AFTER deciding to eat out instead of slaving over the cooker of a Sunday evening, the boy and I were in the mood to rekindle memories of our Italian summer holiday with a visit to Irma’s in Leigh. Arriving at the restaurant, the first thing that struck
bands to come out of Essex, it’s been a while since any members of Eddie and the Hot Rods have played a support slot. But next week three of them will take to the stage in Westcliff as spin-off project the Rodz, to lend support to American pals Prima
ANGRY traders are threatening to challenge Southend Council if it decides to force them from their shops to make way for a Sainsbury’s store at Roots Hall. The council is planning to use compulsory purchase orders to remove the shops, in Victoria
LOUISA Brownfield has revealed that winning a bronze medal at last month’s Commonwealth Games left her with mixed emotions. The Thundersley-based goal-shooter produced a series of stunning performances in India. But she insisted England were disappointed
THE tour’s over, you’re in the studio and face-to-face contact with your fans is at a low point. It’s a familiar scenario for bands, but Basildon boys the Peppermint Apes have come up with a novel way to stay in touch with their following as they launch
THE first stage of work in preparation for the extension of Southend Airport’s runway has been given the green light. Four public meetings were held today at the Civic Centre to discuss plans for the new link road between Eastwoodbury Lane
TIME is running out on a Canvey pre-school’s plans for a much needed new building as a funding dispute between Essex County Council and the Government shows no sign of being resolved. Teachers and parents at Winter Gardens pre-school, in Hilton Road,
BILLERICAY’S Nicola Judge is counting down the days until she gets to rub shoulders with tennis superstars Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. After winning a nationwide competition Judge will be one of the 30 Barclays
OLD SOUTHENDIAN moved into second in Essex Division One by hammering Havering III. A brace from skipper Ashlie Colman, and goals from Ali Bartrip, Sarah Conway and Anna Stephenson eased them to a 5-0 win and maintained their unbeaten start to the season
IT’S been ticking on for decades, but the argument to change our time zone to brighten up dark winter nights is hotting up. Campaigners fighting for our clocks to be switched to give us an extra hour of daylight later in the day during winter, seem to
SIGNALLING failures on the c2c line left passengers stranded at platforms across south Essex. Delays were caused to services from London Fenchurch Street to Southend Central, Grays, Pitsea and Shoeburyness after a signalling fault just outside
VANDALS have been snapping wing mirrors off cars across Castle POint over the fireworks period. Police are advising people not to park their cars on the street over the Bonfire period to reduce the chance of becoming a victim. This comes
JACK Elston is not resting on his laurels after winning a national kitesurfing championship. The 19-year-old from Ashingdon comfortably won the BKSA Championships freestyle landboard crown. And now he is planning to defend his title in the British Kite
ESSEX Pirates are people inviting all ages and abilities to come to their basketball coaching sessions each Friday. They start this week, on November 5, and will run between 4.30pm and 6pm at the Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre in Eastern Avenue
RAYLEIGH II moved off the foot of the Men’s Division Two table courtesy of a 4-1 win at home to Westcliff Hard III. The men from the Watchfield Road club swapped places with Kent Elms after picking up five points, while Hard are third. Westcliff’s Paul
A GOOD start and finish to his round saw club director Dick Clarke claim top spot in Rochford Hundred’s Saturday medal winners final. Clarke won the division one title convincingly after his 76-8=68 saw off the challenge from Neill Mylroie (80-9=71)
THERE have been difficult circumstances for us recently — both on and off the pitch. We had a very good run of results with a settled side, so to suddenly lose four or five players for three tough games was disappointing. We did show we could be competitive
LITTLE Havens Children's Hospice is set to get an early Christmas present from shoppers at IKEA Lakeside. Customers can donate any soft toy to the hospice until December 24 as part of the IKEA Soft Toy Campaign. They can buy any soft
FRESH from their Commonweath heroics, Olympic hopefuls Max Whitlock and Reiss Beckford will be gunning for gold at tomorrow’s British Championships. Beckford, 18, and Whitlock, 17, who train at the South Essex Gymnastics Club, off Cranes Farm
MICHAEL Timlin and Waide Fairhurst have both finished their loan spells with Southend United. Timlin has been recalled by Swindon Town while Fairhurst has been sent back to Doncaster Rovers. And that leaves Blues boss Paul Sturrock short of options
SOUTHEND United’s under 18 side have made it through to the second round of the FA Cup after seeing off Luton Town 3-1 after extra time. A brace from Duane Ofori-Acheampong and a further effort from George Smith helped Blues brush aside the
LITTLE Havens Children's Hospice is set to get an early Christmas present from shoppers at IKEA Lakeside. Customers can donate an IKEA Soft Toy to the hospice until December 24. They can buy any soft toy in store and choose to donate
Border Agency officials have stormed two houses in Southend following information about heroin being smuggled into the country. They raided a house in York Road this morning and arrested a woman on suspicion of importing the drug. A
PLANS to merge an infant and junior school have been agreed. The joining of Thorpedene in Delaware Road, Shoebury, was yesterday given the seal of approval by members of Southend’s cabinet. It will mean the junior school will close and the infant school
MORE people have been attacked by dogs in Basildon than anywhere else in south Essex in the first half of this year. New figures show between January and July, 17 dog attacks – where a person had been injured by a hound in a public place – were reported
MAKING it in the world of stand-up comedy is incredibly tough. But for Steve Day success is all the more remarkable as he is 85 per cent deaf. But rather than let his disability hold him back, Steve, 46, who entertains Southend audiences this week, battled
A POST-MORTEM has been carried out following the suspicious death of a woman in Leigh. Officers have officially named Mary Russell, 81, as the woman who died following a 'domestic related' incident at her home in Madeira Avenue, Leigh, in the
A DISABLED passenger has hit out at train operator c2c’s travel helpline after he was unable to board a train, despite prebooking his journey weeks in advance. Lee Chapman, 37, of Merricks Lane, Vange, called c2c’s travel assisted helpline
A 62-BED budget hotel looks set to be built on Southend’s seafront on a site that has been derelict for almost ten years. According to a confidential council report obtained by the Echo, the Premier Inn will be built on the former gas works
NEW posts are being created to bolster staff numbers at Southend Hospital’s baby unit. It follows findings by baby care charity Bliss, which said babies’ lives could be at risk because of a lack of nurses in specialist neonatal hospital units. The charity
A ROW has broken out over who is responsible for helping Canvey’s main beach gain coveted Blue Flag status. Castle Point Council wants Canvey Town Council to take control of the Concord beach, if it takes over maintenance of the tidal paddling
HE could be saving up for the latest X-Box game or chart-topping DVD, but a big-hearted schoolboy has been putting all his pocket money aside for the Poppy Appeal. Eight-year-old Owen Waugh, of Dews Green, Vange, has spent weeks collecting
