Theft of heating oil from storage tanks in rural parts of Brentwood and Epping Forest have been rocketing despite prices reaching a 12 month low.

About £6,000 worth of heating oil has been stolen from storage tanks in 12 incidents in rural areas since the beginning of March. Amounts of oil taken have ranged from 200 litres to 1,500 litres which was valued at £1,000.

All 12 incidents have happened mainly at properties in quiet country lanes and at night. Most have been near hamlets or villages in the Epping Forest area, but others have been in remote areas between Brentwood and Chelmsford.

Officers are now urging all oil fuel users to ensure that their security measures are adequate. They are also urging all residents in rural areas to be on the look-out for any vehicles, particularly vans or any vehicle carrying tubing, plastic or metal tanks or any form of liquid containers.

Tony Ellis, the crime reduction officer for the Epping Forest police district said: "This is a national problem but it tends to go in spates around Essex. We want to make people aware that thieves are breaking open tanks and siphoning off large amount of fuel oil which will probably be sold on the black market.

"We also urge anyone to contact your local crime reduction officers for advice on how fix devices that activate alarms if a tank is being tampered with."

Heating oil prices have continued to fall with prices down from 58p per litre to just below 57p as of last week, according to the independent heating oil website Boiler Juice.

The last time that prices dropped to this level was in July 2012, when a hot spell of weather, combined with the continuing poor economic climate, caused low heating oil consumption rates.Oil prices are affected by a wide variety of factors, but the relative stability among oil producing countries in recent years, coupled with the poor global economic climate, has meant that prices have stayed away from highs seen in early 2011.

However officers are also advising people to keep their tank in a well-overlooked position, well locked and regularly checked

Anyone with information about the thefts or the thieves is asked to contact police at Epping on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

WHEN it comes to public speaking, articulate students from Brentwood have proved they are top of the class.

Brentwood School's senior public speaking team beat teams from all over the UK to scoop the Rotary International in Britain and Ireland Youth Speaks 2013 trophy.

The victorious team comprised Helen Walls, 17, Izzy Fewster, 16, and Sam Turnpenny, 16, who reached the national finals in Hull after competing at school, local and regional level.

The competition is a four-stage contest designed to support and encourage the development of effective communications skills.

Izzy said: "I'm so proud to have represented the school.

"It was an unexpected honour to be crowned national champions at the final in Hull – we were up against some incredibly talented speakers and we knew it would be a close competition.

"I am so glad that I was offered the opportunity to be part of the team this year, along with Helen and Sam, who have been outstanding. Although I don't intend to make a career out of public speaking, I know that the general skills I have gained from it will be invaluable whatever career path I choose.

"I am now much more confident as a person, can articulate myself more clearly, structure a logical and persuasive argument, and think on my feet.

"Ultimately though, public speaking has taught me the importance of hard work, dedication and perseverance."

Helen said: "I still can't believe it. I know I speak for all three of us when I say we were amazed to get through the first round alone, not to mention the utter shock and delight of becoming national winners.

"Whether it was the uplifting support of our sponsor club, teachers and families, or our non-stop drive to rehearse, we certainly did all we could."

David Alton, the chairman of the Brentwood à Becket Youth Service Committee, which sponsored the team, said: "It was a superb, polished performance by an excellent team."

With just minutes to put their argument across, the teams had to introduce their chosen topic, deliver it in a clear, balanced and entertaining manner and invite the audience to be involved.

The Brentwood team, under the tutelage of English teachers Mary Callender and Robert Higgins, took to the platform with the topic 'Raising a child without cutlery' – an ironic and quirky look at the minimum age rules.

Seven teams of orators, aged 14 to 17 from across Britain and Ireland, competed in the senior final. Each team were sponsored by their local Rotary club and selected by judges from hundreds of competing teams at regional heats around the country.

Mr Higgins said he was ecstatic when the team won. "I am so proud of them. They deserved the victory and had put in so much hard work. They worked so well as a team and complemented each other."

Judges said the team had perfectly combined all the key public speaking elements of style, effectiveness, content and engagement.

SCAMMERS are enjoying a "double-dupe recession" as they prey on people struggling to find work or battling with money problems, says Chelmsford CAB.

New figures reveal more than 22,000 reports of scams were made to the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) in England and Wales in the last 12 months, yet the CAB said many fail to report if they have been ripped off.

According to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) almost 48 per cent of people are targeted by scams, with three million falling victim to cons costing individuals a total of £3.5 billion a year.

May marks the start of Scams Awareness Month and Essex County Council Trading Standards and Chelmsford CAB want to raise awareness about scams which are in operation throughout the country.

A Chelmsford man who outwitted a fraudster in February was Chris Burt, 64, who was surprised to find a TomTom SatNav had been delivered to his home in Great Cobb, Springfield.

He contacted the mail order company to tell them the TomTom had been delivered by mistake and that he was going to send it back by post.

So when a man posing as a delivery guy turned up the next day to collect the TomTom he was immediately suspicious and asked to see his ID.

At that point the man returned to his car and drove off without the TomTom.

The fraudster had set up a false account with online shopping website Isme using Mr Burt's details to purchase the SatNav.

Mr Burt said: "My general observation of scams is that people are not willing to get involved in anything that is suspicious and if they see someone in trouble or a crime going on they would much prefer they don't see it.

"But the other side to it is they always want people to help them if they were in trouble themselves.

"It is almost a mental choice to get involved if you possibly can, because if you don't then nothing good can happen."

Scams are schemes to con people out of their money and they can be carried out in a number of ways, by post, phone, e-mail, online or sometimes via a knock on the door.

Scams take different forms such as fake lotteries, prize draws, bogus health cures, and dodgy investment schemes.

Malcolm Shead, head of Essex County Council Trading Standards, said: "Scams are still very much an unreported and hidden crime.

"People feel embarrassed to admit they have been conned but people from all walks of life fall victim to these crimes and it is estimated that nearly half of people in the UK have been targeted by a scam.

"New scams are emerging all the time but the best piece of advice our team can give is 'If it sounds too good to be true it probably is'."

An analysis of the national Citizens Advice scams scanner, which has tracked cons since 2007, revealed opportunistic con artists are targeting people who have fallen on hard times with offers of phoney jobs, training and debt scams.

The "double dupe" scams include offering to pay for a phantom training course with the false promise of a job, and loan offers or help to clear debts which carries an up-front fee.

Chelmsford Citizens Advice Bureau is also concerned that rogues will seek to profit from changes to the benefit system, particularly with the introduction to the so-called bedroom tax and localisation of council tax benefit.

Evidence collected by Chelmsford CAB shows that, in the past, people have been ripped off by fake landlords who take deposits for properties that don't exist or aren't available for rent.

Russell Mynott, from Chelmsford Citizens Advice Bureau, said: "Rogues are cashing in on people's job and money troubles.

"The difficult economic times have been tough for many people in Chelmsford but con artists have found a way to thrive.

"We're seeing people who have been dealt a double blow by losing their job and then losing money while trying to find a new one.

"This month we are warning people to be on the look out for rogues looking to make a quick buck at their expense and reminding that scams are crimes so it is vital they are reported."

AN INCENSED army of Great Baddow residents are threatening to barricade a busy school bus-route to prove a point to planners.

Mark Thompson and his neighbours will park their cars along Noakes Avenue to demonstrate the difficulty and dangers drivers will face once a set of garages are demolished.

Plans to knock down shared garages to make way for five Chelmer Housing Partnership homes were given the green light by Chelmsford City Council on Tuesday, April 30.

A survey confirmed there was adequate on-street parking, yet the 43-year-old resident marched out of the planning committee meeting branding the verdict "ridiculous".

"It's a major bus route and they pass every half an hour.

"If the garages go then we have to park on the main road which will block the traffic and buses.

"It will cause major problems and even a safety hazard for kids going to school," he said.

"We're all going to park on the road to block it up to see what it's like and to prove a point that you can't get a bus down.

"We're going to get together and discuss it.

"We even wondered how much it would cost to buy the areas the garages are on to stop them putting housing on it.

"But I don't think they will let us do that because it's money in their pocket," he said.

Arthritis sufferer Sheila Marvin, 66, is concerned that a busier road could lead to more accidents. The most recent one being in 2004 when Tomas Wren, 13, died after being hit by a motorcycle after exiting Great Baddow High School.

Mrs Marvin also says she is struggling to sleep at the thought of losing the garage, which she has owned for 25 years, beside her three-bedroom terraced home.

She said: "The completed parking survey is complete tripe.

"I just don't know where I go from here.

"Do I dig my heels in and say I don't want to go?

"I have had one knee replacement which makes it so difficult to get over the road to the other garage – which is also less secure – and in a few years I may not be able to move so well."

The retired hairdresser has the option of a spare garage space over the road, yet most residents, who originally parked in the ten-car capacity garages, will have to park on the street.

This same proposal was originally withdrawn in the autumn, yet approved after a parking survey noted there were about 55 off-street spaces and 106 on-street spaces within a 280-metre distance of the area.

At the meeting, the committee voted unanimously for the proposal, while vice-chairman Richard Poulter said: "If you look around the city as a whole this is little different to what exists elsewhere.

"I would advise that people with problems should go to the Citizens Advice Bureau."

ARMED with flashing "K2" spirit readers, temperature gauges, a tipping table and spirit voice recorders, ghost hunters stormed Hylands House.

Andy Radley, 51, and his team of spectral stalkers investigated the Georgian mansion between 8pm and 3am – concluding it was home to half-a-dozen spirts.

Mr Radley, the leader of Essex Ghost Hunting Team, says he nearly died after a poltergeist tried to push him down a flight of stairs and claims he has recordings of a ghost dog barking at his feet.

He led a group of 28, comprising 10 team members and 18 others, around the house in Hylands Park on Friday night.

The father from Silver End said: "The whole night was just amazing, it was like history repeating itself.

"It was about time we did Hylands House and did it properly. We have watched other teams go in and out, going through scare tactics, but we thought we should go in there and address people's worries."

During the night, a member of the public had to go home after he became overcome with dizziness in the library, while they also boast a spooky picture of a man – complete with a cane – surrounding a young girl.

Mr Radley's investigations, aided by fellow Cambridge-based ghost-hunters "Xstream Paranormal", led him to "make contact" with a "Mr Gooch", and a crying woman called Christine Hanbury, the house's last private owner until 1962, who was looking for her son Jock.

Team member and mother-of-two Julie Morre-Dale, 55, said: "If I could go ghost hunting all day and every day I would be in heaven."

Mr Radley says since he got involved 28 years ago and the amount of Essex teams has grown from four to 50. His partner Wendy Sharman, 45, currently writing a book about ghost-hunting, said: "People are getting more and more open to it and more people are believing."

Mr Radley said: "Spirits walk among us during the day. I walk up Braintree High Street and I see Victorian people walking around."

The red-bricked Hylands House, built in 1713, is known for hosting swarms of curious characters. Tom Harper, a duty and events manager at Hylands House, joined the early part of Friday's hunt and says he often feels scared during the evenings.

"We get the feeling of being watched and the feeling of being quite uncomfortable.

"People have seen a Victorian figure on the first floor with a top hat and a long coat, while people have seen cooks in the basement and a lady in what used to be the toilet.

"Someone playing the piano at a wedding even asked – 'who was that bridesmaid watching me?' but there was no bridesmaid," said the 26-year-old.

"I am a definite believer in ghosts. Although the house is old and it's going to make noises.

"It's going to be dusty and the [spiritual] orbs the team see can be down to the amount of dust. There probably is an explanation but at the same time, there is probably something."

While the Essex Ghost Hunting Team occasionally hire venues such as Hylands House to welcome members of the public, the team are more well known for attending venues as a free-of-charge paranormal service.

For more information, contact Andy Radley on: 01376 584 245 or visit: essexghosthunting.webs.com

THIS smiling 11-year-old is doing everything he can to help find a cure for diabetes – a condition which he has lived with for the past five years.

Joshua McCarthy, who goes to St Thomas of Canterbury Junior School in Brentwood, has inspired his fellow pupils and their parents to dig deep and raise more than £1,440 for Diabetes UK.

Staff at the school, located in Sawyers Hall Lane, have hosted a series of fundraising events for the charity since Joshua first shared details of how his life had changed since he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes aged five.

At one such event on April 24, parents and pupils brought in their unwanted pennies to spell out Diabetes UK's logo in coins.

Joshua, one of four house captains at the school, told the Gazette: "More and more children are being diagnosed with diabetes each year and I wanted to raise money for Diabetes UK because I hope that one day there will be a cure."

His school chose Diabetes UK as its charity for 2013 after Joshua told his fellow pupils about the importance of its work.

Head teacher Dean Moran said: "Choosing just one charity to support this year has been a difficult task as there are so many worthy causes out there.

"However, a very emotive presentation by Joshua to the house captains and pupils on the school council convinced them that Diabetes UK would be our chosen charity, especially as we know of children and adults connected with our school community that live with diabetes every day. I have been really impressed with the way this group of children have set about organising and promoting their fundraising event.

"The penny harvest has been a real success – now the hard work really starts with counting all the money."

Joshua deals with his condition by using an insulin pump which is attached to his body by a cannula. This gives him a constant flow of insulin 24 hours a day.

Joshua, who lives in Warley, added: "When I eat I have to work out how much carbohydrate I have eaten and make sure I'm getting the right amount of insulin after."

Joshua's family are also keen supporters of Diabetes UK.

Each year, they take part in the charity's sponsored walk at Thorndon Country Park, raising £1,500 in the past five years.

This year's walk takes place on June 8.

A man exposed himself to Brentwood and Havering rail passengers – on three different occasions in four weeks.

Detectives at British Transport Police have today released CCTV images of a man they would like to identify following the incidents, which took place between February 2 and March 1between Brentwood and stations in Havering.

The first incident took place on Saturday, February 2 on a train between Shenfield and Gidea Park. Around 10.45pm the man approached two women on board the train and exposed himself to them.

On Tuesday, February 19, the man approached a woman on board a train between Brentwood and Gidea Park around 10.40pm before exposing himself to her.

The man was again seen on Friday, March 1 at Harold Wood station. After leaving a train at the station at 11.50pm, he exposed himself to the passengers at the station, leaving many of those alarmed by his actions.

Investigators have carried out a number of enquiries into the three incidents, including viewing clear on board CCTV, and taking witnesses statements.

Detective Constable Jon Howlett, the investigating officer, said: "Although these types of incidents are rare on the rail network, it can be an extremely frightening and intimidating experience for the victims.

"The CCTV images here are very clear and I'd urge anyone who recognises the man to please come forward and assist officers in this investigation."

Anyone with information is asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 quoting B8/LNA of 13/05/2013. Information can also be passed to the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Detectives investigating the murder of a Romford teenager have arrested a fifth person.

Champion Ganda, 17, died from a a fatal wound to the chest in an attack on Sandringham Road, Forest Gate, on Thursday afternoon last week.

He had suffered multiple stab wounds.

A male, aged 17, was arrested in the Leyton area on May 13 on suspicion of his murder. He remains in custody at an east London police station.

The arrest follows the arrest of four other men in connection with the murder.

A 21-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and taken into custody at an east London police station. He was later bailed to return pending further enquiries.

Three other three other men - two aged 17 and one aged 18 - were arrested on suspicion of murder. They have all been bailed to early July pending further enquiries.

Police were called to an incident at approximately 2pm on Thursday, where they found Champion and a 16-year-old suffering stab wounds

Champion from Romford was pronounced dead at the scene.

The 16-year-old was taken to an east London hospital. He was discharged on Saturday afternoon.

An incident room has opened at Barking under Detective Chief Inspector Dave Whellams from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command (HSCC).

DCI Whellams said: "At this stage it appears there was an altercation between the two victims and another group.

"We encourage any witnesses or anyone with information on the incident to come forward."

Any witnesses or anyone with any information should call the incident room on 020 8345 3775; or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

A Romford man who viciously assaulted a Tube passenger in the early hours of New Year's Day has been jailed, following a British Transport Police (BTP) investigation.

Joseph Gulleferm, 23, of Heaton Road, was jailed for 12 months at Blackfriars Crown Court on Friday, May 10, after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to causing actual bodily harm.

Gullefer committed the offence at around 3.30am on January 1, onboard a Northern line train travelling between Waterloo London Underground station and Embankment.

The 27-year-old victim boarded the train with his girlfriend at Waterloo station while Gullefer was already onboard walking through the carriages.

Gullefer started to walk down the couple's carriage and stepped on the victim's foot.

When the victim said "excuse me please", Gullefer punched the man in the face knocking him to the ground.

The victim's girlfriend screamed at Gullefer to stop and said "you're killing him", but Gullefer continued to kick and punch the victim in the face and upper body.

When the train arrived at Embankment station all three got off the train and Gullefer was arrested.

The victim suffered concussion, cuts to his face and bruising to his face and body.

Speaking after the sentencing, investigating officer Detective Constable Olric Thomas, said: "This was a vicious assault that left the victim needing hospital treatment for numerous cuts to his face.

"Joseph Gullefer had drunk a large amount of alcohol on New Year's Eve and was clearly intent on causing trouble.

"Incidents such as this are thankfully very rare on the London Underground network and the chances of becoming a victim are very slim, but when they do happen, BTP takes them very seriously and will do everything in our power to bring offenders to justice."

A HEARTBROKEN pensioner is desperately searching for the missing budgie that her late mother taught to speak.

Jean Nicholl, 68, of Hillside Road, Billericay, is devastated after her blue pet, named Henry, disappeared on April 14.

Mrs Nicholl, who lives with her partner Tony Webb, 64, told the Gazette this week: "I'm heartbroken. Henry was very special because he was my mother's budgie up until she died nine months ago."

Mrs Nicholl bought Henry for her mother at Christmas 2011 and then began looking after him following her death.

"She chose him out of 50 budgies and he changed her life completely," Mrs Nicholl said. "She taught him to talk and named him Henry.

"She lived on her own with carers and taught him to say 'Hello Henry,' and 'Pretty boy Henry'."

Mrs Nicholl recalled the day that Henry escaped. "It was a beautiful day and we thought I'd put him out on the balcony where he sings to the birds," she said.

"I couldn't have secured the door as the cage blew over and he flew off."

She continued: "I would give a reward – anything to have him back. He was part of my mother I've lost him too. I have been looking for him every day in the woods but so far we've had no sightings."

Mrs Nicholl said that her dressmaker had warned her that Henry would not be around for long.

She said: "I'm not really spiritual but she is. "She came to collect some trousers from me two or three months ago and she saw the budgie and I mentioned he had been my mum's.

"Two weeks later she said to me that she'd had a message from my mother saying thank you for taking Henry in but I would not have him for long. I was very careful after that – it scared me."

She continued: "The Sunday before Henry went missing I put him out on the balcony – it's joyful for him.

"My partner was painting the lounge with the patio doors open and he heard squawking.

"He went out and a hawk had covered the whole of Henry's cage.

"It frightened Henry so much that he didn't speak for three days."

After this, Mrs Nicholl decided that she wouldn't put Henry out on the balcony, especially after the message from the dressmaker.

However, she added: "My partner pointed out that if I had a car crash I would still get in a car – he needed the fresh air so I did put him out and he disappeared.

"I can't get over it with the loss of my mother – it's got too much."

Mrs Nicholl has rung vets and put up notices in the hope of finding Henry's whereabouts.

If anyone has any information they can contact her on 01277 625511.

A staff member at Brentwood County High School has been arrested on suspicion of sex crimes.

Dale Morris, who has been a caretaker at the school for ten years, was arrested on April 30 for what police have described as "historical allegations of a sexual nature".

The 45-year-old was suspended as soon as the Seven Arches Road school became aware of the arrest and the allegations facing him.

The Gazette is unable to reveal the exact nature of the claims, but Brentwood County High, which has about 1,400 students enrolled, has sought to ease parents' fears by confirming that the police investigation is focusing on events off the school premises.

The Gazette understands that Mr Morris was a well-liked member of the school's staff and a daily visible presence.

Stephen Drew, head teacher at Brentwood County High School, told the Gazette: "Dale Morris was suspended the moment we were made aware of the situation by police.

"All members of staff have to go through child protection checks and Criminal Records Bureau checks, but we have never had any reason to believe there could have been any issues.

"It is important to note that there is no suggestion the police investigation is focusing on the school. All matters are focusing on matters outside the school."

Mr Drew, who took over as head teacher in September, later released a statement, which read: "A member of the school's support staff has been suspended following the launch of a police investigation.

"This suspension was put in place as soon as the information regarding the investigation was received by us from the police.

"I can reassure all members of our school community that the investigation does not focus on the school, other adults in the school, or any of our young people.

"Brentwood County High School continues to be a safe place for students and staff, and we continue to vigorously uphold all of our safeguarding and child protection systems."

The Gazette asked Essex Police for a comment in respect of Mr Morris.

In response, a spokesman said: "A 45-year-old man from the Brentwood area has been arrested following historical allegations of a sexual nature.

"He has been released on police bail until June."

The spokesman refused to confirm what Mr Morris was arrested on suspicion of.

AS THE season comes to a close, one youth football team have earned praise from their manager for sticking to their task. Stones Athletic YFC U17s have shown tremendous fighting spirit in a difficult season during which they have lost 13 of their 16 matches.

But they ended the campaign with their second win, beating Brentwood Athletic Tigers 4-2.

Ruairi Pammen's early goal was cancelled out as the Tigers led 2-1 at the interval.

But a Sam Russell penalty and two goals from Henry Bennett ensured Stones fought back to win – indicative of efforts they have shown during the season.

Coach Phil Poston said: "What a wonderful end to an extremely difficult season.

"Out of their 16 games Stones Athletic have won just two, and drawn one. I would have thought most 16 and 17-year-olds would have thrown in the towel and settled for an Xbox tournament long before the end of the season, but I guess the sporting spirit and determination is still strong in the footballers of Essex."

Squad: Sam Poston, Henry Jennings, Ruairi Pammen, Steve Bonner, Aaron Low, Henry Bennett, Tom Wren, Josh Ripton, Sam Russell, David Bohn, Andrew Bedding, Charlie Evans, Adam Matthews, Dan Brooks, Nat Nochols, Carlos Cruz, Ross Williams, Tom Nurham, Tristan Luke, Kaan Sumer, Danny Moore, Liam Malloy, Seb Brennan

BRENTWOOD Stags suffered a narrow defeat to the Croydon Pirates in their first home game of the season.

The British Baseball League Division AA clash at Clements Park, Warley, ended in a 18-16 loss for the Stags in what was a baseball spectacle of the highest order.

However, Brentwood are a visibly improving team for 2013, and fresh from an away win at Richmond last week the Stags took the field with confidence and expectation.

All stood on ceremony at Clements Park as the traditional first pitch of the home season was pitched by deputy Mayor, Cllr Madeline Henwood.

After being introduced to both teams, she pitched a fine delivery to catcher Rob Donat to open the Brentwood season.

But Brentwood's plans were dented early on in the first inning as the Croydon team powered to a 4-0 lead.

The Stags allowed three early field errors to dominate the opening inning. With tenacity and grit the Stags worked their way back into the tit-for-tat scoring and first class pitching from Scott Brampton and catching from Rob Donat which helped them claw their way back to a 6-4 lead by the end of the fourth inning, shutting out the Pirates in three straight innings.

The game continued in a topsy-turvy manner and the home side led 11-10 after the sixth, and a string of singles, doubles and stolen bases by the Brentwood Stags had the Pirates frustrated enough to change pitchers four times.

Brentwood were now dictating the pace and holding a steady course, the Pirates looked to be wilting under the pressure cooker that Brentwood's batting line-up had created.

Brentwood were behind but coming back fast and it now looked like they'd have enough in the tank to catch the South London boys.

And it came down to a do-or-die situation as at the bottom of the ninth the Stags trailed by two with all bases loaded.

As the last pitch of the game was delivered Cook hit a line drive as hard as any seen in the game which brought the Brentwood supporters to their feet in anticipation only to see it picked up by third baseman Vlijt who executed a great double play by throwing to home for the forced out (Jim Talbot), taking a return throw back to third base to tag out the advancing base runner Dave Denison to ensure the Pirates held on for victory.

JAIK MICKLEBURGH is looking forward to staking his claim for a regular spot in the Essex first team.

The 23-year-old was brought back into the squad for the narrow penultimate-ball defeat to Lancashire last week, having not started the season.

And today he will open the batting with Tom Westley once again as the Eagles take on Glamorgan in Cardiff.

He sees this as a big opportunity that he needs to take.

He said: "I was disappointed to not start the season, but I went back to the second team, scored runs and have deserved my place in the team. That was my goal.

"I'm playing well and got off to a fairly decent start.

"Now it's a case of pushing on from that and I'm looking to post some big scores.

"This is definitely a big season for me and to be given the opportunity to come back into the team against Lancashire was great.

"I will bat wherever I am put, but I was pleased to get off to a decent start and I'm looking forward to this week now."

Speaking on the coach on the way to Cardiff, Mickleburgh explained that he should enjoy a good opening partnership with Westley, mainly because they know each other inside out.

He added: "I played the second half of last season with Tom and we formed a good partnership.

"We are living together this year as well, so we have kind of started to feed off each other.

"We speak a lot more about gameplans and how we are going to approach certain situations.

"We get on really well and it's nice to be opening with someone you trust and we have gained that."

In their third season in LV> County Championship Division Two, Essex are desperate to win promotion back to Division One, and Mickleburgh believes they have what it takes, despite two defeats in their opening four games

One of these came after a declaration against Lancashire last week that came back to haunt them as they lost in the final over of the match.

He said: "I have been away with the second team for three weeks, but the way the boys have played and the atmosphere around the place, we have got a great squad to challenge for promotion.

"Sometimes you have got to take small risks [like declaring against Lancashire] and if it had paid off we would all have been heroes, but it just wasn't to be.

"It was a positive move to do what we did and we just have to move on quickly now."