A TEENAGER has been jailed for stealing a bus and driving two miles through Colchester while drunk.

Ashley Barrell, 19, of Charles Pell Road, Colchester, has been sentenced to an immediate four-month term in a young offenders institution and disqualified from driving for 18 months.

Shortly before 4am on Saturday, August 23 this year, he drove the single-decker First Essex bus out of the depot in Magdalen Street.

Police stopped him in Avon Way 20 minutes later.

At Colchester Magistrates' Court yesterday (September 9) he pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking and drink-driving.

Previous charges of driving without insurance and without a licence were dropped.

AN investigation will be carried out to establish the cause of a lorry fire on the A120 in the early hours of this morning.

Firefighters were called to tackle the blaze between Galleys Corner roundabout and Marks Farm, just after 5am.

Crews from Stansted, Dunmow, Newport and Braintree rushed to the scene.

The eastbound A120 was partially closed while the incident was dealt with by firefighters.

The fire was dealt with by 6am and there were no reported casualties.

Three cars have collided in a crash during rush hour in Great Dunmow.

A Citroen C3 and an Audi A3 collided at the junction of Braintree Road and the B1256 – the old A120 – shortly before 8am this morning.

There are no reports of any serious injuries through some traffic was temporarily diverted through the centre of Dunmow.

A police spokeman said: "Shortly before 8am police have attended at the junction Braintree Road and the B1256 in Great Dunmow following a two vehicle road traffic collision.

"Officers attended to find a Citroen C3 and an Audi 13 had been in collision and there had been a further minor collision involving a Ford Focus.

"All three emergency services have attended at the scene and recovery of the vehicle is currently being arranged.

"Police remain at the scene at this time.

"At this time police have no reports of any serious injuries."

A cat fight turned nasty after one of three friends started wielding an empty vodka bottle after being kicked on the ground.

British Transport Police need to speak to the three women pictured about the fight at Prittlewell station shortly after 10.30pm on Wednesday, July 30.

PC Kurt Bryson, who is leading the investigation said: "Three women, who appeared to know each other, began arguing as they waited for a London-bound train.

"Two of the women started fighting. During the altercation, one of them was pushed to the ground.

"The third woman then joined in the fight, kicking the woman on the ground, who got up and started threatening the other two with an empty vodka bottle."

Members of the public stepped in to separate the women, and the group subsequently boarded a train to Liverpool Street station.

BTP officers met the train at Liverpool Street, but the women had left the train.

PC Bryson said: "We believe the women sustained minor cuts and bruises during the fight, but their actions shocked and scared those who saw what happened.

"We will not accept any violence on the rail network and need to find those involved.

"I believe the women in the images we are issuing today can help with our investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40, or text 61016, quoting reference ESUB/B9 of 09/09/2014. Information can also be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

BRAINTREE Town are facing something of an injury crisis with Remy Clerima and Jordan Cox both having to be substituted during last night's 2-1 defeat at Welling United.

Clerima was forced off in the 12th minute after pulling a hamstring, with Cox having to be withdrawn at half-time to be replaced by a non fully fit Dan Sparkes.

Iron boss Alan Devnoshire will be hoping that they will make a speedy recovery, with several players already on the long lay-off list.

Devonshire confirmed that new-signing Charlie Strutton is still 4-6 weeks away, with Matt Paine likely to be out until Christmas time. Sean Marks is also still unavailable for the time being, with Ryan Peters also unable to play on Tuesday night.

Peters should be back for Saturday's match against Kidderminster Harriers at Cressing Road, as Devonshire said: "We have got a small squad at the moment, when you have six players out that will disrupt you.

"Remy and Jordan coming off has disrupted us a little bit and then Dan (Sparkes) went on but he wasn't fully fit.

"Charlie is far away, about 4-6 weeks. He has been out a long time and we are not going to rush him back. Hopefully Ryan might be ok for Saturday, but that is something I won't know until Thursday, when I have a look at the squad and see what I have got." 

CHELMSFORD City's Christian Smith believes the team's midfielders are ready to "step up to the plate" following the departure of Glen Southam.

The 34-year-old was the Clarets' marquee signing of the summer when he joined from last season's Conference South champions Eastleigh.

However, Southam left Melbourne Stadium last week to join Sutton United for the rest of the season.

But midfielder Smith believes that the quality is still there at City and it is up to the players to prove that the void can be filled.

He said: "Glen was great for the few weeks that he was with us and will obviously be a big miss for us. But he has gone now and all of us in the middle of the pitch need to step up to the plate.

"It is up to us to prove that he won't be missed as much as he showed in the first couple of games."

Smith returned to the starting XI on Saturday and scored the only goal in Chelmsford's 1-0 win at Bromley.

The win was not without a bit of luck for the Clarets, as Danny Waldren blazed over a second half penalty, missing the chance to level the scores.

The 26-year-old said: "I played the first few games but then got injured, so it was frustrating to miss a few games.

"I have been feeling all right for about a week or so, but it was a fantastic win.

"Since the start of the season the work rate has been good, it has just been a case of not taking our chances in games.

"Late in games when teams have scored we have had to push hard to try and get that goal. But at Bromley we got the goal early and we all dug in well to try and secure the victory. We started really sloppily in the second half. If the penalty had been that little bit lower then it would have been a dreadful start to the half, but luckily for us it went over."

The Clarets have another tricky away trip on Saturday as they travel to leaders Boreham Wood, who beat Chelmsford 6-0 and 4-3 last season.

Smith added: "We are looking to avenge last season when we weren't that great at Boreham Wood, but if we can just put in the same effort as we did against Bromley then I am sure we will do well."

ROWERS splashed their way to victory in an annual charity race on the River Chelmer on Sunday.

Chelmsford Canoe Club hosted the third annual bell boat race organised by the Rotary Club of Billericay Mayflower to raise money for the global End Polio Now campaign, which aims to eradicate the disease by immunising children across the world.

Passers-by and Sunday shoppers lined up near the Meadows shopping centre and Yates' Wine Lodge to watch the races where two canoes are tied together to form bell boats, which seat eight people.

Organiser Barry Howe, a member of both the Chelmsford Canoe Club and the Rotary Club, said: "It is events like this that make our Rotary club such a vibrant and fun club to belong to."

THE Marconi Sailing Club's solo open meeting at Steeple on the River Blackwater was held on Sunday when 20 solo helms signed on.

These included five from the host club and four from Fishers Green SC, plus teams from Burnham SC, Royal Harwich SC.

Following a false start, the first race, at the end of the first lap, Steve Ede had taken the lead from Ewan Birkin-Walls, and Chris Mayhew moved from fifth to third place.

The leading two boats crossed the line within a hair's breadth of each other with the third boat only just behind.

Ede, triumphed, second was Mark Maskell, and third was Birkin-Walls.

In the second race, the tide was ebbing fast, so the leaward mark was repositioned closer to the committee start boat.

The course was the same. This time it was a very clean start and with the course shortened to two laps, at the end Birkin-Walls finished first, a good distance from Ede, who was closely followed by Mark Maskell.

The third race was shortened to one triangle.

Ede won by a good margin, followed by Maskell and Mayhew.

The winner, calculated on the best positions in two of the races was Ede, of Ardleigh SC, followed by Birkin-Walls, of Hunts SC and Maskell, of Blackwater SC.

UNSUSPECTING visitors to Hylands Park will stumble across seventeen sculptures this month as part of a series of art celebrations.

The Pleasure Gardens statues, made by 13 artists, include a metal dragon made by Graham Thrussell and a sculpture made from glue guns by former KEGS student Sorcha Ince.

The Sculpture Trail will be followed by the all-day Art in the Park celebration on Sunday, September 28, where artists will showcase and sell their paintings, prints and ceramics.

Hylands House glass artist Mona Marnell said: "Art is for everyone and that's exactly what we wanted to achieve, to bring it out of the studios and galleries, to place it in this beautiful park and give everyone the opportunity to experience a really diverse mix."

MIDFIELDER James Mulley called on his Braintree Town team-mates to be braver following their 2-1 defeat to Welling United on Tuesday night.

The Iron travelled to Park View Road on the back of three 2-0 victories, but a sub-par second-half performance meant the match was turned on its head.

Jordan Cox had given the Iron the lead, but goals from Chris Bush and Harry Beautyman handed the Wings all three points.

Mulley said: "I think we needed to be braver as a team and really get our foot on the ball. Going up the hill seemed to make all the difference but we just kept hitting it up there and the ball just kept coming back. They passed the ball well and moved it well. They got a bit of luck but you have to work to get that sometimes as well."

Alan Devonshire was forced into two early substitutions through injury, with Remy Clerima coming off in the 12th minute and Cox having to be withdrawn at half-time.

And with Clerima's substitution, Mulley had to slot in at right-back for the remainder of the game, with the injured Ryan Peters still unavailable.

Mulley added: "With Jordan and Remy coming off we have had to change the formation a little bit and go 4-3-3. In the first half we looked really good but in the second half we didn't.

"To be fair Welling played better than us in the second 45 and probably deserved to win the game. But, I think they have had two shots on target that have led to two goals. But we are disappointed with our second-half performance.

"Everyone gets injuries, I am sure Welling have had injuries. But they were good enough to win today, but we have to learn quickly as we were on a good run and were 1-0 up. We are just very disappointed.

"To be honest, if we had won I wouldn't have been bothered that I had to go to right back. The fact that we lost, it would have been nice to have played a little bit further forward. But I would always prefer to just play and win at right back then ever lose."

The Iron host Kidderminster on Saturday at Cressing Road, with Mulley positive that they can Tuesday's defeat behind them.

He said: "We have got good bounce-back-ability as they say. But it will be a tough game against Kidderminster as they are a good side. We won't be fully fit but hopefully we will have one or two back for Saturday."

DINNER ladies in infant and primary schools across Essex are ready for the extra workload this term as they prepare to dish up free hot lunches to all Reception and Key Stage One pupils.

The initiative, the brainchild of Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, has seen most schools have to take on more staff and pay for new kitchen equipment to ensure they can meet the extra demand.

And although Mr Clegg claims the scheme will save parents £400 a year per child, heads are worried about the impact it may have on their already tight budgets.

Cash has been given to schools to cover the free meals until next April, but it is unclear what the handouts will be after that.

Gill Bennnison, head of Westlands Primary School in Chelmsford, admits she is concerned.

She said: "I am always worried about new Government initiatives affecting my budget in a negative way.

"This has happened in the past with teacher appraisal and upper pay spine salaries, which were initially funded, and then just disappeared, with schools having to pick up the tab.

"A healthy balanced lunch will have a very positive impact on children, but not at the expense of cutbacks elsewhere in school budgets that affect quality learning and teaching."

Mrs Bennison said the school was all set to provide high-quality nutritious meals to 250 infant children; two-and-a-half times the number they were serving at the end of the last school year.

They have taken on an extra dinner lady and budgeted to increase the hours of another four to cope with this extra demand.

At Boreham Primary School work has been taking place on upgrading the school kitchen during the summer holiday.

Jill McKinnell, the school business manager, has been overseeing the work.

She said: "We opened a new kitchen in our school in 2009 so we have the facilities available to offer hot school meals.

"However, to cater for the significantly increased numbers we have had to purchase a new oven, which was partially funded, and employ additional staff.

"We have also had to improve existing safety systems and purchase additional small equipment which has cost the school more than £3,000."

Aside from the cost, another pressure facing schools is the sheer logistics of serving all children within the lunch hour.

With many schools having to rely on the school hour as a lunch location, timings have to be strictly laid down to ensure all pupils are fed on time.

Mrs McKinnell said: "We are fortunate enough to have the space to cater for all of our children in two sittings, the infants and juniors.

"However, it will be a challenge to ensure all the children are fed within the time allocated for lunch."

ESSEX closed in on victory against Kent on day two of their County Championship match at Chelmsford, needing to knock off just 22 runs tomorrow.

For the second time in the match Kent's batting collapsed, but unlike the first innings, where Sam Northeast made a crucial 117, no one stuck around to prop up the innings.

With the visitors eight down, Essex took the extra half hour and managed to bowl Kent out for 151.

Graham Napier shone with the ball taking 4-28 from 9.2 overs as all of Essex's bowlers got in on the act.

Several Kent players made starts but failed to capitalise with Brendan Nash top scoring with a quick-fire 34. James Tredwell (29) and Robert Key (28) were the only other batsmen to make significant contributions.

Earlier in the day Essex resumed precariously poised on 97-4 with Jesse Ryder, on 28, and James Foster with five, at the crease.

The pair pushed the score on quickly with Ryder reaching his half-century from 68 balls, before eventually falling on 58 with the score on 157.

Foster teamed up with Kishen Velani and the pair put on 56 before the latter went for 29 at 213-6.

Essex were just 13 ahead but the skipper and Napier's seventh wicket partnership started to take the game away from the visitors.

They made 114, with Fosters bringing up his ton from 175 balls including 14 boundaries. Soon after Napier reached his half-century from 74 balls.

Napier eventually went for 62 with the score on 327-7.

David Masters went for a five-ball duck with one more added to the score before Foster became Mitchell Claydon's (4-76) final victim, out lbw for 108.

The innings ended as Monty Panesar was out first ball to Darren Stevens who finished with figures of 5-83.

Essex's last three wickets had gone for zero runs, as they finished on 328, but it mattered little.

The Victoria Inn in Colchester has been named among the best pubs in Britain according to CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale. 

Each year CAMRA names its top 16 pubs in the UK as it publishes its Good Beer Guide and the Victoria Inn was on the list as the representative for the East Anglian region. 

The Victoria Inn is now in the running to be named National Pub of the Year, which is announced in February 2015. 

Pubs are judged on atmosphere, decor, welcome, service, value for money, customer mix and, most importantly, quality of beer - and the Victoria Inn scored top marks for East Anglia. 

The Station Road pub dates back to the 17th century and offers five real ales on hand-pump as well as up to nine real ciders. 

Landlady Sheena and landlord Andrew reopened the Victoria Inn in December 2010 and have gone back to basics, cultivating a traditional pub atmosphere with welcoming staff and friendly locals.

Being a free house, the pub is able to stock a wide and varied selection of real ales sourced from around Essex and the UK. In the last year alone, they've served up more than 100 different brews. 

The Good Beer Guide's Editor, Roger Protz, said: "Being named as one the top 16 pubs in the UK is a huge honour that each of these pubs should be hugely proud of. 

"These pubs have won their branch's Pub of the Year, then gone on to win the regional competition, and now have a chance of being crowned National Pub of the Year – making every one of them a winner in their own right." 

A PUB which was in "desperate need" of a makeover is celebrating getting top food hygiene marks, the latest achievement since it was taken over.

The five star rating for the Carpenters' Arms in Gate Street, Maldon, comes on top of the watering hole being named as the most improved pub in the Maldon and Dengie area by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

John Walpole, 56, and Julia Wingfield, 53, who took over in February, thanked loyal customers for sticking by as work to bring the pub up to scratch was carried out.

John said: "It's been a hectic last few months and we would like to thank our customers for putting up with the mess.

"The renovations were desperately needed and we are happy to give the pub a new lease of life with a new look on the inside."

Inside the pub the old carpet has been removed and replaced with wood flooring throughout, along with a new bar, new curtains, new toilets a new outside side garden, perfect for some of the beer festivals John is hoping to host.

Julia, or "Jules" to her regulars has said that it's been hard to turn around the timber-framed pub which has been serving beer since the 1830s.

She said: "It's been very difficult having to run the pub and turn around the place on the inside but we've finally got to the stage now where we are very happy with the refurbishment, a new menu is almost complete and we have been recognised by the people at CAMRA."

The Carpenters' Arms scored just two stars in its previous food hygiene rating in February, meaning "improvement necessary".

And following a revamp of the premisis and kitchen, the pub is launching a new menu this month.

The menu brings together locally-sourced meats and healthy vegetarian options with national favourites like Cornish pasties and a steak and ale stew to combine with their impressive selection of beers and wines.

John continued: "We have tried to keep the food informal and shareable, we know that it's important to be able to enjoy some quality homemade food with a pint of beer or glass of wine."

The pub sells real ales and ciders carefully-picked by landlord John from local brewers like Farmers ales, Mighty Oak and Wibblers as well as further afield including Elmo's Fire from Moles in Wiltshire and a number of continental beers.

This is the second time that the couple have won the CAMRA award for the most improved pub as their previous establishment, the Royal Oak in Hazeleigh, won the same accolade in 2012.

John added: "We had a lot of success at our old pub with the real ales that we served and the food we chose to invest in – Julia regularly attends food festivals for inspiration and we've tried out the new menu on everyone we know with a lot of happy faces."

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has offered to rustle up some of his favourite homemade grub for One Direction star Niall Horan.

The singer took to Twitter to praise Oliver's latest Channel 4 series Comfort Food, stating: "I like your tv show that I'm watching right now! Do you wana come around to my house and cook for me ?

The chef replied: "Let me know which recipe your lovin from comfort food I can get it sorted x"

It comes as as the chef plans to open Jamie's Trattoria in the High Street, in Chelmsford, creating 40 new jobs, with opening hours 7am to midnight Monday to Thursday, and 7am to 12.30am Friday to Saturday – although there is no final opening date.

The team is now advertising for vacancies for chefs to work at the Jamie's Trattoria restaurant in High Street, a few months after an application for a change of use of the former Barclays was submitted to Chelmsford City Council planners.

The restaurant promises that all the offerings are "all authentically Italian, but unmistakably 'Jamie' too", with a focus on pasta, pizza and sharing dishes.

A BUILDER caught on the phone while drink-driving and without insurance has been banned from the road.

Jonathan Saunders, 50, from Benfleet, pleaded guilty at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court to the charges, along with not having a valid MOT test certificate, while he was driving in Albert Road, South Woodham Ferrers, on Wednesday, August 20.

The court heard on Friday (September 5) that Saunders was spotted by an unmarked police car driving a white Iveco dropside tipper negotiating a roundabout.

Saunders, who works for a road surfacing company, was said to have looked directly at the officers, but did not realise that this was a police car and continued driving with his phone to his ear.

He was consequently stopped by the officers and breathalysed.

Saunders was found to have 61 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, exceeding the 35 milligrams limit.

He was also found to have no valid MOT for the vehicle and no insurance, which Saunders admitted knowing before he set off to drive.

The court heard that Saunders had been at home that day and had not intended to leave his house.

But he was contacted by his employer and asked to swap a vehicle he had in his possession for another at a house in South Woodham Ferrers. Saunders said he had consumed three cans of lager earlier that day.

Peter Butterfield, migitating, said: "He had three cans of lager in the early evening and had forgotten his hands-free kit.

"I am informed that he will continue to be employed by the company."

Saunders did have a conviction for a similar driving offence in 2009. He was given credit for his early guilty plea.

Saunders, of Church Road, Benfleet, was banned for 40 months which may be reduced by 40 weeks if he completes a driver awareness course.

He received a fine of £390 for driving under the influence of alcohol and a fine of £130 for using his telephone at the wheel.

He was also ordered to pay £85 court costs and a victim surcharge of £39, making £644 in total.

A man suffered spinal injuries after falling from a loft in Heybridge.

The Essex fire service were called to bring a man to safety after he fell in his loft sustaining suspected spinal injuries at an address in Beeches Road.

The incident happened yesterday (Wednesday September 10) at roughly 3.20pm.

The fire crews, alongside Ambulance Service paramedics, firefighters used ropes and working at height gear to rescue the casualty by 17:14 hrs.

He was left in the care of the Ambulance Service.

Essex Police have now helped secure the safety of 100 women and men by using new legislation to protect them from the risk of domestic violence.

Superintendents in the force have authorised the use of Domestic Violence Protection Notices (DVPN) in 116 cases where reports have been received of domestic related incidents.

There has been insufficient evidence to charge suspects in these incidents with a crime but officers have still had enough concern about the safety of the victims that they have put in place DVPNs.

The notices can order the suspects to leave the premises where the incidents occurred, prevent them from entering the homes of the alleged victims and stop them from making any further contact with them, as well as further provisions.

Adam Hunt, head of Legal Services at Essex Police, said: "Very early on we realised we would need a special team of legal officers to handle all of these cases and it is testament to their expertise and knowledge that we have succeeded in getting 105 out of the 109 DVPO applications we have taken to court approved.

"We will continue to put together the best possible case in support of our officers who are making use of this new legislation to protect vulnerable women and men."

A total of 109 of these applications have then gone to court, within 48 hours, where Magistrates have also approved the imposition of a Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO) in 105 cases.

These DVPOs then endorse the initial restrictions for a further 14 or 28 days.

Domestic violence protection notices and orders give police new civil powers which originate from the Crime and Security Act 2010.

They allow the police to put in place protection for victims in the immediate aftermath of a domestic violence incident and are generally used where no further action can be taken in relation to alleged offences.

The legislation can be considered for use if a domestic incident occurs and violence has been used or threatened by someone over 18 years of age and the level of the violence causes the attending police officer to fear for the on-going safety of the victim.

The notice informs the perpetrator of emergency provisions that are being placed on them by police.

The notice is activated when it is served on the perpetrator. The perpetrator does not have to be in custody or have been arrested for a DVPN to be authorised or served.

The DVPO is then considered by a Magistrates court - once an order is granted the provisions allow the victim a level of breathing space to consider their options, with the help of support agencies.

Detective Chief Inspector Tom Simons, of Essex Police public protection unit, said: "These orders can bridge the gap in providing immediate emergency protection to a victim where there is a risk of violence but a criminal case cannot proceed.

"Not only do the orders safeguard vulnerable people but they also give them a chance to get additional help and support to find a way out of their situation.

"If someone breaches a notice they can be subject to immediate arrest and can then be remanded in custody to appear before a court for a full order to be considered.

"A breach of an order can lead to a maximum fine of £5,000 or a two month prison sentence."

Since introducing DVPOs seven men have been sent to prison after breaching the terms of their order.

FANS have been given a sneak preview of the latest Batmobile after director Zack Snyder tweeted a picture from his Twitter account. 

The latest version of Batman's wheels are set to appear in movie Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, due for release in March 2016, and starring Ben Affleck as Batman. 

The film director tweeted the shot last night with the words simply "Here's a real picture of the #Batmobile"

The armoured vehicle looks more like a heavy duty tank than a car with guns mounted on the bonnet and a windscreen that appears to borrow its style from a submarine. 

It's the first new model since Batman Begins, the first in Christopher Nolan's trilogy starring Christian Bale.