IT’S been a busy couple of months for Olly Murs. The X Factor runner-up has helped open a new supermarket in Colchester and turned on the Christmas lights in Chelmsford. Oh, and not to forget his debut album has gone platinum and he has virtually sold
MARK Hughes will give a fitness test to Mousa Dembele, who returned to training this week after spending the last five weeks on the sidelines with an ankle injury. Matthew Briggs (calf) is out until next month. Bobby Zamora (leg) and Philippe
WEST Ham manager Avram Grant insists there is no way he would allow Scott Parker to leave the relegation-threatened club in the January transfer window. Grant admits the rock-bottom Hammers are likely to be busy in the transfer market as he fights
POLICE are hoping to trace the intended recipients of more than 20 presents found in a car park on Christmas eve. The gifts, which are all wrapped and have gift tags on them, were found in Pitsea this morning, by a woman who handed them in
RYMAN PREMIER AFTER a three-year armistice, Canvey’s two clubs are set to recommence battle with a Christmas cracker at Thames Road. The fixture list has decreed that Monday, December 27, will be the day when the island’s clubs will resume
WITH the season approaching its midway point, Echosport has put together its all-conquering non-league dream team. Our 4-4-2 formation starting XI is made up of at least one, but no more than two players from any of our nine featured clubs.
LOUIE Soares is desperate for Sunday’s match against Barnet to go ahead. For not only will the winger be facing his former side at Roots Hall. But he is also determined to start impressing for Southend United on a more consistent basis. “My form
SOUTHEND pier has been closed until further notice after the cold weather caused health and safety concerns. Following an inspection of the ageing structure, Southend Council closed the pier this morning, Friday, and it will stay closed until
The Echo says the proposed museum to be built into Southend’s seafront cliffs “is a truly stunning piece of imaginative design” (Dec 17). In design terms, it’s a neat piece of work. Unfortunately, it will be in the wrong place. A building of this scale
Imagine if you turn on the radio and hear the news Britain had come under aerial attack by a hostile country and the newscaster then went on to reveal the Royal Air Force couldn’t operate from its bases due to weather conditions. How do military air
As a Southend resident and a property owner within the flood zone, I am concerned by Tracey Chapman’s recent comments about flooding. One must not dismiss the enormity of the damage caused in the 1953 flood and the fact that lives were lost. I am all
National Express trains are going next year. That’s the good news, but before they depart, they seem determined to give their poor customers (me in particular) as much grief as possible. Not only have they changed all the train times, but since
Whatever happened to the buses on Saturday afternoon after the snowstorm? Cars were moving along, albeit it slowly, so why did the buses stop, stranding crowds of Christmas shoppers in Southend? As the traffic was moving so slowly I knocked on
It is a shame letter writers to the Echo and members of action groups remain vigorously opposed to Southend Airport’s expansion. I live within the proximity of the flight path and am often affected by aircraft noise. Those opposed to plans of the airport
I thank Leigh Town Council for yet another well-organised carol service on Strand Wharf. I don’t live in the council’s catchment area, but my family and I also benefit from council’s other events such as Leigh lights, the Easter festival in
I can’t take another letter from habitual doom monger Len Lierens (Dec 16). Now is the time for Southenders to support our town and applaud the many innovative and exciting improvements that are being made together with a host of stimulating
For some time I have been concerned about the safety of people using the pool on Concord Beach, Canvey. To this end I exercised my democratic right to put a question to Castle Point Council. I followed the correct procedure, but at the council
AS a keen Southend United supporter Ricky Holmes is desperate to see Blues succeed this season - but not on Sunday. For the Barnet winger will be facing his home-town club for the first time in a competitive fixture at Roots Hall. And
HOW many drinks can you have and still be safe to drive? It’s a tough question, which even Essex Police’s traffic cops struggle to answer. The legal limit is 35mcgs of alcohol in 100mls of breath, but does this equate to a pint of Stella or a glass
TRAINS on the National Express line into London Liverpool Street are running to a reduced timetable today. Services have been reduced due to the cold air temperature which is causing icicles to form on bridges, causing problems with overhead power
SOUTHEND United manager Paul Sturrock hopes to be serving up treats both on and off the pitch this Christmas. The Blues boss is desperate to lead his side into action against Barnet at Roots Hall on Boxing Day. But before then he will have cooked
TROUBLEMAKERS have been driven away from a Shoebury estate. Police say there has been a 65 per cent drop in incidents of antisocial behaviour reported on Four Rivers Estate, compared to last year. It comes after police launched a crackdown
TOP gymnasts are set to show off their skills at a Basildon gym after it received more than £260,000 of funding for new equipment. South Essex Gymnastic Club will boast state-of-the-art facilities when it moves into new premises at Basildon
PEOPLE are being asked to think twice before attending accident and emergency as the busy Christmas period begins. This year has been combined with a rise in patients due to the effects of the snow and ice. Last year Southend Hospital
A VINTAGE red Robin Reliant travelled about four miles a week for 25 years...but completed 650 miles in one journey after it was bought on Ebay. The classic three-wheeler belonged to Bernard Watson-Dotchin, of Weir Gardens, Rayleigh, and was
