Archive

Date

Essex student to step into the tent for this years Great British Bake Off

An Essex student will be among the 12 hopeful bakers entering the iconic Bake Off tent in this year's Great British Bake Off. The 17th series of the popular Channel 4 show returns later this month, introducing a fresh line-up of amateur bakers

Date

Hour-by-hour forecast as Essex set for 16 HOURS of rain from tonight

Essex could be set for 16 hours of rain from tonight, according to forecasts. The Met Office has predicted a 30 per cent, or higher, chance of rain across the county starting from 11pm today and continuing into tomorrow. The Met Office forecast

Date

Air ambulance callouts rise 21 per cent as charity appeals for support

A 21 per cent rise in emergency callouts has prompted renewed appeals for public support. Essex & Herts Air Ambulance is urging people across the region to back its lifesaving work as it marks Air Ambulance Week from September 7 to 13.

Date

Essex council leaders rage at local government reform ‘farce’ as plans scrapped

LEADERS of Essex councils have branded the government’s postponement of plans to merge local authorities as “a farce”. The plans would have restructured Essex’s two-tier council system into five new unitary authorities, a move now paused by ministers

Date

Police call for information after 'burglary' at home

Police are appealing for information after a reported burglary in Hutton. The incident took place at around 10.50am on Sunday, August 23, when a man reportedly entered the porch, garage, and an outbuilding at a property. Officers believe the

Date

Halstead Road Runners take on Essex Way Relay and Takeley 10K

HALSTEAD Road Runners had a busy Sunday, with runners taking on both the Essex Way Relay and the Takeley 10K. Three Halstead teams took part in the Essex Way Relay, with Lois Watson, AJ Seecharan and Laura Smith taking on the challenge for the

Date

Uttlesford councillors call for stronger powers to tackle unauthorised developments

COUNCILLORS in Uttlesford are calling for tougher planning enforcement powers to stop unauthorised developments. Uttlesford Council is urging the government to strengthen planning enforcement laws after dealing with three significant enforcement

Date

Torch ban defended at ‘extraordinary’ council meeting

Halstead Town Council has stood by its controversial decision to remove flaming torches from the town’s much-loved annual procession. The council had come under pressure from residents after confirming that the 2026 event would no longer feature

Date

Major bank reverses decision with new rule in place for customers

A major high street bank has U-turned on a decision to scrap cheque deposits at Post Office branches. Lloyds Banking Group will now allow customers to pay in cheques at Post Office locations until 2030, following public and political pressure.

Date

Essex Police hit significant milestone using facial recognition technology

Police are celebrating a significant milestone in the use of technology to aid investigations and arrests. Essex Police have reached 200 arrests using live facial recognition (LFR) technology, which helps officers identify wanted individuals and

Date

Maldon Buskerteers Choir aims to help raise £1m for charity as new term begins

A MALDON choir is on a mission to help raise £1 million for charity. The Buskerteers Choir is aiming to raise the money as it starts it new term. Buskerteers members have already raised more than £212,000 for various causes. Their efforts

Date

Drivers facing long delays after crash on busy route

Drivers on the M11 are facing lengthy delays this afternoon due to a crash. The incident happened between Junction 5 on the M11 and the A113 at Abridge Road. There are long delays in the area as a result.

Date

The 10 most booked restaurants across Essex in September revealed

The most booked restaurants in September 2026 across the whole of Essex have been revealed. From seafood institutions to Mediterranean favourites, diners are spoilt for choice in the county. The top ten list, compiled by OpenTable, reflects

Date

Maldon care home rated Good by CQC after programme of improvements

A MALDON care home has been rated Good by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following a programme of investment and improvement. The Lodge in Dykes Chase is operated by SDM Care Homes and provides residential care for older people, including those

Date

Harwich Memory Walk to raise awareness and funds for people with dementia

A SPONSORED walk is taking place in Harwich to raise awareness and funds for people with dementia. Harwich Town Council is hosting its third annual Memory Walk along the seafront in support of the Alzheimer’s Society, and is encouraging residents

Date

Maldon Bowls Club members contest nine titles in club finals weekend

MALDON Bowls Club members demonstrated their skills at the club finals over the weekend. More than 40 spectators attended each day as the club’s players contested nine titles in perfect weather conditions on a well-prepared surface. Saturday

Date

High street giant confirms future of nearly 700 stores

The future of nearly 700 Nationwide bank branches has been decided, and it's good news for members. As of June 4, the high street giant now has more stores on UK branches than any other, amounting to 696 in total. It comes after the building

Date

Burnham Hillside bowls team lose to Ingatestone in Marconi Cup fixture

BURNHAM Hillside Bowls Club’s men’s B team lost to Ingatestone BC in the Chelmsford and District BA League Marconi Cup. The match took place on Sunday, September 6 and was contested over three rinks, with victory awarded to the team accumulating

Date

Plans to replace Essex councils with new authorities SCRAPPED

Plans to axe all Essex councils and replace them with five new ones have been scrapped. Decisions on flagship local government reorganisation have been withdrawn as the government launches a review of the plans following new legal advice. The

Date

One lane closed on major route near Essex airport causing heavy delays

Drivers are beginning to queue on the M11 after one lane was closed near a busy junction. A broken-down vehicle led to the closure on the northbound carriageway between Junction 8 and 9, close to Stansted Airport. The AA has reported increasing

Date

Busy McDonald's applies for restaurant to become 24/7

A McDonald’s restaurant could soon be serving customers around the clock if new plans are approved. The restaurant on London Road, Hastingwood, near Harlow and the M11, is currently open from 5am to midnight under planning permission granted in

Date

Jobs in Essex could be at risk as luxury car manufacturer axes 4,000 roles

A major car retail group has confirmed plans to axe 4,000 jobs across its global workforce over the next two years. Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) made the announcement today (Monday, September 7) as part of efforts to slash costs by £1.7 billion.

Date

Hosepipe ban lifted for thousands but restrictions remain in place across Essex

Thousands of households have had their hosepipe ban lifted after substantial rainfall, but restrictions remain in place across Essex. Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has removed its Temporary Use Ban affecting about 33,000 properties across mid and south

Date

Beloved puppy missing after suspected burglars strike Essex home

Police are investigating after it is believed a puppy was stolen during a burglary. Trixie, a West Highland Terrier, was taken from a home on Cattail Drive in Dunmow between 4am and 11am on Saturday, September 5. The owner initially believed

Date

Earls Colne councillors meet Priti Patel to discuss village priorities

EARLS Colne parish councillors met with Witham MP Priti Patel to discuss village priorities. Ms Patel and the councillors discussed key issues affecting the village, including infrastructure and services. The meeting also focused on ensuring

Date

CCTV image released after hundreds of Euros stolen from post office

Hundreds of pounds worth of euros were stolen during a theft at a Post Office branch. The incident took place on Sandford Road in Chelmsford on July 22. Police are now in a position to release an image of a man they want to speak to in connection

Date

Bus fire closes busy town centre road

A busy town centre road is expected to be closed throughout rush hour following a bus fire. Firefighters are at the scene of the incident in Head Street in Halstead. A spokesman for Halstead Fire Station said that the road is likely to remain

Date

Councillor’s fury as ‘shocking’ 110 homes in Southminster approved on appeal

PLANS to build 110 homes in a village have been branded “shocking” after they were approved through an appeal. The development on land west of Spratts Farm, Queenborough Road, Southminster, was green-lit after a government planning inspector overturned

Date

Essex Wildlife Trust hopes to teach village residents about county's bats

Residents in Gosfield are being invited to learn more about the county’s bat population at an upcoming talk hosted by the Essex Wildlife Trust Braintree Group. The event, titled Essex Bats: Conservation and Close Encounters, will take place at

Date

Council issues plea after road left blighted by large pile of fly-tipped rubbish

A COUNCIL has issued an appeal for help after a fly-tipping incident. Dozens of cardboard boxes, cartons of eggs, and other waste were dumped along Ulting Lane, off Hatfield Road in Maldon, it was reported last week. It is unclear when the