COUNTDOWN’S Rachel Riley returned to her former school to conduct a huge maths lesson for youngsters across the borough via satellite. The popular presenter, 24, took a break from the Channel 4 show to go back to Southend High School for Girls. The
THIEVES have stolen a brand new £25,000 van used by charity shop workers to deliver furniture to the needy. Devastated volunteers at the Sue Ryder Care shop, in West Road, Westcliff – which helps raise cash for the charity’s hospices – have been left
STETSON-wearing fighter John Wayne Hibbert admits to being annoyed with himself despite his winning performance at the world famous York Hall in Bethnal Green. The Orsett-born welterweight — whose real name is Wayne Hibbert — was cheered enthusiastically
A THUG who murdered a French chef as he left an open-air concert in Southend has been jailed for at least 23 years. Karl Wills, 22, killed Reynald Duchene, 37, after stabbing him in the heart outside the event in Priory Park. Yesterday
CAMPAIGNERS have won a three-year battle to reverse a controversial decision to allow 500,000 tonnes of rubble to reshape Basildon Golf Course. The Court of Appeal quashed planning permission, granted by Basildon Council, which allowed the
RESIDENTS did not have any post delivered for more than a week because of snowy weather. There were no deliveries to the 1,400 homes on the Five Links estate, Laindon, since Friday, December 3, because letters and parcels weren’t getting to the Basildon
AFTER some excellent performances in recent years, Borough of Southend Swimming club’s Barton Townley has won a scholarship to join the heralded Plymouth Leander Swim Squad. He follows in the footsteps of former Southend club member Mark Foster, who
A STUNNING display of diving acrobatics will take place this weekend as the British Olympic team visit Southend. Members of the synchronised diving team will take part in an assessment camp at the new £13.5million diving centre at Garon Park, off Eastern
THIS pub landlord seems to always be in the right place at the right time. Not content with saving a man drowning in a Thai swimming pool, Dave Simmonds has now stepped in to help a man who fell ill at his pub. Mr Simmonds, who runs the Coach and Horses
Slick production is genie-us ALADDIN is the fourth successive Towngate panto starring and staged by Simon Fielding, writes TOM KING. The 2007 show started a tradition in which the pantos, like Jack’s beanstalk, have just gone on getting bigger and
ESSEX cricket coach Paul Grayson has played down speculation linking the club with a move to re-sign Aussie leg spinner Bryce McGain. The 38-year-old secured his first county deal with a short spell with Essex last season, and Echosport understands
TWO men have avoided jail, despite being part of a burglary gang which targeted homes in Basildon. Thirteen people were arrested by police as part of the operation, which saw officers work undercover to build up evidence. Thomas Harbour, 19, of Rochester
STUART Bingham returns to action on Friday in a qualifying match for the German Masters. The 34-year-old, from Basildon, will play in the third round of the qualifiers at the World Snooker Academy, in Sheffield. He will play either Anthony Hamilton
A MAN has died after falling ill on a bus yesterday. The man, in his 70's, collapsed as the number 7 Arriva bus service to Shoebury travelled along Southchurch Road, Southend at 4.15 on Wednesday. People travelling on the bus are understood
There is one thing I wished the media wouldn’t do and that is to spread panic. What is the point in reporting supposed petrol and food shortages, true or otherwise? We know what’s going to happen – panic buying by those who are unable to keep
Lorry drivers are restricted by law as to the number of hours they can drive, beyond which they are considered unfit. Yet in treacherous conditions, which require a far greater concentration, the law was relaxed. Which is better – to allow juggernauts
It was good to see the protest march by the Unite and Unison groups in Southend High Street passing off peacefully and proving the police will protect the democratic right to protest and not become involved unless there is a threat of violence
We are finding out how much has to be recovered to clear our financial deficit. Because we are told it costs the taxpayer lots of money, it has been decided to privatise Royal Mail. Royal Mail has failed to achieve a profit because those at the
As we are now coming out of our second week of snow, I am very angry at the condition of the roads and pavements which are not considered priorities by Essex County Council. I phoned the county to inform it that my wife and I had cleared some
I was dismayed to read about the closure of the Connexions youth services throughout the county (Dec 8). Connexions provides so much more than offering just a place for young people to go. It enables them to access information on a whole range
I don’t know which is worse, the wickedness of our press in describing the jobless as shirkers or the stupidity of the public in believing it. It is winter. There’s snow, and what a shocking surprise that is. It comes as no shock and little
What is the real purpose of the environmental officers employed by Basildon Council other than to penalise smokers? I was given a caution and a £50 fine for dropping a cigarette end in the town centre. This apparently is a criminal offence.
What a magical scene, the “Snow-swept boulevard” on the front page of the Echo (Dec 3). Southend-on-“Med” in all its glory, with palm trees capturing a true English winter scene, standing soldier like, reminiscent of old battered chimney sweep
I recently had to go into Basildon Hospital. I was aware of the journey in the ambulance until we stopped at the hospital entrance, but everything then went black. I woke up in the high dependence unit and I was told afterwards that it was touch
It fills me with horror to read (Dec 6) Basildon is to get “off-the-peg” buildings that have been used elsewhere. The bus station in Chelmsford might function well for its needs, but to thrust something similar on us would make Basildon indistinguishable
A GUNMAN burst into a shop and threatened staff during an armed hold-up. The man went into the Nisa shop on Canvey High Street, where he walked up to the counter, brandishing the weapon. He demanded cash from the till before fleeing. The robbery happened
To serve the public takes dignity and intelligence, attributes which seem to be missing from some members of Basildon Council. Are they on a roller coaster from which they cannot escape? The master plan for Basildon is going to be astronomical
THE Costa Coffee chain wants to open a branch in Leigh, as a heavyweight addition to to the town’s booming cafe culture. The chain wants to take over an amusement arcade, whichg was previously a newsagent, in Leigh Broadway. The plans include outdoor
Congratulations to John Geoghegan on his article which presented both sides of the argument on the proposed Southend Airport runway extension (Dec 9). But there are comments to be made on the statements by councillor Anna Waite. Her blog expresses
FED-UP residents have welcomed plans for a booze ban in a picturesque public gardens in Southend. Gangs of drunken youths prompted a petition calling for an alcohol control zone in Southchurch Hall Gardens. Residents said the peace of their evenings
BURGLARS ransacked a Wickford home while the owners were out. They broke into the house in Alderney Gardens by forcing a back door which caused £200 damage. They then stole £130 of cash and jewellery before making their escape. Police believe it happened
A BANKING scheme set up by the county council offering loans to small businesses has left shopowners frustrated. Essex County Council set up its Banking on Essex service alongside high street bank company Santander to help supply small businesses in
THE causes of Myasthenia Gravis remain uncertain, but its symptoms are clear enough. It can strike previously healthy victims out of the blue, causing them to crumple like a puppet whose strings have just been cut. The condition can have a detrimental
LOCAL people are set to be given more power to contest unpopular council planning decisions. Communities Secretary and Brentwood MP Eric Pickles unveiled his Localism Bill in Parliament yesterday. This includes draft proposals to give local people more
ARTISTS fear for the future of a large mosaic in Basildon town centre, once regeneration plans take place. The 160,000-piece mosaic, on the side of Blenheim House, at the Basildon bus terminus, shows a timeline of the town and was made in the Sixties
ARSONISTS caused £200 damage after they set fire to some bins. They struck at the back of a house in South Walk, Basildon, some time between 6pm on Monday and 6.15am the following day. Anyone with any information is asked to contact
A WANNABE robber attacked a man as he walked through a Basildon subway. The 36-year-old man was using the underpass in Broadmayne when a man crept up from him from behind and pushed him over. A scuffle broke out but the victim managed to run away before
A FREAKISH piece of bad luck ruined golfer Matt Southgate’s crucial final round at the European Tour qualifying school in Spain. The Thorpe Hall amateur’s back nine was decimated by a triple bogey on the 14th, and he just missed out on one of the 34
BENFLEET student Bradley Warner has national success in his sights after making the English Colleges Football Association’s national squad. The 18-year-old was one of two students from Thundersley’s Seevic College who made it through to the final selection
AN URGENT search of Southend seafront sparked by the discovery of a pile of clothes on the sea wall has been stood down. Police, the coastguard and volunteer members of the RNLI lifeboat service were called to the shore end of Southend pier
COMPLETE kidney failure left Keith Roberts a shadow of a man – thin, in ill health and having to spend most of his days on a dialysis machine. The disease came out of the blue for Keith and he had never experienced serious health problems until a holiday
ESSEX SENIOR CUP GREAT Wakering ended a five-game losing run with a fine 2-0 away win over fellow Ryman One North side Brentwood to move into the quarter-finals of the Essex Senior Cup. Skipper Dan Trenkel banished memories of his missed
A ROWDY bar has had its opening hours reduced after complaints of late night noise. Charley’s Bar, in Long Road, Canvey, will only be allowed to open until midnight on weekends and 11pm on weekdays, after the ruling by Castle Point Council’s licensing
SOUTHEND United are still waiting to discover the extent of injuries sustained by Josh Simpson and Bilel Mohsni in last night’s 2-0 at Cheltenham Town. Simpson was forced to come off at half-time at Whaddon Road while Mohsni hobbled off in the 82nd minute
SOUTHEND Rugby Club’s head coach Andy Holloway believes his side’s 31-26 triumph over Old Albanians on Saturday will increase in significance as the season progresses. The fourth placed Seasiders survived a late fightback from the visitors to secure
A TOP councillor has labelled the Dale Farm traveller site a “slum” controlled by absentee landlords. Stephen Horgan, councillor in charge of regeneration at Basildon Council, described the controversial illegally-expanded site at Crays Hill – allegedly
BASILDON were without a game in London Three North East at the weekend as their game at Bancroft was postponed because of a frozen pitch. South Woodham Ferrers’ home clash against Campion also fell victim to the weather as did Billericay’s trip to Old
ESSEX Pirates’ woes continued over the weekend with two more defeats. The Southend based side, who have yet to win this season, were beaten 96-65 at Newcastle Eagles on Friday night before being seen off 99-72 at home to Sheffeld Sharks just 24 hours
LEAGUE leaders Rochford Hundred returned to action in style with an emphatic 62-0 win against Harlow. Hundred had not been in action for two weeks because of the weather and had to switch venues for the game to go ahead. But they produced
A HOMELESS drunk has been slapped with an Asbo banning him from begging on the streets. Roy Sutton has also been banned from selling items, including matches, to passers-by and from drinking in public. The 31-year-old became homeless after he was booted
HE’S danced with people whose names you imagine up in lights rather than scribbled in your address book – Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Sammy Davis Junior. So I’m more than a little excited about meeting tap-dancing legend Will Gaines
THIEVES stole £700 from a pensioner, moments after he won it at a bookies. The man, in his eighties, had put a bet on at Coral in Southchurch Road, Southend on Saturday. He scooped £1,000 but moments later in London Road a man ran past him and took
LONG hours, hard graft and seeing stars having diva tantrums is all in a 14-hour day’s work for a make-up artist. Michelle Court, 27, from Rayleigh, trained at Somerset College of Arts and Technology. The make-up artist set up her own
FESTIVE celebrations transformed a silent night in Leigh as families and residents gathered to fill the air with Christmas carols. The annual service at Strand Wharf saw more than 500 people clutching torches and braving the wintry weather to sing popular
RIVAL drug gangs are locked in a dangerous war to control lucrative blackmarket cannabis factories across south Essex. Police suspect a south east Asian man found dead at a sophisticated cannabis factory fell to his death through a skylight while trying
