By Kate Eshmade IT'S AN industry plagued with stereotypes of builders bums and wolf whistling, but a generation of women are being invited to change all that. At the moment the number of women in the construction industry nationally stands at just
THE story of a load of brass bedsteads which collapsed under Southend mayor was finally revealed this week. Daphne White told the story when she met the local business community for the first time in her newly-acquired official capacity. The beds were
business people exchanged their desks for the wild coast of Ireland's Dingle peninsula when they set off on a 105-mile, four-day hike. Among those taking part were Jim Wilkinson, of Wilson James, Bev Bickford, of the Training team, and the Echo's own
IF Superman's so smart, how come he wears his underpants outside his trousers? So goes the old graffiti line found in a New York public loo. Members of Billericay Round Table may well have a bit more up top than the average superhero, but for one day
ANEW strategy for the south Essex waterfront aims to attract more leisure use, prosperity and business. Stretching from the shores of Southend to the tip of Tilbury, the scheme gives widespread guidance on how the area can be improved. The Waterfront
A DEEPLY touching story from Laindon is a reminder there really are more important things than fame or fortune. Callum Miller suffers from epilepsy and cerebral palsy. His mother sought the cash to buy him a £1,500 walking frame, but charities kept
THE bandstand, that much loved feature of Southend clifftops, has been a fading memory since the 2002 landslide. At least the area where it stood has now ceased to be both an eyesore and a constant reminder of what has been lost. All credit to Southend
A BRAVE teenager battled flames and smoke in a desperate attempt to rescue a man from a fire. Mitchell Clements, 19, sprang into action when he saw the fire at a bungalow in Newington Avenue, Southend. However, he was beaten back by acrid black smoke
A POPULAR dog warden has been sacked by Basildon Council for gross misconduct. Terry Neighbour, 65, was the district's dog catcher for 32 years, until he was forced out following a five-month investigation into claims he took money from residents to
DISTINCTIVE domes from the old Southend bandstand have been given a fresh lease of life as part of a £100,000 facelift of the area. Work is currently nearing completion turning the area into a green space at the top of the cliffs which has been a magnet
SOUTHEND United boss Steve Tilson travelled to Birmingham to pay tribute to a brave soldier who had his leg blown off while on a tour of duty in Afghanistan. Private Matt Woollard, an avid Southend United fan, had been fighting in Afghanistan when he
LANDLORDS are being warned to be on their guard against their properties being used as drugs dens. Police have raided or discovered a string of properties, most of them rented, across south Essex in recent months being used as cannabis factories. Last
GENEROUS city workers paid a visit to Little Havens Children's Hospice after raising more than £57,000 for the charity. Workers from the investment bank JP Morgan made the trip to Thundersley from London to meet staff and see how their donations would
AS little Callum Miller takes his first faltering steps around his Laindon home, mum Jane Morgan looks on with pride. But these are no ordinary first steps as Callum has celebrity couple David and Victoria Beckham to thank for helping him overcome the
SOUTHEND Council has admitted a mistake which meant disabled motorists were slapped with unfair parking fines. Patricia Astle, 71, of Rayleigh Road, Eastwood, was given a parking ticket two weeks ago after leaving her car in a designated disabled parking
A DOCTOR whose advice almost persuaded a patient to cancel a cancer screening appointment has been given an official warning. Dr Nidhi Tripathi reassured the 43-year-old patient smear test results showed no cancer during an appointment for IVF treatment
A DEDICATED team of fire officers has won plaudits for its work with the Muslim community following an arson attack on a mosque. The Basildon and Castle Point Community Command received a commendation from Fire Minister and Basildon MP Angela Smith at
COUNTRY music fans could hardly believe their eyes or their ears, when a genuine American legend turned up to play in a tiny church in Rayleigh. George Hamilton IV was the surprise star of a concert at Rayleigh Elim Pentecostal Community Church, in Castle
THEY came prepared for everything - except the weather. Hundreds of Scouts descended on Barleylands Farm, Billericay over the bank holiday weekend to celebrate the centenary of Scouting. But the camp had to be abandoned early yesterday because of terrible
TWO friends are hopping on their bikes to travel from the top to the bottom of Ireland. Tony Edwards, 37, of Southview Road, Benfleet, and Richard Everett, 40, of Westcliff Drive, Leigh, have organised a 600-mile trip for charity. The pair are spending
A DEVELOPER has received a double blow after two different applications for the same site were thrown out by Castle Point Council. Pemican has failed in an attempt to put either 20 or 24 flats in place of a car workshop and shop in High Street, Canvey
THE chairman of Canvey Town Council wants to take control of natural attractions on the island to "put some pride back". Dave Blackwell has indicated the council will be attempting to take over the maintenance of sites such as Canvey Lake, which runs
FOOTBALLERS have called for police action to stop youths smashing up their clubhouse. Wickford Town Football Club, based in the Memorial Park, has spent thousands of pounds over the past two years repairing broken windows and holes in the roof made
STAFF at Jones Bootmakers in Lakeside in Thurrock were left outraged as they discovered their shop was up for rent after reading about it on the internet. The advert was found on the web site for Chartered Surveyors, Reid Rose Gregory. The advert had
A FUN run through London is being organised to raise money for charity. Organised by the same people as the London Marathon, the Hydro Active event is a 5k jog, walk or run through the streets of the capital. South Essex charity Havens Hospices is putting
CASTLE Point Council has been accused of charging young people "exorbitant" fees to get them off the streets and using a bowls club in Benfleet. David Fulcher, a member of South Benfleet Bowls Club, in Brook Road, says its three young cadets have to
COUNCILLORS in Basildon have attacked the ruling Tory group after the district's Lib Dems were banned from attending key meetings. Basildon Council leader Malcolm Buckley sacked Liberal Democrat group leader Geoff Williams from his cabinet, the authority's
PUPILS and staff at a school in Eastwood are over the moon after receiving a glowing report following a Government inspection. Staff at Heycroft Primary school on Benvenue Avenue were given just three days notice before their visit from Ofsted inspectors
THE University of Essex is still in talks with the owners of Southend's historic Palace Hotel over when restoration of the landmark will be completed. Work to restore the building is being carried out by the owners, Octagon Estates, and the university
MORE than 200 people attended an event to celebrate the restoration of a youth retreat. The Rt Rev Thomas McMahon, the Bishop of Brentwood, along with priests and supporters from across the Catholic diocese, visited Walsingham House on Canvey to mark
A DEVELOPER has defended plans to build five new houses in a single garden in Westcliff. Neighbours are angry plans have been submitted to demolish 195 Southborne Grove to create a private road leading to a gated complex of five two-storey houses. Plans
COMMUTERS have given cautious support for c2c's new timetable. The fresh schedule, which will run until December, includes additional weekday services, particularly for Thurrock. Other minor amendments include a new late peak train departing from Laindon
A LEADING company has unveiled its latest hi-tech investment at its base in Southend. Japanese ambassador Yoshihi Nogami opened the new medical device facility at medical instruments firm, KeyMed, on Temple Farm Industrial Estate. Mr Nogami toured the
YOUNGSTERS at a Leigh school have been singing, dancing and acting as part of a creative arts week. Professional artists visited Blenheim Primary School all last week to inspire pupils. Charlie Ridgewell, the teacher responsible for organising the events
HUNDREDS of intrigued visitors took a look behind the scenes of a fire station during an open day. Fire crews took people on a trip of Basildon fire station, in Great Oaks, and demonstrated how they cut people out of car wreckages following accidents
RESIDENTS are being invited to give their views on what they would like to see from the new Canvey Town Council. Chairman of the new council, Dave Blackwell, has vowed to set up a residents' forum to consult with to ensure the authority is in touch with
The bandstand, that much loved feature of Southend clifftops, has been a fading memory since the 2002 landslide. At least the area where it stood has now ceased to be both an eyesore and a constant reminder of what has been lost. All credit to Southend
SOUTHEND United left-back Steve Hammell today pledged his future to the Shrimpers. The Scottish defender had been linked with a move back closer to home following Steve Tilson's side relegation from the Championship. But Hammell insists he is happy
YOSSI Benayoun has committed his future to West Ham by signing a new five-year contract. The Israeli national captain put an end to weeks of speculation by penning a deal that will keep him at the club until 2012. The new deal is rumoured to have
THE sixth Corus Kids of Steel event in a summer-long series took place in Grays. A total of 300 children aged between eight and 13 from local schools turned up to try a triathlon. Many of them expressed an interest in continuing their new found
RAYLEIGH's FitzWimarc have taken the overall title at the Castle Point and Rochford Senior Schools Athletics Championships - for the 19th year on the trot. They achieved their latest success at Basildon's Gloucester Park track and made headteacher
CHLOE Coombs, from Pitsea's Chalvedon School, has been reaching great sporting heights during a very busy footballing season. It ended with the 14-year-old playing in an impressive list of cup finals. Coombs represented Essex Girls under-16s football
IT has been a difficult year for local badminton. Bluehouse ran out winners of the mixed fours Basildon & Thurrock League, while Bulphan and Briscoe walked away with the honours in the men's section. But that does not quite tell the full story.
ESSEX crashed to defeat in astonishing fashion yesterday, losing to Gloucestershire by 22 runs in the Friends Provident Trophy South Conference at Bristol having appeared to be on course for a comfortable victory. Chasing 223 for victory, they needed
A WOMAN who took on an extra job to pay for a new car is furious to find it had been jumped on and dented by vandals. The teaching assistant, from Basildon, parked at Asda, in Basildon's Eastgate Centre and returned to find her Renault Clio dented and
SOUTHEND Pier has been lauded as a national icon and a great historic survivor by winning a coveted award. Representatives from the National Pier Society said its triumph in the face of crisis was one of the facts which earned Southend Pier the coveted
HIGH blood pressure is something that affects 16 million people in the UK, but how many of us take it seriously? Peter Welsh was forced to. The retired printer, from Mayfield Avenue, Southend, recently underwent lifesaving surgery to stop his blood
