Archive
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Musical help for Africa
MUSIC is providing therapy and helping children and young people in war torn parts of Africa, thanks to a project started in Westcliff. The Rwanda Music Project has been registered as a charity with the new name African Art Aid, to reflect the hope that
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Dogs reunited: Warden Val patrols to find lost and dumped pets
A LOVE of animals and an instinct of reading their behaviour is essential for an animal warden. Southend Council's warden, Valerie Howells, possesses both of these qualities, needed when dealing with strays or helping police to seize dangerous dogs.
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2-1 final win
SOUTHBURY, who look odds-on to win the Southend Borough Combination Division One title, triumphed 2-1 over Third Division Rayford Athletic in this final at Eastwoodbury Lane last night.
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Steven is just class at wet Rockingham
RAYLEIGH'S single-seater racer Steven Durrant secured his first club class victory of the new season by winning round four of the 2008 Formula Renault BARC Championship at Rockingham. The 17-year-old, now in his second season of car racing, led from
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Bopara bats Essex out of early trouble
ESSEX have Ravinder Bopara to thank for getting them out of trouble on the opening day of the County Championship match with Derbyshire at Derby today. The 22-year-old scored an unbeaten 136 in a total of after the visitors had been put into bat. Essex
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Byatt goes carp crazy
GLOUCESTER Park regular Geoff Byatt took a bumper 27 carp haul when he fished a session at the eastern end of the cockle bank. Byatt alternated between heavy waggler and quivertip tactics to take fish throughout his session at the Basildon water.
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Three fight to the finish
THE three-way battle for the title between Canvey's Concord Rangers, Enfield 1893 and Barkingside could not be closer. The trio all have 74 points with one match each to go, Enfield finishing at Ware tonight with a match against a Bowers and Pitsea side
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Springbok Nel takes aim at England
ANDRE Nel is hoping his spell with Essex will give him the inside knowledge required to send England packing this summer. The South Africa paceman was left out of the Proteas squad for their recent tour of India due to quotas over the number of coloured
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Benfleet hunt for next term
BENFLEET Youth FC Under 11A require players of a good standard to play in Southend & District Junior League Premier Division next season. Would-be players must currently be in school year six. Contact Mark on 01268 754812 for more details.
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Circus protest
CAMPAIGNERS plan to picket Bobby Robert's Super Circus because of its use of animals. Southend Animal Aid will hold a daily protest outside the circus, held opposite the Anne Boleyn pub in Southend Road, Rochford. The circus is visiting the town from
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Players needed
EKCO Whitecaps are on the lookout for players for next season's under-14 side who will be competing at either Premier or A Division level. Ring Ricky on 0787 9453871.
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Basildon to host six-a-side tournament
THE SUMMER six-a-side league being held on the Gloucester Park all-weather surface and operated by Soccersixes will start on Sunday, May 4 and will run 6-8pm every Sunday. There is no entry or registration fee to play in the summer league which will
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Homes plans refused
CONTROVERSIAL plans to build new homes in Rayleigh have been blocked by councillors. One scheme, for four detached houses in a back garden in Trinity Road, received 38 letters of objection from angry neighbours. This was refused by Rochford District
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Eastwood start season with Rankins loss
EASTWOOD Cricket Club began the summer in disappointing fashion at the weekend. The club's first XI played two pre-season friendlies, losing to local rivals Rankins on Saturday before Sunday's trip to Havering-atte-Bower was cancelled due to bad weather
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Legra maximum secures second spot
LEGRA A kept a clean sheet in their match against Hullbridge A in the Premier Division of the Southend Table Tennis League to clinch runners-up spot. With one game left to play Jamie Willson, John Poysden and Paul Whatton cannot catch the leaders, Rawreth
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Hammers on track after biting Wolves
LAKESIDE Hammers team manager Jon Cook reckons his team are on the right track following their 49-41 victory over Wolverhampton. Hammers produced a magnificent performance in the second half of the match at Monmore on Monday night to secure their first
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Rayleigh look for new blood
RAYLEIGH Boys are looking for players to join the club for next season. They are seeking outfield players and a goalkeeper currently in school year eight. Contact Karen Smale 07980 396531 or Andrew James 01268 772579. Footballers who can play in all
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Ironman challenge for men and ladies
EAST Essex Triathlon Club members are gearing up for their toughest challenge yet. A team of 14 athletes from the club will be taking up the mighty Ironman challenge in Austria this summer. The gruelling triathlon covers a 2.4-mile swim, a 112 mile
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Revolution stopped in tracks by Mayhem
MONDAY'S indoor community 5-a-side league at SEEVIC College saw Mayhem continue their good recent form with a 5-0 win against Revolution, who may now be replaced in the league after missing two of their last three fixtures. Zulus were too strong for
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Convicted shoplifters named and shamed
SHOPLIFTERS are being warned to avoid Hockley as a new scheme names and shames convicted offenders to shopowners. The Hockley Against Retail Crime scheme launches on Friday and involves giving retailers a file full of photographs, descriptions and details
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Vandals cause train delays
TEENAGE vandals put lives in danger when they blocked a railway line with debris today. Two c2c trains had to be cautioned about the incident as they went through the Mandeville bridge area between Laindon and Basildon. This caused delays on the 14.20
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Daughter's fears for scam victim, 88
A WORRIED daughter claims bogus companies have brainwashed her elderly mum into handing over more than £30,000 in junk mail competition scams. Susan Holden, 52, is desperate to stop her 88-year-old mother, who lives in Southend, from sending cheques
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Skate on the line for railwaymen
AN easterly wind hampered sea fishing conditions so skippers could only take anglers to local inshore marks. But that did not stop some members of staff from railway firm C2C going out on Stewart Olley's Predator from Essex Marina on Wallasea Island.
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Couple’s 2-year wait for heating
A COUPLE were left without hot water and central heating for more than two years. Peter and Lesley Ricks, of Langham Crescent, Billericay, say Basildon Council contractors condemned their boiler in autumn 2005. The council tenants claim there must
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Laindon centre to be knocked down
THE demolition of the rundown Laindon Shopping Centre is to begin at last, following six years of uncertainty. Developer Collonade will pull down the landmark Clock House to signal the start of long-awaited regeneration. The developer has permission
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Gunman threatens teen
A TEENAGER was threatened with a handgun during an attempted raid. The 18-year-old was travelling along Brentwood Road in West Horndon on his Yamaha bike when he was flagged down by a motorist. The teen stopped to speak to the man, who was driving a
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Hannakins are champs
BILLERICAY-BASED Hannakins have claimed the Essex County Women's League Division Two title following a 9-0 win over Beacon Hill. Southend United moved up to fourth after they finished their campaign with a 4-1 win at Ashingdon-based Assandun Vikings.
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Teenager Liam wins his heavyweight fight
A SUPERB 22lb 12oz common carp put a smile on 14-year-old Liam Huntingford's face when he fished the Northlands Park cafe lake. Not only was the big carp the latest in a succession of quality fish taken by the teenager, it also gave him his best fight
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Lewis lands PB at Lake
CARP fishing newcomer Reg Lewis included a new personal best 23lb 8oz mirror carp in a three-fish Lake Meadows haul. Lewis, who has only been seriously carp fishing for the last three months, fished the point swim at the Billericay lake, casting towards
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Final countdown
TWO outstanding parks football finals will be staged tomorrow night. At Eastwoodbury Lane Great Wakering Rovers Reserves take on Southend Supporters in the Southend Borough Combination Veterans League division two final at Eastwoodbury Lane. And, at
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Hammers to raise funds for Moore charity
WEST Ham fans will honour the memory of the great Bobby Moore at this Saturday's Premier League clash with Newcastle United at Upton Park. The Irons have dedicated their penultimate home game of the season to raising money for the Bobby Moore Fund
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Dad tells of girl's 'ordeal'
THE father of a 16-year-old girl told a court how his daughter was "hysterical" after she claimed she had been sexually assaulted. The alleged victim's father told how he spoke to his daughter shortly after the alleged attack in Shoebury on June 27 last
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Benfleet plan for new term
EASTERN Junior Alliance football club Benfleet require high quality players in all positions for next season. Anyone interested should currently be in year eight and should contact 07919 085248 or 01268 753132 for more details.
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Season card renewal date this Saturday
EXISTING Southend United season card holders have until Saturday to renew their seat for next season. Fans can also sign up for the first time and those willing to take a gamble before the deadline could potentially save money as an adult season ticket
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Car number plate theft is on increase
DRIVERS across Basildon and Thurrock who use stolen number plates to dodge motoring costs have been warned they face jail and hefty fines. Det Chief Insp Liam Osborne gave the warning as it was revealed there has been a sharp rise in the number of licence
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Updated: Firefighters rescue horse
FIREFIGHTERS rescued a horse after it got stuck in a water-filled ditch. Crews were called to fields at the top of Thames Road, Canvey, at 1.35pm after the large horse became trapped. It was eventually pulled free by crews using a farmer's 4X4.
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Wheater makes Essex debut following Foster injury
ADAM Wheater has made his Essex debut after stepping in for injured wicketkeeper James Foster. Eighteen-year-old Wheater travelled up to Derby last night ahead of the first day of Essex's County Championship match with Derbyshire once it became clear
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Let the voters decide, Bob
BOB Spink MP does not intend to resign and put his case to Castle Point voters in a by-election, although he is clearly a very different politician from the man they elected in 2005. Since then, he has frequently defied and ultimately resigned his party
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North Bank best for Doggetts anglers
WITH the cold nights and strong easterly winds the carp fishing has been quite a struggle this week at Rochford's Doggetts fishery. All the better fish were landed from the North Bank, except for a 14lb mirror landed by junior Kirt Pottle from the Long
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Players please
FOREST Glade FC require good quality outfield players for their Under-13 and Under-14 teams for next season. Players should start the new school year in years eight and nine respectively. Training is held every Saturday morning. For details, call Paul
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'Lost' maritime treasure goes on display at museum
A LOST nautical treasure has gone display in Pitsea after being hidden in junk for 30 years. The Motorboat Museum at Wat Tyler Country Park has unveiled the world's first ever solar powered boat after rescuing it from a garage in Warwickshire.
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New era drowned out by rain so far
IN stark contrast to Essex's spectacular start to the 2008 season, a brave new era for Derbyshire has begun as a bit of a damp squib. Already reeling from the news that Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene will not be joining the county as an overseas
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Rental Properties for week ending 25th April 2008
Properties to Let in South Essex BASILDON Lee Chapel North room to rent from £60 (No DSS) Close to Town Centre, Station and Hospital. All bills included. 07701 027020 / 07761 376711 LAINDON WEST Double room to let. Fully furnished. GCH. Non smoker
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Spinner’s keeping tabs on the Blues despite a Prior engagement
FORMER Southend United centre back Spencer Prior is willing the Shrimpers to succeed in the League One play-offs. But so hectic has his life been switch moving to Australia at the end of last season it seems strange he still has time to keep an eye on
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Vange appeal
VANGE United Youth FC are looking for players of a good standard to strenthen their existing squads at all age groups for the start of next season. Contact Jackie on 01268 520354 or 07855 161011 for further information.
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Tuohy double secures point for Wakering
TWO goals from top scorer Martin Tuohy allowed Great Wakering Rovers to cement 13th position with a 2-2 draw at Essex rivals Maldon. The village side end their programme at Northwood on Saturday.
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It's vital we deal with the infrastructure first
I think it is necessary to clear up some misunderstandings about plans for Priory Crescent, Southend. The current proposal is to improve Cuckoo Corner by increasing the traffic flow capacity through the junction. It is proposed to do this by changing
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Phoenix club is beacon of light
I was pleased to read Castle Point and District Phoenix Club has been saved. The club only meets on a Wednesday evening and the discos and Christmas dinner take place on one of these club nights. The club not only provides for people with special needs
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Rollerspeed grab a golden quartet
SOUTH Woodham Ferrers Inline Rollerspeed Skating Team have enjoyed yet more excellent results. Team members took part in inter-club category races over various distances in Spalding, Lincolnshire, and returned home with four of the seven gold medals
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Millionaires from buying wine
Reading the Echo article about a customer at a restaurant who paid several thousand pounds for two bottles of wine reminded me of an incident in my life. For the five top houses of Bordeaux this would be cheap, depending on the year. Between 1973 and
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Catholic Utd on lookout
CATHOLIC United Minors will be holding open football trials for boys and girls currently in school year four. They will take place at their Bridgewater Drive training ground on Saturdays May 3 and 10 from 10.30am. They are currently running four teams
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Bikes on the beat
BOBBIES in Castle Point will be getting on their bikes after officers received four new cycles. The Castle Point Crime and Reduction Partnership donated the Smith and Wesson bikes, taking the total number of on the beat in the borough to eight. The
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Housemates keen to evict Derby chances
THE old saying goes that familiarity breeds contempt, but that certainly doesn't ring true for Essex colleagues and housemates Alastair Cook and Mark Pettini. The England opener and county captain share a house in the village of East Hanningfield, and
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Green appeals to fans to show patience
ROBERT Green has pleaded with West Ham's fans to be patient with the Irons during their final three games of the season. The Hammers look set to secure a top-half finish for the second time in three years, despite manager Alan Curbishley being hindered
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Super Scannell can’t prevent Blues defeat
BLUES winger Damien Scannell shone on his return for the reserves at Luton Town yesterday. But the former Eastleigh flankster was unable to stop his side suffering a 3-1 defeat against the Hatters. The 22-year-old has been sidelined for nearly a month
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Blues youths thrash Col U
SOUTHEND United's under 18 side put in a superb performance to thrash local rivals Colchester 5-1 in a rearranged fixture at Boots and Laces on Saturday. Striker James Lindie led the onslaught, netting twice during a thrilling first half. His first
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Early goal - but Grays let lead slip away
WITH both sides stuck in mid-table and with little to play for, this was not surprisingly an underwhelming encounter that did little to thrill the 507 hardy souls who turned out to watch. Grays made the best possible start with a goal after four minutes
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Stu ready for Crucible run
BASILDON snooker star Stuart Bingham has revealed how pounding out the miles on a running machine was the secret to his marathon 888.com World Championship first round win over Steve Davis. The 31-year-old was involved in a titanic late-night struggle
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Welcome to the world of work
STUDENTS got a taste of the working world at a careers fair. It was held at Palmer's College, Chadwell Road, Grays yesterday, and featured 27 local and national employers. Among the firms at the event were Ford and Rowland Hall Accountants as well as
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Updated: Spink joins UKIP
A BY-ELECTION is being called for following MP Bob Spink's decision to join the UK Indepen-dence Party. The Castle Point MP resigned from the Tories last month before announcing he would remain as an "independent Conservative." But he has now joined
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New Bas Vegas nightspots open Friday
THE final piece of Basildon's £5million super nightclub is in place. Liquid and Envy, the latest addition to Bas Vegas's Festival Leisure Park, will open to clubbers on Friday. The two clubs, which replaced Lava and Ignite, are the centre piece of the
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Pett Sounds
WELL, what a week! I don't think we could have made a better start to the season. We played some amazing cricket - some of the best since I've been at the club - considering that we're such a young side. We knew the four-day game against Northants
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Illegal immigrant jailed over pirate DVDs
AN ILLEGAL immigrant who sold fake DVDs has been jailed. Bi Hong He was caught selling the pirate films in Thurrock. The 39-year-old, pleaded guilty to the 60 offences of selling counterfeit discs. She was sentenced to 13 weeks in jail. The Chinese
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Man denies sexual assault
A MAN sexually assaulted a teenager while repairing a wheelchair at her home, a court was told. Daryl D'Cruz, 62, is alleged to have rubbed his hands along the girl's thighs and kissed her on the cheek before trying to kiss her mouth. D'Cruz, who works
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Six months on, town council opens new chamber
A TOWN council's offices have been officially unveiled - six months after they opened. Rayleigh town councillors moved into the offices, above the sports pavilion in the town's King George V Playing Field, in September last year. At a ceremony, town
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Tories deny link to independent
A LEADING Tory has dismissed as "absolute rubbish" claims of a link between Conservatives and an independent candidate for next month's council elections. The row has broken out in Westborough ward, Westcliff, where there are six candidates for the elections
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Our Choice new look
THE doors open today on a new chapter in a family business that has grown alongside the area it serves. The revamped and extended Choice store in Hadleigh not only represents the continuing growth of the south Essex business, it also marks a very personal
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Spitfire tribute to crash victim
A SPITFIRE flew low over Southend as a tribute to the life of a young man who used to work on the wartime plane. Darren Tracey-Bower, 34, who worked as an engineer in the aircraft and aviation electronics industry, was killed in a car crash near Chelmsford
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How we tackle a very sticky problem
CHEWING gum has almost disappeared from Southend High Street thanks to a night time cleaning team. Council bosses revealed the cost of the clean up was about a £1 per square foot of the High Street. From Victoria Circus to the top of the seafront cliffs
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Sue stages her own art show
FOR an artist who first expressed her creative streak carving the bathroom soap as a child, the opening of a new exhibition on Canvey was a special moment for Sue Foulger. The 49-year-old mum of four, from Surig Road, Canvey, has dreamed of becoming
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Queen of Wags returns to her 'Roots'
ANGIE Best came back to Southend to film part of a new television show about the lives of footballers' wives and girlfriends. The former wife of football legend George Best was filming for the first episode of Wag's World at the Roots Hall football ground
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Councillor probed for attack on role of leader’s wife
AN investigation has been launched into the conduct of a top Labour councillor after he questioned the integrity of the ruling Tories. Paul Kirkman, Basildon councillor for Fryerns, and leader of the Labour group at Essex County Council, may be reported
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Pets raise charity cash
ANIMALS ranging from hamsters to horses were the star attraction at a special pet day. The event, held by the All Animals Vet Clinic at West Tilbury Village Hall, was organised in conjunction with national pet month to encourage responsible pet ownership
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Classics dusted off
CLASSIC cars took to the roads at a charity fundraiser. The event was organised by Colin Moles, of the Chelmer Valley Car Meet, and Hillary Spriggs, manager of Chelmsford Churches Homeless Emergency Support Scheme. The 101 cars were waved off by Chelmsford
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How brigade fought fires back in 1964
SCHOOL CHILDREN were given the chance to climb aboard a classic fire engine. All the youngsters at Grange Primary School, Wickford, were invited to look around the engine, which came into service in 1964, when it parked outside their classrooms. Headteacher
