Taking a plunge at Essex's first diving festival
	5:54am today
	SCUBA diving enthusiasts from across south Essex watched frogmen take the plunge at the county's first ever diving festival. From Echo

	Tory Luke’s the youth champion
	4:00am today
	A YOUNG Tory councillor has become Basildon's youth champion. From Echo

Crowds enjoy Basfest

4:20pm Saturday 5th July 2008

THOUSANDS of people are enjoying the two day Basfest. From Echo

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	Medals and cash
	12:22pm Sat 5 Jul 08
	Staff from Sunnymede Infant School, in Billericay, raised £600 by putting their best feet forward for charity by taking part in the Race for Life at Gloucester Park, Basildon, in aid of Cancer Research From Echo

	Preschool earns prestigious rating
	12:19pm Sat 5 Jul 08
	A BASILDON preschool is celebrating after earning a national stamp of approval for the quality of care it provides to young pupils. From Echo

	Council staff pitch in to help on island
	12:17pm Sat 5 Jul 08
	A TEAM of volunteers has helped clean up Canvey's seafront gardens. From Echo

	Vandals smash church's new window
	6:41pm Fri 4 Jul 08
	YOBS have vandalised a church which is being refurbished. From Echo
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Council red-faced over homes 'grant' blunder

1:00pm Friday 4th July 2008

COUNCILLORS have been left red-faced after finding out a £143million grant they had earmarked to improve tenants' home is actually a loan. From Echo

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Crime in Essex costs us £232 each, says taxpayer survey

6:00am Friday 4th July 2008

CRIME cost each person in Essex £232 over the past year, according to figures from the Taxpayers Alliance. From Echo

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French friends in town

9:47pm Friday 4th July 2008

BILLERICAY Twinning Association is playing host to a group of 23 French people from Chauvigny this week. From Echo

	Search for missing pup Star
	9:44pm Fri 4 Jul 08
	A FAMILY are offering a £500 reward in an effort to find a lost puppy, which vanished from a farmyard. From Echo
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	Playground's appeal for £20,000 to survive
	9:42pm Fri 4 Jul 08
	A CHARITY urgently needs £20,000 for repairs to its premises - and say it could be forced to close unless it gets the cash. From Echo

Developers' wishlist 'will spark an outcry'

6:06pm Friday 4th July 2008

BASILDON Council is refusing to publish a list of hundreds of possible new development sites - because council chiefs fear public outrage. From Echo

Council pays £500k for 'gardening leave'

10:00am Friday 4th July 2008

A COUNCIL has paid out more than £500,000 to suspended officers within the last two years, it has been revealed. From Echo

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	Open day offers a taste of Army life
	1:57am Fri 4 Jul 08
	A MIDSUMMER open event gave new and returning students at Thurrock and Basildon College a treat. From Echo

Boys celebrate 25 years of camping for Christ

1:56am Friday 4th July 2008

PAST members of the Boys' Brigade will recollect their memories of camp as part of special celebrations. From Echo

	Special day for Cherwell Grove residents
	1:53am Fri 4 Jul 08
	A COMMUNITY came together for a free fun day. From Echo
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	Updated: Vange scrapyard blaze
	7:39am Thu 3 Jul 08
	LATEST on fire. From Echo
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Laptop stolen from office

10:08am Thursday 3rd July 2008

THIEVES stole a laptop computer, after breaking into a firm in broad daylight. From Echo

Pupils' pizza project

10:06am Thursday 3rd July 2008

INFANT school pupils learned about pizza making when they visited Domino's in Corringham. From Echo

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