FANS of Doctor Who should keep an eye out as an episode penned by Southend’s own king of sci-fi airs tomorrow. Award-winning writer Toby Whithouse’s latest contribution to the popular series, the God Complex, sees the Doctor and his companion, Amy, trapped
An elderly resident is being given a final chance to challenge the clearance Dale Farm travellers' site at Crays Hill. Earlier today Mary Flynn, from Dale Farm, was refused permission to go to the Court of Appeal after a judge read the case
CHELMSFORD AC rolled out some of their south Essex big guns to win the Eastern Young Athletes League final. The team were able to call upon the likes of Jessica Judd, Poppy Lake and Mitchell Etheridge as they won the final convincingly on their home
AN 11-year-old boy was taken to hospital after being hit by a car in Billericay this afternoon. The accident happened in Chapel Street, outside the Spa Cottage, as the boy was crossing the road, according to witnesses. An employee at the Spa Cottage
BASILDON AC youngsters battled the opposition and gale-force winds to win two out of six trophies at the Eastern Young Athletes League Plate Final at Ipswich. The club’s under-13 boys and under-17 men both won their categories while the team finished
SEVEN children in Essex have been protected from paedophiles thanks to Sarah’s Law. The law introduced the Right to Ask scheme, which allows members of the public to ask if someone who has direct contact with children has convictions for child sex offences
YOUNGSTERS helped bury a time capsule on the site of a new church building. Children from Leigh Road Baptist Church Pre-school buried the time capsule today as part of the church’s £1million re-development project of their home in Marguerite Drive,
A last-ditch bid to halt the clearance of the UK's largest illegal travellers' site in Essex has been rejected by an appeal court judge. The clearance of Dale Farm, near Basildon in Essex, is due to begin on Monday. Today (Friday) a judge refused
BASILDON and Billericay MP John Baron visited Dale Farm today ahead of Monday's eviction. John Baron MP met with Council Leader Tony Ball, Assistant Chief Constable Sue Harrison, Police Superintendent Tim Stokes and senior Basildon Council officials
BIG-HEARTED bagpip players have scrambled to the rescue of this weekend’s Battle of Britain parade in Pitsea after reading about the organisers’ plight in the Echo. The Westcliff Piping Society has stepped in to save Sunday’s event, after
PLANS to build a new £500,000 state-of-the-art community hall on the Endway car park in Had-leigh have been submitted to Castle Point Council. Leigh-based BGA Arch-itects were due to submit the outline plans for the site off Castle Lane yesterday, with
KHIARA Griggs could have died when she contracted a dangerous strain of meningitis in January. Against the odds and after time in intensive care, Khiara, one, has now recovered from the meningococcal septicaemia B virus. Khiara’s mum
CONCERNS are growing about speeding drivers on a Canvey road after several accidents. Essex county councillor Ray Howard wants Canvey Road, Canvey, to have a speed limit of 30mph, after being contacted by Michael Norris, who lives in the road. Mr Norris
DETECTIVES probing a violent robbery on a teenage boy are appealing for witnesses to come forward. The 14-year-old boy was at the McDonald's at the Fortune of War, Laindon when he was punched in the face several times. The robbery happened at 4pm on
SEVERAL road closures and speed limits will be put in place as Monday's eviction of Dale Farm gets underway. Oak Road in Crays Hills will close between the junctions of Hardings Elm Road and its junction with Gardiners Lane North. Residents
So Natural England, no doubt supported by the RSPB, is in a flutter over “Ruddy Birds” and wants lights at Southend pier’s new cultural centre turned off during winter to protect roosting birds (September 13). It’s all rather bird brained, and
I am 86 and would like to thank all taxi drivers who have driven my family to Southend and other areas for their courtesy, care and reliability and trust in waiting for fare payment until the return journey. George Nobes-Pride Newberry Side
Night time crime and antisocial behavior has fallen in the town centre and seafront area of Southend by up to 40 per cent for the third month running. As chairman of Southend Clubwatch I would like to thank Inspector Leigh Norris, Sergeant Bill
Basildon Council is taking Jeanette Everton, a cleaner, to court because her salary isn’t paid on a regular date and her council tax payments are, therefore, made within a two to three-day time frame instead of a fixed date (Sep 13). The comparison
So now we are being asked what should be Hadleigh's heritage from the Olympic all-terrain biking course, which some of us never wanted in the first place. I was given to understand by councillors they had already worked through this question
It is concerning yet unsurprising that Southend West MP David Amess chose to make disparaging remarks about the appearance of female BBC television presenters during a House of Commons debate on the BBC. After all, this is an MP whose party
For those living in streets off the Eastern Esplanade, Southend, parking has been a problem for a long time. This is arguably because of the staff and customers of local restaurants parking down these streets. The problem is made worse in the
ROCKETING tuition fees have forced Southend Council to stop paying university costs for youngsters leaving foster care. The council plans to stop paying the annual fees for teenagers who have been brought up by foster carers. The Government
ROCHFORD Hundred will be looking to bounce back from last weekend’s disappointing defeat to Braintree when they host Bury St Edmunds in London One North tomorrow. George Chipper will come in to the back row as Rochford bid for their first win of the
WESTCLIFF’S head coach Ben Jones is keen for his side to produce an improved performance when they head to Dorking in National League Three London and South East tomorrow. Westcliff have lost both of their matches so far, while Dorking have won both
IT’S another big game for us against Plymouth Argyle tomorrow and it would be brilliant if we could make it back to back victories. It’s a dangerous match because Plymouth have been on a bad run of results but we certainly can’t afford to take them
SOUTHEND United striker Liam Dickinson feels he has a point to prove to Plymouth Argyle tomorrow. The 25-year-old will return from a three man suspension to take on the Pilgrims at Roots Hall. And he is keen to come back with a bang
CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating after a 20-year mission to get a new heritage centre in Shoebury was finally backed by councillors. Southend Council’s cabinet has approved plans to use the Grade II listed battery gun store building in Gunners Park
SOUTHEND’S head coach Andy Holloway wants his team to play with more courage when they head to Barnes tomorrow. The Seasiders go in to the game having surprisingly suffered two successive defeats. And Holloway is now demanding an improved mental
Full name: Eric Peter Gilbert Age: 28 DOB: 31/7/83 Birthplace: Newcastle Career highlight: Winning what is now League One when I was with Plymouth Pre match superstitions: I will always put my right boot on before
Basildon council leader Tony Ball has issued one last plea for all the families camped at Dale Farm to leave peacefully before Monday’s eviction. In an open letter to the Crays Hill traveller community, Mr Ball said he feared a violent outcome
A MUM has organised a fundraiser in aid of a diabetes charity after her daughter was diagnosed with the condition. Gina Steward, 43, of Whiteways, Eastwood, was shocked to discover her daughter Amy, eight, had type one diabetes earlier this
CAMPAIGNING residents have called for urgent action to repair hundreds of potholes in their streets which make conditions dangerous for motorists. People who live in Luncies Road in Vange have urged Essex County Council to fill in huge numbers of cracks
SOUTHEND United manager Paul Sturrock admits to being saddened by Plymouth Argyle’s current struggles. But that will not stop him trying to pile more misery on the winless Pilgrims at Roots Hall tomorrow. Sturrock spent six years in charge of the
TOWN centre businesses in Southend will go to the polls to decide whether they want to bump up their taxes to pay for improvements. Council bosses cleared the way for the creation of a business improvement district in the High Street, seafront
WHEN Tom Sargeant joined the Grenadier Guards, he fully expected to take part in the Trooping the Colour ceremony. He just didn’t expect to do it in Libya. In the baking, fly-infested heat of the North African desert, his batallion performed the entire
