SHOCKED volunteers at a charity shop were given less than 24 hours' notice their store was closing, it has been claimed. Barnardo’s shut up shop, in South Walk, Basildon , on Friday after trading in the town for three years. The news was an
AN off-duty care worker who saved the life of an elderly man suffering a suspected heart attack in Southend High Street has called for more people to learn first aid. The man’s step-son has called for care worker Sarah Burton to get a civic award
SOUTHEND Pier was awash with talent as local and national musicians descended on the town for the second Busking Festival. The event on Saturday and Sunday saw a variety of live music acts entertaining crowds, including the Lamps, Headroom, Chris
A SUPERMARKET has been evacuated after reports of a suspected gas leak. Customers at the Sainsbury's store, Rayleigh Weir, were asked to leave the building shortly before 4.15pm following complaints of a strong smell of gas. Firefighters
BETHAN McElroy was the latest member of Borough of Southend Swimming Club (BOSS) to receive a Jack Petchey Award. The 14-year-old, from Rayleigh , was voted for by her fellow team mates in recognition of her dedication to training and her brilliant
FRAUDSTERS who use disabled parking passes illegally could be snooped on by their fellow motorists. Chiefs at Southend Council say they are willing to accept “witness statements” from members of the public as part of a crackdown on blue badge misuse
A FAMILY will be forced to leave their home for six months while £200,000 of work is done to repair damage they believe is caused by trees. Two oaks, in Green Lane, Eastwood, are believed to be causing the damage, but Southend Council has thrown
SOUTHEND United’s Ryan Leonard is relishing a return to his hometown club Plymouth Argyle this weekend. The right winger spent 11 years with the Pilgrims. And he cannot wait to head back to Home Park on Saturday. “I was born in Plymouth
THE Essex Leopards are back in Basildon this weekend. The Big Cats host the Medway Park Crusaders in the National Trophy at the Sporting Village on Sunday. And the game will give Leopards fans a chance to see new signing Simon Cummings in action
DANNY Cowley says his Concord players are totally focussed on tonight’s FA Cup replay at Welling – despite the prospect of a cracking-looking Essex derby with Thurrock in the next round should they get through. Monday’s draw handed the victors
A CLEAN-UP operation was launched on Canvey after sewage began spewing into a dyke. Contractors from Anglian Water were drafted into the Dutch Village after residents reported seeing the sewage pouring into a dyke off St Christopher’s Close.
GARY Lockett is to step down as Southend United’s chief executive, the Echo can reveal. Lockett has been in the role at Roots Hall for the past seven months. But he is now expected to return to being a non-executive director. The reasons
IT’S been a case of sickness on the dance floor for Strictly Come Dancing hopeful Denise Van Outen this week. Basildon girl and former Big Breakfast presenter Denise, 38, as well as other stars of the show, have been floored by flu with some forced
DUNTON workers could be out of a job after car giant Ford announced a wave of redundancies. The Unite union has called for "full involvement" following the announcement today that 275 managerial roles will be axed. The job losses, which will
A BIKER was hospitalised after he was involved in a crash with a car. Emergency services were called to Southend Road, Billericay , at 9pm on Tuesday, September 26, where a black Renault Clio and a white Yamaha motorbike had collided. Gary
A MAN who was jailed after firing a replica gun at bailiffs in a row over an unpaid parking fine is trying to sue Southend Council for £288,000 in lost wages. David Sanderson, 44, from South Avenue, Southend, blames the council for sending bailiffs
RESIDENTS are being given another chance to have their say on the future of a prime piece of land in Leigh. Following a three-day public consultation in June Southend Council officials have decided to give people who could not attend a chance to air
POLICE who raided a smart looking house were amazed to find a £20,000 haul of cannabis. The plants had been hung from a bedroom ceiling at the house in Tudor Gardens, Shoebury , to dry ready for sale. An stench coming from the property alerted
A MAN who saw 100 police officers storm his nightclub says they were “too heavy-handed”. Owner Richard Shea collapsed and had to be taken away in an ambulance after police raided Mayhem, in Warrior Square, Southend, on Friday night. Clubbers
A WOMAN was pinned against a wall in a car crash, before staff from a nearby GP surgery rushed to her aid. The horrifying accident happened in Preston Road, Westcliff , and led to two women being taken away by ambulance. It happened after a
CAMPAIGNERS are stepping up the battle to try to save a popular Saturday surgery from the axe. The emergency service, at the Oaklands Surgery, at the Central Canvey Primary Care Centre, in Long Road, Canvey, was set up in 2009 to alleviate the
A POLICE community support officer is facing the sack for using the force computer to find a photograph of a woman bus driver. Bernard Iley downloaded the photo of the former friend to his mobile and used it, so when the woman called him, the photo
SHE’S a well-loved character and the star of Jacqueline Wilson’s books and the spin off TV series, Tracy Beaker, will be onstage at the Palace Theatre . The Wednesday Players bring their latest production, Tracy Beaker Gets Real, to the Dixon Studio
A COUPLE from Canvey were snooped on by a private detective after making an insurance claim. Tanya, 38, and Paul Joiner, 43, were filmed shopping and in their own home, while their daughters were followed going to school. The covert surveillance
AN emergency byelaw could be introduced to stop London gangs descending on Southend to harvest oysters. A cross-party group of councillors called for immediate action after the Echo photographed groups on the town’s beaches this summer. Politicians
COUNCIL homes have made a comeback in Corringham with the official unveiling of the first new ones for more than 20 years. Oxwich House provides 16 one and two bedroom flats for Thurrock Council tenants, replacing a block of unused garages in Oxwich
THE mystery of a missing £5,000 ceremonial chain has been solved after it was found in the back of a car. Basildon ’s deputy mayor Chris Jackman ended up in hot water with council bosses after losing the chain way back in April and was told he
