News in Thurrock

POLICE have issued an urgent appeal seeking information about 16-year-old Mounir Adam Mohammad, who has been reported missing from Chafford Hundred.

He was last seen at 6.50pm on Wednesday 15 December, and police are concerned for his welfare.

A THURROCK councillor has called on the authority to live up to its responsibilities rather than penny-pinching.

Tilbury St Chads councillor Steve Liddiard is angry that the council is refusing to maintain grass areas on a street in the town - saying the residents who live there pay their council tax and are entitled to have their environment maintained, especially by a council that cites 'cleaner, greener, safer' as its mantra.

A THURROCK-based bus company has been spreading festive cheer across the region.

Over recent days Ensign Bus company has been delighting children and residents across Thurock and further afield on its regular routes with a decorated former London Routemaster bus.

THE curtain has come down on a Christmas fundraising effort on a Stanford-le-Hope residential estate and its legacy will be the installation of a lifesaving device.

Thursday, 23 December saw the last collections being taken from visitors to the Maple and Stanford Park estates off Butts Lane, where residents have mounted a spectacular Christmas lights display.

AS the year draw to as close, Bulphan WI have reported on their latest meeting.

President Jan Curtis says: "Members would have given Santa's elves some stiff competition with their productivity at our November meeting with nearly everyone having a go at the four craft activities available, including making the currently fashionable Gonks, several of which were donated for our stall at the church bazaar.

IT is tradition every year that Forth Ports, the operators of the Port of Tilbury, gives everyone across the group a fresh turkey for their Christmas meal.

Around 700 turkeys are given out at the Port of Tilbury and today (Thursday, 23 December), the majority most have now been distributed.

A THURROCK councillor says he is taking up residents' concerns about a fire that has been burning continuously on a site near their homes.

The residents live close to the former Fire Brigades club on Purfleet Road in Aveley. The club has been closed for several years and is now home to a number of small businesses, while horses graze what were once its sports fields.

GENEROUS employees at the Port of Tilbury have made a donation of 115 gifts to Changing Pathways, just in time for Christmas.

Changing Pathways, formerly known as Basildon Women's Aid, is a domestic abuse charity working across the areas of Basildon, Brentwood, Castle Point, Rochford and Thurrock. The charity provides free and confidential services to support people who are currently experiencing, or have previously experienced domestic abuse. The port has supported the local Thurrock centre for many years.

FORMER East Thurrock Inited manager John Coventry has returned to the game as the new manager of Isthmian North Great Wakering Rovers.

After leaving East Thurrock, where he was manager for more than a decade, Coventry spent a couple of seasons as coach at Aveley but left at the end of last season.

A STORY of a violent and vicious machete attack carried out on a man in South Ockendon – that was then followed by a car chase and dramatic arrests by police officers – unfolded at Basildon Crown court today (Monday, 20 December).

Two men – one a 23-year old from South Ockendon – have been found guilty of trying to kill another man who was chased, hit by a car, and attacked with machetes.