News in Thurrock

Basildon 49, Thurrock 34

IN the winter sunshine, on Sunday, 21 November, at Basildon's Gardiner Close ground, Basildon and Thurrock RFC served up a very entertaining U16 game of rugby.

A BID will be made this week to stop work on the controversial redevelopment of Thurrock's Adult Community College.

The college on Richmond Road in Grays closed earlier this year as part of Thurrock Council's cash-saving process, with classes moved to other locations in the borough including the South Essex College in the heart of Grays.

THE landlord of a popular Thurrock pub will be leaving the borough for a new challenge in the new year.

For six years former Hassenbrook School student Hayden Leavers has been the passionate and charismatic landlord at Greene King's Sandmartin on Drake Road in Chafford Hundred.

ONE of the year's landmark events in Tilbury has been significantly downgrounded in response to Covid-19, with many parents in the town expressing disappointment at the decision on social media.

The Tilbury Riverside Project have been adding sparkle to Tilbury for more than 20 years and normally the lights switch on is accompanied by Father Christmas arriving by vintage steam engine, singing and entertainment on a stage in the Civic Square and a fun fair and community stalls around the streets.

THURROCK Police have been celebrating some successes in a campaign against flytippers in the borough.

Members of the local division have been working with Thurrock council officers in a new partnership operation which got underway over the weekend.

WHILE many headlines have been written about the battle to save Thurrock's Thameside complex and the theatre and museum located within it, another landmark site that the borough council wants to dispose of is also subject to a campaign for its retention.

Campaigners are seeking to ensure the future of the Grangewaters site which offers a whole range of activities to the borough's young people – but is also on the council's hit list as it seeks to save cash it has to spend on running community assets.

A SEEMINGLY perennial problem in the west of the borough has raised its head once more with residents in the area around the Mar Dyke Valley once again criticising Thurrock Council for not enforcing the ban on horses grazing on flooded land.

It's an issue that has been going on for many years with local councillors and campaigners repeatedly having to go to the council to demand belated action after horsegrazers ignore the stipulations.

THE BBC Essex Senior Cup third round draw has given Aveley the chance to extract further revenge for an early season FA Cup defeat.

In September the Millers bowed out to Barking after drawing 1-1 at Barking and then 1-1 in the replay, but lost the resultant penalty shoot-out 5-4. Less then two weeks after the cup defeat Aveley beat Barking 4-0 at home in the Isthmian North and they will play host again to former manager Justin Gardner's side in the Senior Cup.

AVELEY were grateful that the power came back on as they feared the abandonment of today's Isthmian North clash with Felixstowe and Walton United – which eventually ended with an emphatic 5-0 win.

The power cuts that struck the west of the borough this afternoon saw the lights go out at Parkside at half time where Millers were leading 4-0 – with all the goals coming from Southend United loanee Jon Benton!

DESPITE recent upbeat news about the maternity unit at Basildon Hospital, the trust that runs it and hospitals in Southend and Chelmsford says the region continues to suffer from a shortage of midwives.

Last month Nub News reported on the caring work carried out by nurses in the maternity unit at Basildon which had been recognised with an award.