EMERGENCY services were called to Crays Hill recreation ground after a man died in a suspected chemical incident in a car. Emergency services were called to the parking area at Crays Hill recreation ground, in Harding Elms Road at about 6pm
THERE were a good few 20-plus fish hauls from Crowsheath’s eight-acre site this week. Lake regular Lewis Randall, 27, from Wickford, proved that putting all of your eggs into one basket and being stubborn is not always the best plan of action. He started
A THREE car car crash in Wickford partially blocked a road. The accident, in Golden Jubilee Way at the junction with A129 Southend Road, caused traffic jams. The incident was cleared by 6.45pm.
TOOLS worth £4,000 were stolen from a van in a busy Southend car park. Police have appealed for information after the tools were stolen from a blue Citroen van which was parked near the Tradepoint store at the B&Q car park in Fossetts Way. It happend
DISGRACED Tory peer Lord Hanningfield has been arrested on suspicion of fraud less than a week after leaving prison for fiddling his House of Lords expenses. An Essex Police spokesman said: "A 70-year-old man from the Chelmsford area has
RECESSIONS come, recessions go, but glamour is for always. That seems to be the message from the success of a new photo studio, Dream Boudoir, dedicated to making its subjects look gorgeous, sizzling and sultry.
A TASTE of life on the ocean wave can now be sampled in the land-locked centre of Basildon, courtesy of First Choice Travel. The travel agency premises in Westgate now offer a replica of a lounge aboard a cruise liner, designed to put would-be
JAMIE Mocock’s factory in Battlesbridge manufactures windows and conservatories, but it also manufactures jobs. In the three years since it was founded, Trade Windows Warehouse staff numbers have grown from just Jamie, to 120. Now he
RESIBLOCK, based in Burnt Mills, Basildon, is an unsung local success story, despite the fact that half the world has trampled all over it. Since its launch in 1992, Resiblock has grown to become one of the largest
OVER recent years HM Revenue and Customs has been targeting various areas where it perceives there is a risk of undeclared tax. It seeks voluntary disclosure of omitted income and charges a reduced penalty. There have been successful
FINDING the perfect hairdressers can sometimes be trial and error. A fair few bad hair cuts later and you might find one you like. However, visitors to the Raw Hair in Westcliff can bypass this stress. The salon scored the maximum five stars in the
THE gaps between paving stones add up to a big gap in the market, and an Essex firm is now about to fill it. The Gapfast paving spacer, marketed by the newly-formed company Resigap, is set to occupy a hole previously monopolised by plywood offcuts
A BATTLE of Britain parade set to take place in Pitsea this weekend is in need of rescue operation itself after the band set to lead it suddenly pulled out. Organisers of the event, now an annual fixture, are pleading for a replacement marching band
ABOUT £245,000 a year was spent on the services of a temporary health chief. Howard Perry, NHS South East Essex’s interim chief operating officer of Community Healthcare, was recruited from September 2009, until last month. His wage
HE is a football man making waves in the professional game, but ex-Southend United player Chris Powell is in the minority. Powell played 248 times for the Shrimpers from 1990 to 96 and was capped by his country. However, the spotlight has fallen on
BILLERICAY Town’s under-eights proved they are top kids by smashing a team from North London who have hit the national headlines. Ickenham FC have been featured in national newspapers, on Sky Sports, and on talkSPORT radio after they remained unbeaten
TEENAGE hurdler Hayley McLean battled her way through gale-force winds to win a silver medal at the Commonwealth Youth Games. McLean, right, revealed her main aim was just to stay on her feet during a brutal 400m hurdles final at the championships on
SOUTHEND United centre-back Mark Phillips was doubly delighted following his side’s 1-0 win over Gillingham. Phillips was thrilled to head home the only goal of a dramatic game at Roots Hall on Tuesday night. But he was equally as satisfied with the
FULL-TIME fire crews could be scrapped on Canvey by October 15, according to firefighters on the ground. The fire service has refused to confirm the date, but officers based at the fire station, in Long Road, told the Echo full-time crews would be axed
THIEVES have been preying on shoppers who visit Canvey's supermarkets. Police have issued images of two men they bellieve have been purse dipping in the area. One recent offence took place about 2.30pm on Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at Morrisons
A UN representative has accused Basildon Council of "violating international law" over the clearance of the UK's largest illegal travellers' site. Professor Yves Cabannes, a UN adviser on forced eviction, was visiting Dale Farm near Basildon
Voicing his unhappiness that, once again, the meadows of Dry Street are under the threat of redevelopment, Bob Langdon (Sep 8) asks what happened to the vision of the new town planners? He cites the Master Plan of the now defunct Basildon Development
I read with interest the comments of Lynda Gordon, leader of the Labour group on Basildon Council, regarding the Dale Farm eviction. As she states she is ashamed to live in Basildon and ashamed of the human race, I take it she must be including
Clive Lucas in his letter “new zones will hit mortgages” (Sep 7) scratched the surface. Selective licensing is non-democratic, discriminatory and wrong It makes no distinction between good home providers and bad ones, or good tenants and bad
My father was an engine driver based at Shoebury from 1931 to 1980. Sadly, he is no longer around to ask this question: Why do we hear the constant sounding of horns from the sidings at Shoebury? This honking goes on from early evening and right
What a cheek! Southend council says “use York Road Market or lose it.” This ultimatum must sit prettily with its always-intended plans for selling off this prime site to the highest bidder. It all started when they sneakily came in the night
A DOPEY burglar was caught out because he forgot to fill up the getaway car. Danny Stewart, 19, fled the raid with three other men at Bellhouse Road, Eastwood, but soon realised the tank was empty and had to run to a nearby garage to get a jerry can
A SCHOOL is celebrating the opening of an £80,000 classroom following a two-decade funding battle. Reception pupils at Kingswood Infant School, in Basildon, have moved out of a run-down demountable classroom into a spacious, light extension
A WOMAN has been stabbed in the stomach in a Southend street. Police were called to Herbert Grove at about midday today after the woman was attacked. The 22-year-old was taken to Southend Hospital for treatment to her injuries, which are not believed
SOUTHEND Hospital is still not dealing adequately with patients who have mental health problems, a report has revealed. The Care Quality Comm- ission inspected the hospital in October following serious incidents including the death of a patient who
A WOMAN was threatened at knifepoint after raiders forced their way into her home. Two men turned up on her doorstep in Woolmer Green, Basildon, and smashed the glass panel in the front door causing £150 damage. They then reached through
A TRACTOR plant and a farm will be transformed into park-and-ride schemes during the Olympics. Barleylands Farm, in Billericay, and Case New Holland tractor plant, in Basildon, are among four sites which will offer the park-and-ride to spectators
A HUGE new housing estate of 900 homes could be built on green belt land between Benfleet and Pitsea. The Echo has seen plans drawn up by Castle Point Council’s planning department to develop privately-owned land at Jotmans Lane, Benfleet, stretching
THIRTY new jobs will be created at a taxi firm after it won a £1million taxi contract serving Southend Airport. Andrews Taxis, which covers Southend and Rochford, beat competition from several national taxi companies to secure the exclusive right to
SOUTHEND Pier’s new £3million cultural centre could be plunged into darkness during the winter to avoid disturbing roosting birds. Conservation experts insist any external lights, which could shed their glow on to the estuary, are switched
A CLEANER living on the poverty line is to be hauled before the courts for paying her council tax a few days late, even though she pays the full amount every month. Widow Jeanette Everton is not in arrears with her payments, but has still been
A MEMORIAL football match was held to honour a gifted eight-year-old who died during open heart surgery. Harry Ingram, from Canvey, was remembered as the Island Boys under-nines team took on Elmwood Colts at the Island Boys Pavilion in Creek
ESSEX Police will send a £370,000 bill to their London counterparts for officers deployed in the riots. Officers were brought off rest days to minimise disruption from August 6 to early September. A spokesman said he expects the Metropolitan Police
A TORY MP is celebrating after his annual fun walk hit an all-time fundraising high, helping him to hand £75,000 to charities. Each year John Baron, Tory MP for Basildon and Billericay, organises a walk through Barleylands Farm in Barleylands Road,
A DEVELOPER plans to take its fight to build £10million worth of flats to the Government unless councillors agree to reduce its £140,000 contribution to schools and community facilities. Inner London Group wants to build 97 flats on the site
