News in Thurrock

POWER line workers have angered residents in Stanford-le-Hope by cutting down trees, including a large oak.

The trees were felled to create access to power lines between the Warren fishing lakes and Mucking.

Mary Carter is currently in her final year of a BA Social Work degree at Anglia Ruskin University.

Healing Hearts Centre, Bulphan, will be holding an evening of Clairvoyance at Bulphan Village Hall RM14 3RU on Tuesday 17 December with two top mediums Barbara Laurent and Barbara Almond.

A special Christmas buffet will be available and following the clairvoyance at 9.30pm a donation of £1,000 will be made to the MacMillan Palliative Care Nurses at St Luke's Hospice. Since opening nine years ago Healing Hearts Centre has donated more than £30,000 to local charities.

NEXT week High House Community Group are inviting the people of Thurrock to a brief celebration of the Christmas Season with mince pies, mulled wine and carol singing lead by the choir master of the Wesleyan Church in South Ockendon.

There will also be some traditional Christmas readings - favourite poems from our "Pigeon Lady" and an extract from "A Christmas Carol" with a special guest from Thurrock Courts Players as Scrooge.

A TWITTER video featuring 80s pop star turned Thurrock councillor David van Day and Conservative general election candidate Jackie Doyle-Price has attracted a huge audience.

Among those who have commentated on the festive, pre-election offering is comedian Matt Lucas whose short and caustic comment ridicules the footage.

EXPECTATIONS that a Thurrock Council revenue-generating scheme would prove successful appear to have fallen flat and will be reviewed shortly.

Tn February this year the authority announced it was planning to adorn around 100 sites across the borough with advertising banners in an attempt to raise cash.

TWO THURROCK men have been charged with causing grievous bodily harm following the death of a man in a fight at a golf course on the Thurrock border.

Met Police officers were called to Top Meadow Golf Club near North Ockendon which straddles the border between Thurrock and Upminster, at around 10.50pm on Saturday (7 December).

AVELEY Christmas market was a success with approximately 2,000 people attending through the four hours it was open.

Young and old alike, enjoyed the varied stalls, the entertainment and friendly atmosphere.

PEWS were packed at St Margaret's Church in Stanford-le-Hope on Monday evening (9 December) when students from St Clere's School took part in their annual carol service.

An eclectic choice of music, from rap to traditional carols, rang out throughout the evening.

A TILBURY councillor has pleaded with anti-social members of the local community to mend their ways - but adds that it is time police stepped up their presence in the town.

Cllr John Allen was speaking after vandals dragged an old chest freezer onto a park and set fire to it.