ORCHIDS have often been called the Angelina Jolie of the plant world - a exotic beauty with a reputation for being difficult to work with. But according to Ray Payne, the plants may share the good looks of the Hollywood diva but their unpredictable
TRAVELLERS fighting to stay at Europe's biggest illegal camp are linked to a network of French construction companies. The Echo can reveal 23 road surfacing and building firms were set up by businessmen registered to traveller sites and addresses across
A CHURCH will be converted to a mosque in a £1million deal. The Chelmsford Avenue United Reformed Church, in Southend, has been sold to the Essex Jamme Masjid Trust, which is currently based in Milton Road, Westcliff. Included in the purchase price
A WIDOW has been forced to pay out more than £7,000 since her husband died in a car crash in France. Heartbroken Jean Roser, 67, is still waiting for her husband Anthony's wedding ring to be returned to her more than a year after the crash. In the meantime
HORNDON-based distance racer Elin Engdahl, 45, won the gruelling Himalayan 100 - beating her nearest female opponent by a staggering three hours. The super-fit 45-year-old, who is a member of the family which runs the village's popular Bell pub, has
A FORMER brickworks could be redeveloped into a housing or industrial estate after a string of potential buyers have indicated their interest in the site. The 8.6-acre block of land in Star Lane, Great Wakering, has been cleared and prepared for development
THREE men were sentenced to a total of 15 years behind bars for their part in an international drug smuggling operation which was scuppered in Basildon. Yesterday, Richard Agar, 43, of Prospect Farm, York, was sentenced to six years for his part in the
A SCHOOLGIRL was thrilled to learn she had landed a West End debut role in hit musical Billy Elliot. Ten-year-old Rhianna Alderson, who goes to Fairways Primary School, Leigh, is now in rehearsals and will make her first appearance on December 3 at the
THE bluetongue outbreak has now stopped both reindeer and their replacements, the camels, coming to Wickford for the Christmas festivities. Where will it all end? After all, Father Christmas has rednose, carol singers could cause tinnitus and turkeys
JUST when it seemed that the words "cigarette" and "problem" were no longer automatically linked together, along comes a whole new tobacco trauma. As a result of the public smoking ban, die-hard smokers are forming in crowds outside pubs and clubs. Some
A NEW group set up to co-ordinate the work of Southend, Rochford and Castle Point councils has been described as "a committee without teeth". Rochford District Council's Tory leader Terry Cutmore used the term as a positive description, reflecting the
A CARE home worker who admitted assaulting a 104-year-old woman in an argument over slippers has been given a conditional discharge. Miriam Marchant, 54, of Eastwoodbury Lane, Southend, was looking after Rachel Hush at a home in Shoebury on October
BILLERICAY Town defender Steve Heffer insists that he will be drinking in the last chance saloon when the proudly takes his place in the Billericay defence tomorrow lunchtime. One of the footballing sons of former West ham rearguard man Paul Heffer
DOCK bosses have been fined £100,000 for health and safety breaches after a six-year-old boy was crushed to death by a giant roll of paper. Harry Palmer was killed when an unclamped reel of newsprint, weighing three quarters of a tonne, fell on top of
REMOVING railings along Canvey seafront has put lives in danger, a worried islander has claimed. Shirley Angel, 72, branded Eastern Esplanade "a death-trap" after she narrowly missed hitting a group of young cyclists, who rode down a bank and in front
DUNKIRK, or Dunkerque as the French spell it, was seared on the British psyche in 1940 when hundreds of thousands of trapped British soldiers were evacuated. Today, nearly 70 years later, there is almost no sign of that battle and us Brits are being
ALAN Curbishley was a fresh-faced 33-year-old when he and co-manager Steve Gritt led their Charlton Athletic team to a 2-1 victory over Newcastle United at Upton Park on August 8, 1991. More than 16 years on, Curbishley celebrated his 50th birthday
The SECOND round of the Essex Cross Country League was hosted by Thurrock Harriers and their youngest runners logged some outstanding performances, according to coach Sue Lawrence. She said: "We were led off by under-13 girl Jessica Judd who in the
SOUTHEND Rugby Club are gunning for their first away win of the season at Henley tomorrow. All three of the Seasiders' victories in National Two this term have come at their Warner Bridge base. Coach Kevin Harman, whose side have lost all four games
POLICE have launched an investigation after arsonists set fire to a second derelict caravan on Canvey this morning. Canvey firefighters were called to Thorney Bay caravan park at 1.30am and spent an hour extinguishing the blazing caravan. Crews also
YOU certainly would not find Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's latest female companion donning a pinny and labouring over a hot stove during matches. But at Billericay Town, chairman Steve Kent's wife Sharon leads a team dedicated to making sure that
KEY players on the south-east Essex sports scene were celebrating last night after scooping accolades at the glittering 2007 Essex Sports Awards in Chelmsford. More than 200 dignitaries, athletes, coaches and others involved in sports in Essex saw
BILLERICAY might not be the kind of town you would normally associate with soccer fever. In fact, you'd be forgiven for assuming the average resident would rather study the FTSE100 index than Saturday night's soccer results - even after tomorrow's once-in-a-lifetime
HAVE you ever wondered why it's not a good idea to pick your nose? Or what happens to garden gnomes who want more out of life? If the answer is yes, you're not alone, but don't worry - there is one person who can tell you why. Jeff Della Mura has spent
BILLERICAY Town defender David McSweeney has a score to settle with Swansea City this weekend. For last time the 25-year-old faced the Welshmen - during his spell with Southend United - he was one of three players sent off in a memorable 3-2 triumph
POLICE fear hundreds of shoppers were left out of pocket by fraudsters who mounted a camera at a supermarket cashpoint. Officers do not yet known how many people have been affected by the sophisticated con, but the cash plundered could run into thousands
FIREFIGHTERS were called out to reports of a boat alight in Old Leigh. They arrived to find rubbish was being burnt on a pontoon off Bell Wharf. The owner was helped to put out the fire at 11pm on Thursday.
THE second round of the Essex Cross-Country League took place at One Tree Hill, Corringham, with Basildon AC enjoying their fair share of success. The Under-17 men took team gold, with Matthew Bloy leading them home in fourth position individually.
BILLERICAY Town boss Matt Jones is backing super striker Joe Flack to be the next New Lodge star to hit the soccer big-time by breaking through to the Football League. Flack has set the non-league game alight this season by scoring 19 goals in just
BRITISH nuclear test veterans should be compensated and allowed a full tribunal into the possible health effects, an inquiry has recommended. A cross-party inquiry arranged by Billericay Tory MP John Baron and Dr Ian Gibson, Labour MP for Norwich North
SOUTHEND United skipper Kevin Maher is determined to prove his worth to the Shrimpers against Rochdale tomorrow. The long serving midfielder has surprisingly been left on the sidelines for his side's last five matches but he will replace the suspended
CHILDREN raised cash at their school harvest festival to send gifts to young people in developing countries. Willows Primary School, Basildon, collected a total of about £630 for the Oxfam scheme. Gifts can include clean and hygienic toilets for a school
THE company which runs Southend's theatres has been criticised for carrying out improvement work to Westcliff's listed Palace Theatre without planning permission. HQ Theatres, which runs the Palace, as well as the Cliffs Pavilion, has been censured
FEARS of widespread flooding in eastern England diminished as surging tides peaked without major breaches of defences. Evacuated residents were allowed back to their homes in Norfolk as water levels stopped short of historic levels predicted from a
THE shadow secretary of state for children, schools and families is due to tour Southend today. Michael Gove MP will be meeting Rochford and Southend East MP James Duddridge and David Amess, MP for Southend West, to visit facilities in the town. He
STUDENTS at a Southend school are hoping they will soon become world record breakers. Fifty four pupils from Southend High School for Girls took part in a cup stacking challenge yesterday as part of a worldwide event. The World Sport Stacking Association
THE MUM of a tot savaged by a rottweiler has set up a petition on the Prime Minister's website calling for all dogs to be muzzled in public. Two-year-old Tegan is still in a wheelchair following the horrific attack and is waiting to find out whether
TWO horses pulled an ornate carriage through the streets of Thurrock as six-year-old Akshay Patwal made his final journey. Grieving parents Sham and Gurdip Singh Patwal had brought the body of their son home from their holiday in Portugal, which ended
RAYLEIGH's first arts festival has been voted a success by those who attended and enjoyed the various displays on offer. The event offered a range of activities across the town and was the first of its kind in the area organised by Rochford District
A PRIMARY school la-belled as failing by Ofsted inspectors is well on the way to recovery. Thorpedene Junior School in Shoebury was placed in special measures - Ofsted's failing category - in March but the first monitoring inspection found standards
A CASH-STRAPPED sports club for the disabled has made a desperate plea to Castle Point Council for financial help. The Castle Point Sports Club for the Disabled has been running for 30 years, helping more than 70 disabled people to take part in sport
A CENTENARIAN has celebrated her birthday with a party with her family. Winifred Bennett, of Meteor Road, Westcliff, was born in Orsett and was the eldest of eight siblings. She married John, know as Jack, in 1935 and the couple moved to Glenhurst Road
THE new £496million Olympic stadium in Stratford will be impressive, unique and a lasting asset for UK athletics, the Essex councillor responsible for the games says. Rochford county councillor Steve Castle, who is overseeing Essex's input into the 2012
SIX people were due in court today charged with growing cannabis. Mr Duong, 38, of Rutland Avenue, Southend, and Ms Pham, from Southbourne Grove, Westcliff, are among five Vietnamese men and one woman charged yesterday following early morning arrests
ANGRY councillors have accused the Post Office of "betrayal" for planning to close a branch, the future of which it had previously guaranteed. After the post office in the Chase, Rayleigh, closed two years ago, Rochford District Council and Rayleigh
THE Blockheads are in a league of their own. Eccentric and cocky, the lovable British rogues shot to fame after teaming up with Ian Dury. Influenced by both funk and punk, the dream team came up with anthems like Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick. And
