COMPUTER giant IBM has signed a controversial £5.4billion contract with Essex County Council which could see it put in charge of the district's schools and roads. The privatisation scheme, which has been sealed this week, will start with the
THE SHOW went on at the Kenneth More Theatre last night (Monday) despite the wintry weather leaving its new production of Snow White SIX Dwarves short when the curtain was raised. The evening showing of the Christmas pantomime went ahead in
TWO motorists had a lucky escape when their vehicles crashed this morning. The smash, which happened just before 6am today in Crooked Mile, Waltham Abbey, saw both drivers walk away unharmed. A spokeswoman for the East of England Ambulance
A MAN is fighting for his life after being assaulted. The 23-year-old was rushed to Whipps Cross Hospital, in Leytonstone, with a serious head injury after being attacked outside Percy Ingle bakery and Strictly Silver jewellers, in Old Church
EPPING golfer Simon Khan got the new European Tour season off to a strong start with a 21st place finish at the South African Open Championship in Western Cape last week. Khan won the Qualifying School event in Spain last month to regain his European
TONIGHT'S council debate over the outcome of its controversial gypsy and traveller site consultation has been postponed. Councillors at Epping Forest District Council were due to discuss the results of the survey, but the item has been struck
AN ELDERLY couple were victims of a bogus council worker who swiped their valuables after tricking his way into their home. Sandra and Reg Laming, aged 62 and 73, had a handbag and wallet stolen from their home in of Hawthorne Road, Walthamstow
THE FAMILY of a beloved grandmother who died in a lift accident earlier this year are preparing themselves for their first Christmas without her. Grandmother-of-six Christine Allen, was crushed to death by a faulty elevator on the Orchard Estate
DOZENS of elderly people face missing out on much-loved Christmas food hampers this year after too few donations were received by the community centre that delivers them. Volunteers from the Bridge Community venue, in South Woodford brought
A MAN was stabbed in the back during a brawl outside a supermarket in the early hours of the morning. Police have appealed for witnesses to come forward with information about the fight, which took place at about 2am outside Somerfield Supermarket
ARSENAL midfielder Abou Diaby insists he is ready and willing to step into Alex Song's shoes when the 22-year-old jets off to compete for Cameroon in the African Nations Cup in the new year. Diaby, who notched his 15th goal in 127 appearances for the
JACK Tweed denied two counts of raping a teenager, during a court appearance today (Tuesday). Tweed, widower of the late Big Brother star Jade Goody, enter his not guilty plea at Snaresbrook Crown Court via video-link from Pentonville prison
A MUSLIM group has been banned from holding prayer meetings in former public toilet. The Muslim Asian Cultural Centre (MACC) group has been using the building in Crownfield Road, Leytonstone, as a place of worship without permission.
THE snow has now stopped falling – but readers have been sending photographs of wintry scenes across the borough. Rupert Hitchcox sent us a picture of Walthamstow's famous town hall building covered in snow, Stefan Baker took a snap of Grove
MEMBERS at Epping Golf Club played a game with a difference when they braved freezing temperatures and snow to take part in their annual Yuletide contest. The competition, held to collect money for St Clare Hospice in Hastingwood, saw 46 enthusiastic
ONE of the borough's biggest secondary schools has signed up to an innovative web-based system which helps it tackle truancy at the press of a button. Wanstead High School, in Redbridge Lane West, has joined the online Truancy Call scheme,
MATTHEW UPSON has given the clearest indication yet that he is heading for the Upton Park exit door after admitting he is unsure whether he will be at West Ham at the end of the season. The defender, who has 18 months left on his current deal, has been
ABANDONED cars along main routes in the district are being ticketed by traffic wardens today - but vehicles illegally parked in side roads will all escape fines, the council has said. Epping Forest District Council said it will only ticket
MORE than £1,000 was raised for sick and disadvantaged youngsters during a special performance by a much-loved Redbridge choir. An appreciative audience enjoyed an evening of song and music when the Salway Singers hit the stage in aid of Haven
THE only person arrested in connection with a mass brawl outside Epping nightclub One9Five in September has had his bail extended by police until March 2010. The 46-year-old Harlow man, who has not been named, was arrested on suspicion of causing
FIREFIGHTERS have issued a warning abut house fires over the Christmas period. The London Fire Brigade has just released new figures which show that electrical problems, such as overloaded plug sockets, and candles, cause more house fires in
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after thieves stole £30,000 worth of antique jewellery during a late night break-in. The raid took place between 11.15pm and 12.30am after the thief broke in through a rear window of a home in Braintree Avenue
A TEENAGE boy has today been charged with the murder of an 18-year-old man in Bow. The 15-year-old, from Bow, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is accused of stabbing the victim on Sunday evening on a basketball court. He will appear
UNGRITTED roads in south west Essex led to dozens of car crashes and cases of drivers abandoning their vehicles following heavy snow yesterday. Police revealed today there were a total of 50 crashes reported in the county in the space of just
