
RESIDENTS warned council leaders they will not allow a “single brick” to be built on their playing fields. The latest public meeting over Basildon Council’s plans to sell off playing fields across the district to fund the new Sporting Village in Gloucester
RESIDENTS in south Essex are being urged to grab a once in a lifetime opportunity and sign up as a volunteer for the 2012 London Olympics. Representatives of the Organising Committee of the Olympic Games were at Hadleigh Library and the town
BLUES boss Paul Sturrock is set to spread his search for new players across Europe after restructuring the club’s scouting set-up. The Scotsman is still keen to strengthen his new look squad at Roots Hall. And his scouts will therefore now be taking
PAUL Sturrock has labelled tomorrow’s clash at Northampton Town as a ‘dangerous’ 90 minutes for his side. The Sixfields Stadium outfit have struggled so far this season. But Sturrock is certain the Cobblers’ performances have been better
SWIMMERS have been told they will be charged just five pence more to use the new multi-million pound Olympic-sized pool in Gloucester Park. Basildon Council has revealed the slight price difference with the current pool in the park and one
WE’RE entering the unknown tomorrow in many ways as we head to Hinckley. This is my tenth year at Southend and I think it is the first time Hinckley have been playing in the National Leagues. We therefore don’t really know what to expect
A government quango set up to help with the regeneration of Thurrock has been axed. The Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corp- oration will be “absorbed” into Thurrock Council from April 1, 2012. The demise of the corporation, set
SEAN Clohessy believes shaking off a slight groin strain has helped him hit top form for Southend United. The right-back, who signed on a free-transfer from Salisbury City during the summer, has looked far more assured in his last few outings
PETER Gilbert heads back to Northampton Town tomorrow insisting he is only interested in securing three points for Southend United. The 27-year-old left-back incurred the wrath of Cobblers manager Ian Sampson when he swapped the Sixfields Stadium for
