A MAGICIAN has set up the smallest private theatre in Essex – in his garage. Tony Draper – stage name Anthony Dee – has created the Magic Garage Theatre after his wife Jane suggested he built a rehearsal room. After five months of DIY
RAYLEIGH Town Archery Club had a quadruple celebration on Saturday at its base in Runwell. The club not only hosted the Southern Counties Archery Society’s junior championships for the 10th year, it also celebrated the 150th birthday of the sport’s governing
FIVE illegal workers have been arrested following a raid on an Indian restaurant. Officers from the Local Immigration Team for the UK Border Agency swooped on the Moza Indian Buffet, in Festival Leisure Park, off Cranes Farm Road, Basildon. Immigration
ADAM Melvin enjoyed a last trip to the lake with his dad Andy before going back to school after the summer break. Adam landed a very respectable 14lb of roach bream and perch while his dad landed mirrors of 18, 16, 13 and 14lb. They bivvied up for
BIG lads and lasses in Southend are to get their own night club event where they will be free to let their hair down without attracting cruel comments. Voluptuous people who tip the scales at slightly more than the average weight may feel embarrassed
BLOCKING the gates to an atomic weapons research centre and taking communion outside a weapons store aren’t typical activities for a bishop. But for the Bishop of Chelmsford, Stephen Cottrell, voicing his opposition to nuclear weapons is an
A MAJOR new development of 46 new seafront flats, along with cafes, bars, or restaurants is taking shape. Planning permission was granted on appeal in 2006 for the blocks of one and two-bedroom flats, on the site of the old Canvey Casino, off Eastern
RAYLEIGH’s Clive Harwood landed a new personal best 26lb common on the first anniversary of his nan’s death. Harwood was fishing at his regular Totham Pit lake in Maldon, where he is a bailiff and, within hours of setting up, he caught the fish. He
A MUM has urged parents to trust their instincts after doctors said her daughter had hayfever, when in fact she had a life-threatening brain tumour. Keira Zgraja began suffering from bouts of nausea, vomiting as well as weakness in her left side when
THE annual Foulness Bike Ride will be going ahead on Sunday. Starting off at Great Wakering Primary School at 9.30am, more than 1,000 riders are expected to get on their bicycles to head for the island, which normally has restricted access
Openness and honesty are the watchwords of my leadership of Essex County Council and I am a firm believer in informing taxpayers of how the council spends their money. Therefore I am dismayed at the accusations in the Echo that we at County
How dare Southend Council say that “it would defeat the object if the drivers of the camera cars had to get out and check for blue badges in offending parked cars” (Sept 1). If the driver had used common sense, swung his camera around a bit more
We have seen a cadre of women, children, Vanessa Redgrave, two bishops and several protesters/ supporters, but, apart from one male spokesperson, Gratton Puxton, we have see none of the fathers – the bread winners – on parade in the defence
What a lovely display of flowers we have had in Southend’s gardens and parks this year. Despite the many moans we see about Southend Council in the Echo, this is one thing it gets right year after year, together with its rubbish collection service
Once more there are people on Southend’s foreshore collecting oysters. Last year at one point, I counted more than 40 people on one day alone collecting vast sacks of the shellfish. I did tell Southend Council’s foreshore department about this
I wonder if any readers can help clear up a mystery concerning Southend Airport? I had just read one of the Echo stories about how the airport is becoming active again when I came across a piece in a nostalgia magazine. The year was 1934 and
Why are all these do-gooders and anarchists now jumping on the bandwagon over Dale Farm, in Basildon? Vanessa Redgrave refused to say live on BBC radio if she would object if gipsies moved in next door to her. We have recently had a number
A COUNCILLOR says a shipwreck should be left alone despite attempts to remove it from near the south Essex coastline. The SS Richard Montgomery, a US Liberty Ship, sank nearly 70 years ago, carrying 1,400 tons of explosives. The wreck
FOUR bouncers have had their bail extended in connection with a murder investigation in Southend. The men have been questioned about the death of Reece Lamude, 37, who collapsed outside Churchills, in Tylers Avenue. The father-of-two
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a man was sexually assaulted in Southend. The attack happened in Park Street where he was grabbed from behind by a man who sexually assaulted him. It is believed to have happened between 10.15pm
PRIME Minister David Cameron said he supports the eviction of travellers from Dale Farm. Today in PMQs, John Baron, MP for Basildon and Billericay, raised the issue of the travellers at the illegal site. He said: “Will the Prime Minister
POUNDWORLD wants to set up shop in Southend’s High Street. The budget retailer is keen on the former Mad House clothes store, at the corner of Clifftown Road – and bosses want to open by Christmas. The new store would be just two doors
MAX Crumpton says he is proud to have helped England’s under 18 team enjoy an unbeaten tour of Australia. England won all three of their matches Down Under. And Hadleigh’s Crumpton was delighted to play a prominent part in the success, scoring tries
SOUTHEND United striker Blair Sturrock hopes to be fighting fit when he faces his former Swindon Town side on Saturday. The 30-year-old, who made his first start of the season last weekend after recovering from an ankle problem, played 66 minutes for
SOUTHEND’S Cricket Festival could be coming to a close after 105 years in the town. Some executive committee members are recommending that the county should not come back to south east Essex next season. But a definite decision will be made at the end
TYMAL Mills and Reece Topley have been added to Essex’s squad for their final match of the season as they host Surrey. But fast-bowler Maurice Chambers has been omitted from the squad which lost to Kent last week. Surrey arrive at Chelmsford in third
A BENEFIT cheat has pleaded guilty to six charges of benefit fraud. Sonja Davies, aged 45 of Brackendale Avenue, Pitsea, pleaded guilty to six charges, including failure to declare deposits to her bank account of over £115,000. *Full story in Thursday's
POLICE are appealing for information after a 30-year-old man was robbed of £90. Police have just released details of a robbery which happened in Thorpe Hall Avenue, Southend, between the junction with Burges Road and Thorpe Esplanade.
A MAN has been found guilty of a string of sickening sex offences on five schoolgirls and a woman. Dennis Bowser, 44, of Friars Street, Shoebury, targeted his victims, aged as young as seven, over a 21-year period. Yesterday, a jury
A GROUP of Irish travellers set up a makeshift camp in Basildon yesterday afternoon. Eleven caravans were spotted near Festival Leisure Park yesterday afternoon. The group, from Sligo in Ireland, said they were on their holidays and had broken down.
UNION chiefs have slammed proposals to close ticket offices at six railway stations in south Essex. The Transport Salaried Staffs Association said the “hit list”, which appears in a Department for Tran-sport cost-cutting report, could mean the loss of
A TOUCH of fresh-faced glamour descended on the Festival Leisure Park in Basildon as the Echo Modelsearch contest strutted back into town. Youngsters and adults hoping for a catwalk career flocked to show off their talents as the competition returned
TWO men who are being held in Spain on suspicion of attempted murder have been moved to a new prison wing with better conditions. Kyle Thain, 24, of Sandringham Road, Southend, and James Harris, 29, of Pelham Road, Southend, have been moved
SOUTHEND could be home to three casinos by the end of next year – and the town’s traders and leaders are betting it will be a formula for success. Yesterday, the Echo revealed Rank Group, which runs Grosvenor Casinos, wants to open a new gambling
CROWDS received a right royal treat when they watched the prince and princess of Jordan take part in a motorcycle display. Princess Salma, ten, and Prince Hashem, six, joined the Imps Motorcycle Display Team to perform a jaw-dropping routine
