News in Thurrock

THURROCK'S police commander has moved on to a new job - the latest is a succession of senior officer to come and go in the borough.

Chief Inspector Claire Talbot has been promoted to Superintendent for Contact management and on Monday will begin her new job.

ALL four borough sides look set to beat the weather and challenge for Bet Victor Isthmian points today (Saturday, 4 January).

Premier Division East Thurrock United have been buoyed by a New Year's Day derby win against Bowers & Pitsea and the unexpected retention of loanee Darren Foxley but still face a huge task at the Grayers Graphic Stadium when high-flying Worthing visit.

DETECTIVES are urging pub-goers in South Ockendon to come forward with evidence after a disturbance at the Woodlands Edge pub in December.

A member of staff was assaulted between 10.30pm and 10.40pm on Saturday, 7 December.

FOUR men have been sentenced today (Friday 3 January) after crew members were threatened on an international container ship as it sailed within UK territorial waters headed for Tilbury.

Toheeb Popoola, 27, received two years and seven months for making a threat to kill and affray, Joberto McGee, 20, received two years and eight months for making threats to kill and affray, and Samuel Jolumi, 27, and Ishola Sunday, 27, received a year and four months for affray at Central Criminal Court.

PLANS are being made to return residents to Corringham's Collins House, which had to be evacuated on New Year's Eve because of a major power failure.

Residents and their families have been praised for their stoic response to the situation.

A NEW academic term is about to start in Thurrock and nowhere will it be celebrated more that at Beacon Hill Academy.

For the fourth time in a row the coeducational special school in South Ockendon has been judged as 'outstanding' following a recent Ofsted Inspection.

THURROCK Council has been awarded a small share of more than £4 million allocated by government to crack down on criminal landlords and letting agents.

The £27,000 funding will be used to develop a multi-agency approach in targeting landlords operating unregistered care homes that provide residential accommodation to young adults from outside of Thurrock.

THE company that ran the food mall at Intu Lakeside's new Plaza leisure extension have broken their silence about the circumstances which saw the venue unexpectedly closed on 19 December.

A spokesperson for Market Halls said: "It is with deep regret that we announce the closure of The Hall's first and only outlet - The Hall, intu Lakeside.

A THIEF who stole two French Bulldogs during a burglary at a Thurrock home has mocked their owner by calling her and abusing her after she made a pleas for information on social media.

Kelly Green's home in Fairview, Grays, was burgled on Tuesday, 17 December between 2.15pm and 3.15pm.

THURROCK Council will be making changes to traffic flows in Grays town centre later this month as it completes its plans to bring two way traffic through some of the town's main roads.

It has given notice of a number of prohibition orders that it plans to put in place from 16 January. The changes are scheduled to run until March 2020 but they council has made an allowance for them to overrun for 15 months if required.