A Billericay doctor has been nominated for a Health Hero award. Dr Usman Buhari, from the Billericay Health Centre, has had staff and patients singing his praises. Frieda Barter, 79, was diagnosed with cancer three years ago and it is thanks to Dr Buhari's
WITH Valentine's Day this week, take a moment and focus on the relationship with your heart, writes nutritionaltherapist Nicky Ester Sugar, salt and saturated fat, all found in fast and processed food, can contribute to the clogging of the arteries
THE demand for NHS dentistry has long outstripped supply. Horror stories abound of desperate patients queuing around the block after a dental practice announces it is taking on NHS patients. But a new dental school in Southend is aiming to tackle the
Meet Nigel and Donna. In just six weeks they are hoping you won't recognise them. The pair are the winners of the Echo-backed Help Your Health competition run by Club Kingswood in association with the Eastgate shopping centre in Basildon. Both Nigel
BILLERICAY ground out a 12-8 victory at Crusaders and jumped above their hosts in the table with the win. The black and golds were buoyed by the return of a number of key players but it was still the home-side who scored first with a well worked try.
A nagging pain in the chest and tingling in the arm was put down to indigestion. But weeks later Colin Wines was to get a real shock when he went for a routine hospital check up. He was told he had suffered a heart attack and without an operation he
CARJACKERS sped off in a BMW worth more than £20,000 after punching the driver and forcing him out of the car. The owner of the black convertible was sitting in the stationary car in a car park off Hope's Green, Benfleet, near the Benfleet Tavern. Suddenly
At the start of the year Tammy May, 28, of Leigh, agreed to try out the latest fitness gadget, the Fitbug. The pedometer records the wearer's activity levels, which are fed into a computer programme. The programme then sets daily targets, including calorie
BLUES on-loan midfielder Anthony Grant is desperate to force his way into the Southend side. The 20-year-old is with the Shrimp-ers until the end of the season after signing from Chelsea. And, after failing to make the squad since arriving at Roots
Essex batsman Alastair Cook offered the only ray of light as England crashed to a 10-wicket defeat against New Zealand in the second one-day international. Opener Cook's 53 was the saving grace as the tourists collapsed from 90-2 to be bowled out for
WESTCLIFF continued their charge towards the London Three North East title with a crucial 18-15 win at third-placed Harlow on Saturday. The home-side, who had not lost on their own ground for more than two years, opened the scoring when their fly half
MOTORISTS were left facing delays after an eight-car pile-up on the M25. The crash happened when five cars and three lorries ploughed into each other in the dense fog at about 8.45am yesterday. Fire crews, two from Brentwood and one from Grays, raced
A MAN was left with serious leg injuries after a pile-up on the A130 yesterday. A white lorry, a white Mercedes box van and a car transporter, were involved in the smash shortly before 9am near to the Rawreth turn-off. The drivers of the three vehicles
EAT your heart out National Gallery, Basildon is set to construct a new art gallery with a guaranteed 100,000 visitors a week. The facility will be constructed in South Gunnells, the Town Square entrance to the Eastgate shopping centre, and used to house
A MAN told how his friend was put in a coma following an unprovoked attack outside a lapdancing club. Kieren Clitherow, 30, said he had spent the evening drinking with Russell Berry. They had visited bars and clubs in Billericay, and the Festival Leisure
A SHOPPER who got a parking ticket for leaving a "For Sale" sign in her car window has won her battle to get the charge ditched. Gill Ockelford, 43, was fined £60 for leaving the sign inside her black Fiat Punto's window while she left the car for 20
SCOTT Robinson, formerly of the chart-topping band Five, has started a new business in Leigh, selling celebrity memorabilia. Hasn't he chosen a rather risky line of trade, though? As a former boy band heartthrob, Scott should be reminded that there are
THE dream of an airport in the Thames Estuary just won't lie down. First pursued in the Seventies, it has constantly been abandoned and revived ever since. Now it has been fired up once again, courtesy of Boris Johnson, Tory candidate for role of Mayor
TWO men arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after a crash killed two teenage girls have both been released on bail. The two girls, thought to have been 17, died instantly after the silver Renault Clio they were in ploughed into
TOMMY Black believes a regular run in the first team has helped him rediscover his best form for the Shrimpers. The winger is currently enjoying his longest spell in the starting line-up since signing from Crystal Palace during the summer. And he will
FORMER Rayleigh Boys striker Neil Harris will again be in attack for Millwall this evening. The 30-year-old forward, who still lives locally in Eastwood, has scored twice in his last six games and will be seeking to net his first ever goal against the
ESSEX head coach Paul Grayson will be the first person to admit that 2007 was a season he and his players would rather forget. The summer began with the shock retirement of captain Ronnie Irani due to injury and the departure of star batsman Andy Flower
FIREFIGHTERS have criticised louts who set fire to play equipment in two parks last night. Wooden slides in Richmond Park in South Benfleet were set alight at 8.45pm. Hadleigh crews who had earlier had to deal with a fire in Bonchurch Park, spent 40
ESSEX COUNTY FA COMPETITIONS Essex County Junior Trophy area final: Sparkbridge II 0 Emstar United 4 (Starkey, Smith, Bradford 2). LFC INSURANCE ESSEX OLYMPIAN LEAGUE Senior Division Cup Rd 3: Epping 0 Writtle 1, M&B Club 1 White Ensign 0, Rayleigh
SOUTHEND Rugby Club were in sparkling form on Saturday against league leaders Otley but a lack of discipline eventually led to their downfall. The Seasiders shocked the table toppers by racing into a 17-3 half time lead but yellow cards to Daniel Legge
FIREFIGHTERS were called out to deal with an overturned car on Canvey last night. Crews spent 30-minutes making the black Renault Clio safe following the accident at the Waterside Farm roundabout at 10.50pm. No one was injured in the incident.
STEVE Tilson will become just the sixth manager in Southend United's history to celebrate 100 wins for the club if Blues can beat struggling Millwall tonight. The Wickford-born boss is on the brink on his own personal century after chalking up victory
CONCORD Rangers manager Danny Scopes is eyeing the perfect end to his playing career after his side received an eighth-successive home draw in the FA Vase quarter finals. The Canvey-based Essex Senior Leaguers were handed a home clash with Ridgeons League
ESSEX all-rounder Graham Napier took the first hat-trick of his career to help New Zealand club side Upper Valley rout opponents Karori in Wellington. Napier, who has also been in action for the Wellington Firebirds in first-class cricket, took 7/34
West Ham's first team may be on a fortnight's break, but the Irons reserve team have no such luxury. Kevin Keen's second-string will return to action tonight for a Barclays Premier Reserve League South clash with Birmingham City at Upton Park. Keen's
FORCED evictions could be a thing of the past, a top judge warned during day one of Basildon Council's High Court showdown with Irish travellers. Yesterday, Mr Justice Collins began hearing appeals by 86 families at Dale Farm, Crays Hill, and 15 at Hovefields
GRAFFITI vandals went on the rampage, causing thousands of pounds of damage to cars, vans and walls. The offenders ran riot, spraying tags across the bodywork of cars, walls surrounding Cecil Jones School, bus stops, businesses and garden walls. The
METAL thieves have landed two householders with repair bills totalling more than £5,000. A house in n York Road, Southend, suffered more than £4,000 of water damage after thieves ripped lead flashing from its roof. Police say £100 of lead was taken
A LIFE-SIZED cardboard cut-out of a nurse is greeting visitors to Southend Hospital - and reminding them to wash their hands. The aim is to encourage patients and visitors to use hand cleansing gel whenever coming in and out of a ward or the hospital
The corridors of County Hall are rife with rumours at the moment, all concerning the building itself. These seem to boil down to two basic sets of whispers - that Essex County Council's headquarters will be sold off and leased back for continued ECC use
A NEW 30mph speed limit could be introduced on a busy back-road between Southend and Rochford. Essex County Council is seeking the views of local people on proposals to impose the limit on the rural part of Sutton Road. The county council needs to rebuild
IT was a topsy-turvy day when staff and pupils at a Rayleigh school stepped into each other's shoes. Pupils took part in a non uniform day at Sweyne Park School to raise vital funds for Havens Hospices, paying £1 each for the privilege. School admin
A TORY councillor has won support from more than 500 residents with a call for a bus service to return to its original route. Sweyne Park Rochford district councillor Joan Mockford wants First Buses to re-route the number 24 service back along London
thieves stolen money from a bus carrying children on a school trip and stole their money. The pupils, from a school in Norfolk, were on their way to Gatwick Airport headed for Rome when thieves broke into their bus at Moto Services on the M25 at Thurrock
When Garons Park Leisure Centre was built I said at the time it should have had a swimming pool and especially a "fun pool" with a wave machine. At the time, I was driving my children to Maldon or Colchester to use their wonderful fun pools or the ice
BILLERICAY councillors are divided over whether to accept the return of a piece of their town's heritage - because they are worried how much it may cost to maintain. Basildon Council has paid for repairs to the clock on Billericay's St Mary Magdalene
My visions for my town of Rochford are very simple. Roads that are not full of potholes, places to park to do a little shopping, the occasional sight of a bobby or two to dissuade the rowdy element and make sure that able-bodied drivers don't park in
Why, when questioned by the Echo, did not MP Bob Spink in his "honesty statement" initially reveal he was also paying his ex-partner's daughter? This news only emerged later. How does one contact his diary secretary when she lives in Dorset? It is listed
MOST people take on a sponsored run or a bike ride when they want to raise money for charity - but not these Billericay black belts. A team of nearly 30 martial art nuts is planing a marathon jujitsu session - involving throwing each other to the ground
I am more and more irritated by the patronising and increasingly threatening messages put out by big brother Government or its little brother agents. Send in your self-assessment tax return, or else. Renew your TV licence or else. Don't claim illegal
BASILDON Council tenants face hefty rent rises from April - and they'll get less for their money. The council is putting up rents by 5.8 per cent - more than twice the rate of inflation. The increases will take the weekly rent for a single-bedroomed
Essex and Kent county councils are at last going do something about the traffic congestion on the M25 Thames crossing. They intend spending £100K of our money on consultants to carry out a study to find out the best site for a lower Thames road crossing
MP John Baron has thrown his weight behind a campaign to stop part of Burstead Golf Course being developed. Mr Baron has written to Basildon Council after being sent more than 200 letters from his constituents objecting to plans for a housing estate.
A FORMER boy band star has opened a new shop selling celebrity memorabilia. Scott Robinson, from Pitsea, was a member of chart-toppers Five, who scored three number one singles, sold millions of albums and adorned the walls of teenage girls during the
PUPILS and their parents listened to the magic moments of a famous photographer during a special talk. Arthur Edwards, the Sun's royal family photographer, gave students at St Peters School, in Billericay, an insight into his long career of photographing
A MAN walked free from court after being cleared of setting fire to the warehouse where he worked. Paul Pryke, 35, was found not guilty of arson yesterday after the jury decided he was not responsible for the fire, which caused £900 damage to stock and
A CARER for sick children is among many kind-hearted staff at a hospice who are giving up their wages to save vital services from being cut. Ros Bunclark, 55, from Brunswick Road, Southend, has been working at Little Havens Children's Hospice for more
DAME Helen Mirren has joined the fight to save services from being cut at the cash-strapped Fair Havens Hospice in Westcliff. The Oscar-winning actress, who grew up in Queens Road, Leigh, has thrown her weight behind the campaign to boost funding for
A COMPANY has apologised to its contractors for repeatedly leaving them out of pocket. Connaught, who are contracted by St Georges Community Housing to carry out maintenance work on the housing association's properties around Basildon, have failed to
PASSENGERS on the c2c line face disruption at he weekend weekend as rail repairs are carried out. Track improvements and maintenance are taking place between Leigh and Upminster from 2am on Saturday, February 16, until 4am on Monday, February 18.
THE current scandal over electronic bugging of MPs, an Essex "enemy of the nation" turned national heroine, and the worries of a Southend MP were all linked in an odd coincidence of timing last week. It is the 90th anniversary of the Representation of
SPRING flowers were planted around a rundown part of Southend in an attempt to brighten up the area. The bulbs were planted in and around the Kilworth Road area of the town on Friday. The Kilworth Area Residents' Association arranged the event and
FIREFIGHTERS were called to a blaze at an MOT centre on Christchurch Road, Southend. More than half of the building was on fire when crews from Southend and Rochford arrived on the scene at around 8.30pm. It was feared there may have been gas cylinders
CHILDREN who were busy preparing for a production of the musical Annie were devastated to hear rehearsals had been cancelled. Daydream Productions held auditions for the show last summer and rehearsals started last September. The sessions had been going
THE boarded-up, deserted homes look like the worst parts of a sink estate with trashed windows, kicked-in-doors and graffiti daubed across every wall. There have been numerous complaints of drug dealing, prostitution, arson and even looting. Rubble,
