News in Thurrock

A THURROCK youngster is celebrating after winning a top prize in BBC Radio 2's 500 words short story competition.

Lenny Tucker is a Year Three pupil at Arthur Bugler Primary in Stanford-le-Hope and he picked up the silver medal in the five to nine years age group.

POLICE and the ambulance service have given some details of an incident last evening which attracted a large number of emergency vehicles to a residential area of Stanford-le-Hope.

Five ambulance service vehicles and a number of police care attended Branksome Avenue on the Homesteads estate.

A COMPANY building a controversial new distribution centre in Thurrock which has already caused significant noise and inconvenience to residents is seeking to extend the hours it is permitted to work on the site.

Residents living close to the new Segro Logistics Park on land between Purfleet and Aveley fought against the planning permission for the site when it was submitted but lost out.

RESIDENTS say their lives are being made a misery by the constant loud noise as work continues on the site of a controversial new distribution centre between Purfleet and Aveley.

The Segro Logistics site, which will contain two large buildings and all the requisite lorry and transport facilities, is adjacent to the A13 and A1306 but close to a number of residential properties.

COUNCILLORS in Stanford-le-Hope have asked the council and police to take action to curb speeding on a rural road which is bring used as the main access for the borough's recycling centre.

Because of restrictions in the use of Linford household waste and recycling centre, the council has created a one way loop which involves a lot of traffic being diverted via Butts Lane in Stanford.

A MEMBER of the animal rescue team at South Essex Wildlife Hospital joined firefighters to rescue a trapped fox which had got itself into a wheel state.

The not so crafty fox cub which had got its head wedged into the middle of a wheel on Havering Road in Romford.

THE number of people allowed to attend funerals has been increased, with Thurrock council now allowing up to ten people to come together for a funeral in a cemetery.

The number is less than is being allowed at crematoriums and cemeteries in neighbouring boroughs, where 25 people can now attend.

POLICE are asking anyone who knows the whereabouts of a Thurrock man they are searching for to get in touch with them.

They are looking for Martin Wall in connection with allegations of assault and harassment.

POLICE and the daughter of an elderly couple conned out of £1,000 by rogue workmen have issued a warning to other residents to be careful.

The incident happened yesterday in Whitehall Road when one of a group of five men, described as Travellers, called at a house on Whitehall Lane, Grays, and told the occupants - a man and woman aged 81 and 91 they were cutting down a tree in a neighbour's garden.

"If this new policy of turning a blind eye to Travellers is to continue, no public park or open safe space will be safe from illegal traveller incursions" - Kerry Smith

ESSEX County Council has confirmed it is currently operating a policy of not moving Travellers on from unauthorised encampments because of government guidance.