Archive
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Saga of brains, drains and automobiles
Customers travel from as far away as the Lake District to the distinctive, barrel-roofed premises of Whittingham & Sons Ltd, in Rochford. A few minutes' acquaintance with the Whittinghams and you understand why. The close-knit family has transformed
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Cannabis factory raided
Police have busted a cannabis factory containing hundreds of plants in a quiet residential street. Officers smashed the glass in the front door of the home, in Fleetwood Avenue, Westcliff, at 10.30am yesterday. Once inside, they discovered a production
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Gas plan: MP wants meeting
Castle Point MP Bob Spink has called for an urgent meeting with Government ministers over Calor's gas plant plans for Canvey. The company is expected to appeal to the Government in the next few weeks, after its application to convert from storing liquid
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Barrett gets his chance against the big boys at last
Southend United defender Adam Barrett will finally get the chance to run shoulders with the Premiership big boys tomorrow. The committed centre-back was cruelly forced to miss clashes with Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur earlier this season
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Southend gunning for revenge
Southend rugby club have revenge on their minds this weekend as they face Old Patesians at Warners Bridge. The Seasiders, who are six points clear at the top of the National League Three South table, suffered their first defeat of the season against
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Minstermen up the pressure on Grays
Footballing life does not get any easier for recently-appointed Grays Athletic boss Justin Edinburgh. His side have taken on top two Oxford United and Dagenham & Redbridge in his side last two Conference matches, and tomorrow they head to third-placed
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Billericay sign Allen to replace striker Elder
Billericay Town boss Matt Jones has succeeded in his hunt for new striking talent to boost his side's bid for Ryman Premier honours. The latest man to join the New Lodge set-up is 29-y-ear-old Adrian Allen, who has been recruited from Maidenhead United
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Stinging Hornets will lift Hammers
FA Cup victory over Watford tomorrow could be the perfect springboard to launch West Ham's Premiership survival bid, according to Alan Curbishley. The Irons boss believes a positive result at Upton Park tomorrow could give his players just the lift
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What would it be like if Allies lost the war?
Can you imagine what it was like being persecuted under the Nazi regime? What about the importance of the people who suffered in Hitler's death camps and the contribution their witness statements have made towards tackling anti-semitism and racism?
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Surviving the death camp
At just three years of age, Bela Rosenthal had survived the Holocaust. While Bela, now 65, was too young to remember much of what happened to her, she has pieced together enough to know that she was one of the lucky ones. Orphaned and kept alive
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Canvey house prices jump by 15 per cent
House prices in Benfleet and Canvey are increasing ahead of anywhere else in south Essex, a survey has revealed. Halifax Building Society has released a list of the average price of 100 per cent mortgages sold by the bank in 2005 and 2006. The figures
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Historic film of Southend
Footage of the Southend's Kursaal, pier and seafront which has not been seen for decades will be showcased on TV tonight. Michael Collins, 44, of Selwyn Road, Southend, discovered more than 60 old films while clearing a house in Arnold Avenue. His
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Hospital fire
Staff at Basildon Hospital fought a fire in the hospital laundry room and stopped it from causing any serious damage. Alarms went off in a small cleaning room and two fire crews were called to the hospital at about 7am yesterday. But staff used
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Robber flees empty handed
A would-be robber threatened shop staff with a knife before fleeing empty-handed. The man burst into the Costcutters in Osir Drive, Basildon, and threatened staff with a knife while demanding cash from the till. During the terrifying raid the crook
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Kebab shop owner’s shame
The owner of a Pitsea kebab shop was fined £6,000 for serving up more than its customers were expecting. Filth, grease, mould and unwashed hands - even after staff used the toilet - were just some of the extras being dished out at Essex Kebab and Pizza
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Loss only a parent could understand
The knock on the door which announced the arrival of two policeman with news of their treasured son's death is something Joan and Maurice Lacey will never forget. But in the 20 years since their Ian Lacey died, the couple have helped many hundreds
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QE2 for Southend Pier?
A huge, and I mean huge, opportunity could soon be coming Southend's way. It - to be exact, she - is the one seagoing icon that challenges Southend Pier for length. Other qualities she has in common with the Pier are longevity, an ability to rouse
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Residents fear flats scheme will flood homes
Residents vented their fury at plans to build a new block of flats, which they fear could cause their gardens to flood. The proposals to construct 30 flats and three houses in Olive Avenue, Leigh, were discussed at a planning meeting held by Leigh Town
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Historic hotel plan under fire
Campaigners have criticised plans to convert a Leigh landmark into flats. New plans for the derelict Bell Hotel, in Leigh Hill, Leigh, could see the site transformed into 21 flats and accommodation/work unit. The move comes just two months after proposals
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Man cut free from car
A man had to be cut free from his car after a crash along a country road last night. The accident occurred in Lower Road, Hockley, at around 5pm. One car had left the road and rolled into a ditch, and it took an hour for firefighters to get the
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Thieves go on stealing spree
Thieves went on a stealing spree, breaking into 17 cars in just one night. They caused about £2,000 damage after smashing car windows and stealing stereos, sat navs, CD players and CDs. Most of the cars targeted were Ford Kas, Focuses and Fiestas
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£2,000 haul in raids on six vans
Thieves went on a crime spree when six vans were broken into in one night. The crooks got away with more than £2,000 worth of property and caused £500 damage to the vans, parked in and around Rayleigh Road, Thundersley, overnight on Wednesday. Police
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Teenager sexually assaulted
Police are hunting an alleged sex attacker with dirty, yellow teeth who assaulted a teenage girl in a toilet. The girl, 16, from Benfleet, told police she was in the toilet at the car park in Pooles Lane, Hullbridge, when a man approached her. She
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Updated: Protest over travellers' site
Ruth Kelly snubbed talks with residents over illegally camped travellers, despite a banner-waving protest at her London office. About 50 residents, local politicians armed with placards and banners, and Billericay Tory MP John Baron staged a singing
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Updated: Rochford backs the Blues
About 150 Southend fans went wild after Rochford district councillors sensationally approved the training facilities to go with the 22,000-seat stadium. Councillors could hear every cheer and boo in the chamber as the debate was taking place and the
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Canvey’s the new des res
This month's house price report from Halifax points up an unexpected pattern of movement in the local house market. Canvey house prices rocketed by 15 per cent in the period under review. Yet during the same space of time, they fell in Leigh. This, of
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Free lunch at taxpayers’ expense
On Friday last I found myself surrounded in the main by councillors, in the county council chamber for a roadshow propagandising on behalf of the EU. Presented by the East of England Assembly, a non-elected body that is directing, to a large extent,
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Jim should be listened to
Often at odds with authority, Echo columnist Jim Worsdale must be listened to. The Southend scene has no more experienced and respected observer. When he points out the shortcomings of the current council he does it from the dispassionate view of a veteran
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Turn pool into an ice rink
In 1948 England hosted the Olympic Games. In Wembley we had the stadium and the Empire Pool. After the games were over they converted the pool into an ice-rink, and it has lasted all these years. Why then can't we convert Basildon Swimming Pool into
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Petitioners were ignored
Castle Point councillor Bill Sharp declares "I won't be gagged" (Jan 12) and says he has a duty to his electorate. Back in the early 90s at a council meeting, during the days of the de Savary application for 4,350 houses in the green belt, this councillor
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Why can’t public decide on design of flats?
At a public meeting about the Shoebury Garrison various questions and comments were made about the proposed landmark building, one in particular regarding who was on the panel of judges that awarded the proposed building the winning design. Steven Kearney
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Evacuation amid blasts fear
Hundreds of residents were evacuated from their homes after fears a fire would trigger a huge gas explosion. Almost 600 people living within 200 metres of a workshop at Southend Farm, in Southend Road, Billericay, will not be allowed to return to their
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ROYAL WINDSOR
£44 Visit Windsor Castle and enjoy the special exhibition of photographs to celebrate the 80th birthday of HM The Queen, which traces her public and family life over the past 80 years. On arrival in Windsor, we meet our Blue Badge guide and make a stop
