BBrriiddggee PPaaiinnttwwoorrkk ✃ BBrriiddggee GGaarraaggee ccaallll 0011770022 229911 330000 ✃ EEXXPPEERRTTCCAARRRREEPPAAIIRREERRSS&&SSPPRRAAYYEERRSS PPrrooffeessssiioonnaall ffiinniisshh iinn aa sspprraayy bbooootthh wwiitthh aa lliiffeettiimmee gguuaarraanntteeee Week ending Friday January 6, 2017 NessRoad,Shoeburyness,EssexSS39PG www.bridgepaintwork.co.uk Boo! Ghost story winners announced THEwinnersoftheYellowAdver- tiser’s 2016 Ghost Story Competi- tionhavebeenchosen.Firstplacein theadultsectionwasaspookytale from Charmaine Fletcher (left) aboutapickledCrusader,whilethe winnerinthechildren’ssectionwas atalefromLeahBarns(right)about “curiouschildren”indetention. OUR HEAR●TurnTtopages9andS10formore AIDENKIRK (ByFerry)Thursday/SaturdayPricesfrom£35 (ByTrain)Tuesday&WednesdayPricesfrom£35 AMSTERDAM ARE BROKEN 25thFebruary2017from£44 DISNEYLAND PARIS 11thMarch2017from£94 01268 591 833 Call fordetailsorvisitwww.toursrus.uk.com ● Families mourn tragic loss of young men killed in Leigh crash TRIBUTEShavebeenpaidto enoughthebeautifulboyyou two teenage boys who died are.Weallhavememoriesof following a road collision in youthatwewilltreasurefor- Leigh. ever. Reigan Knight (left) and “Lifewillneverbethesame Liam Phillips, both 17, suf- andwewillmissyouforever. fered fatal injuries after a Watchoverussweetie.xxxxx” crash in Southsea Avenue at The family thanked people around 12.50am on Tuesday, fortheirmessagesofsupport. December27. Liam’s family said: “Liam In a statement, Reigan’s will be dearly missed by all family said: “Reigan – we thatknewandlovedhim.We ‘Such a character – so loving, charming, confident and kind...’ can’t believe you’ve been havelostalovingson,brother takensotragicallyfromus. andafriendtosomany. “The thought of going “Thereisnowaspaceinour through life without you is familythatcanneverbefilled. unbearable.You were such a “We would respectfully ask kind,charming,loving,confi- for time for our family to dent, handsome, well-man- grieve.” nered young man who was A police investigation is suchacharacter. ongoing into the crash. Full “Youarelovedbyeveryone inquests are expected into and words cannot describe bothdeathslaterthisyear. 22 Friday,January6,2017 Friday,January6,2017 33 NEWS yellowad.co.uk The Yellow Advertiser’s Unsung Hero for 2016, nominated by readers, is a man who took on his local authority on behalf of neighbours, almost paying the ultimate price in the process and still faces a vast challenge. CHARLES THOMSON reports... John continues to face consequences EDITOR’S APPEAL ACAMPAIGNERwhoalmostdied hearing evidence undermining the anewdecisionandorderedJohnto after a legal battle with Basildon council’s reasons for wanting the paythecouncil’scosts. Council has been declared the changes. Judge Branston said he had no I CAN’T think of another occasion in my entire Yellow Advertiser’s Unsung Hero The authority claimed changing choice but to follow Mr Justice 30-plusyearcareerwhenmysenseofinjusticehas oftheYear. addresses would help emergency Garnham’s directions and overturn beensostirredthatIfeltcompelledtospeakdirect- JohnJames,78,wasnominatedby servicesnavigatetheestate,butthe his earlier ruling – but used his lytoreaders,onbehalfofanindividualandappeal YA readers after leading the fight courtheardtestimonythatchanging judgement to criticise the council, tothoseofyouwhocantodonatetothebillJohn againstthecouncil’splantoforcibly addresses elsewhere on the estate saying: “One might have thought Jameshasbeensaddledwith. change 533 addresses as part of a had actually hampered paramedics that,inademocracy,thedemocrati- Thesearenothislegalcostsortheresidents’costs. regeneration project on the town’s inanemergency. callyelectedboroughcouncilwould They’reBasildonCouncil’scosts,awardedafterthe councilappealedagainsttheoriginaldecisionwhich FiveLinksestate. Thecouncilhadagreedinwriting nowhavesomeregardtothewishes hadgoneagainstthem. He suffered a stroke weeks after to respect whichever decision the andfeelingsofitsconstituency.” MrJamesputhisnametoafightthatover400of receiving a £24,466 bill from the courtmade,butrenegedonthedeal InMay,Johnreceivedaninvoice theresidentsonhisestatewereapartof.Thoseresi- councilforitslegalcosts. after Judge Branston ruled for the fromthecouncilforalmost£25,000 dentsnowneedtolookatthemselvesanddotheirbit Hewasgivenjustafivepercent residents. andtoldtheYAheexpectedtogoto foramanwhohasalreadynearlypaidtheultimate chance of survival, but pulled Fullcouncilvotedbymajoritynot prison because could not afford to priceforstandinguptoauthorityontheirbehalf. throughandisnowathomerecov- to hire outside counsel, but the payit. ToreadersnotfromtheBasildonareaIwouldsay ering–butthedebtisoutstanding council ignored the vote and took Aroundthreemonthslaterhesuf- this:amanalmostdiedandstillheisbeingpursued. andhehasbeenthreatenedwitha the residents to the High Court, feredastroke. Itcouldhavebeenanyofyou. visitfrombailiffs. where its barrister Steven Doctors attributed the stroke to ●TheFiveLinksResidentsAssociationhascome John – former chairman of the GasztowiczQCclaimedthatbysid- high blood pressure, from which forwardinthepastweektoofferthecontentsofits FiveLinksResidentsAssociation– ingwithresidents,JudgeBranston Johnhadneverpreviouslysuffered, bankaccountaftertherestofitsbillsaresettled– was nominated for the award after was “literally giving the lunatics andsaiditmayhavebeencausedby BACKHOME:JohnJames expectedtobejustover£11,000–tohelp. fightingthecouncilonfellowresi- controloftheasylum”. hisstresslevels. thewinneroftheYAUnsungHero David Keeble, owner of Facebook group dents’behalf. He argued the council had an Herequiredmonthsofrehabilita- Award,hesaid:“Ithinkit’sniceof BasildonExposed.uk, created a fundraising page He took the council to Basildon “absoluteright”tochangeaddress- tiontolearntowalkagainanduse thepeopletodothisforme.Idon’t tohelpMrJamespay,whichhassofarcollected Magistrates’ Court last year, as a esanddidnothavetogiveanygood the left side of his body. He still thinkI’vedoneanythingextraordi- £2,339, but leaves around £11,000 still to find. spokesmanfor410neighbours. reasonfordoingso. experiences pain and suffers with nary, but I’m very proud. I would ThecollectionendsonJanuary6. District Judge Gareth Branston MrJusticeGarnhamagreed,sent hisspeechandmemory. liketothankthepeoplewhoputme Todonate,visit: ruled in the residents’favour after thecasebacktoJudgeBranstonfor Afterlearninghehadbeennamed inforit.” http://tinyurl.com/John-James-Collection. NEWSINBRIEF causingdeathbydrivingwithout ●ANELDERLYwomandiedina ●THEEastofEnglandAmbulance callsfromChristmasEvetoBoxing insurance. fireonChristmasDay. Servicedealtwitharecord- Day,comparedto1,905lastyear, ●ATEENAGEboyhasbeen HeisduetoappearatBasildon Shewasfoundinthebedroomof breakingnumberofcallsover and1,153onDecember27, chargedwithmultipleoffences YouthCourtonJanuary10. ahouseinNelsonStreet,Southend, Christmas. comparedto814lastyear. followingafatalroadcollisionin Two17-year-oldboysdiedinan afterthreefirecrewswerecalledat Thenumberreceivedbetween SandyBrown,directorofnursing Leigh. incidentintheearlyhoursof 6.45pmtoreportsofablazeonthe andclinicalquality,said:“I’mvery 7pmonChristmasEveand11pm The16-year-old,fromGreat December27,closetoSouthsea topfloorofathree-storeyhouse. thankfultoourteamsforthehard Wakering,waschargedwith AvenueandGlendaleGardens. Aninvestigationconcludedthat onBoxingDaywas14percent workthey’reputtingintoresponses causingdeathbydangerous Aboy,17,fromShoeburyness, thefirewasaccidentalandthought higherthanlastyear. topatientsandwiththecall driving,causingseriousinjuryby wasarrestedonsuspicionof tohavebeenstartedbydiscarded CallsreceivedonDecember27 demandupsomuchhigherthan dangerousdriving,causingdeath possessingdrugsandisonbailuntil cigarettes. wereup27percent. lastyeartheircommitmentreally bydrivingwithoutalicenceand January14. InEssextheservicereceived2,133 doesshinethrough.” 44 Friday,January6,2017 COMPETITION LikeusonFacebook-facebook.com/YellowAdvertiser Chemists FollowusonTwitter-@SouthendYA Win tickets to Marsh Farm Welly Weekends IN January, Marsh Farm Animal Adventure Park, in South Woodham Ferrers, will be holding two Welly Weekendsfulloffunforallthefamily. EverySun:(10am-4pm), Togiveyouthechanceofjoiningin Sainsbury’sPharmacy, wehaveteamedupwithMarshFarmto Sainsbury’sSuperstore,51 give away three family tickets, each WilliamHunterWay, admittingtwoadultsandtwochildren Brentwood;(9am-11pm), to the farm during either of itsWelly DaynitePharmacy,261 Weekends on Saturday and Sunday, LondonRoad,Hadleigh. January21and22,andJanuary28and 29. Grab your welly boots and join the farm for some puddle-splashing fun, Tides andmeetPeppaPigwhowillbemaking appearances at intervals during both weekends. You can also climb and slide in the soft play barn, explore its enormous outdooradventureplayframe,visitthe aviary, jump on the bouncy pillows, takearideonthecarouselandteacups, meet the farm animals, catch a hilari- ously fun show in one of its theatres, climb aboard a tractor and trailer ride Ferrers,hasteamedupwiththeYellow fulladdressandemailto63333. andenjoymuchmore. Advertiser to give away three family Calls cost 50p per call plus your MarshFarmadvisesvisitorstobring tickets,whichcanbeusedonanyone phone company’s access charge. Calls wellington boots, a change of dry dayofthespecialWellyWeekends. from mobiles will cost considerably clothesandperhapsatowelifyouplan Tobeinwithachanceofwinningjust more.Textscost50pplusyourstandard onjumpinginlotsofbigmuddypud- answerthefollowingquestion. network rates. If you do not wish to dles,duringtheevents. Q:WhatanimalisPeppa? receivedetailsonanyotherproductsor HightideatSouthendPier: For further information and Welly A:Pig services,pleasetextEXITattheendof Thur: 0433 5.30 1717 5.20 Weekend Day Tickets, which cost B:Parrot yourmessage. Fri: 0525 5.20 1816 5.20 £10.99 online or £12.50 on the door, C:Penguin LinescloseonThursday,January12. Sat: 0629 5.10 1925 5.10 with children under two and annual To enter the competition telephone Entries received after the closing date Sun: 0746 5.10 2037 5.20 pass holders getting in for free, visit youranswer–A,BorC–to0901307 will not be counted but may still be Mon: 0902 5.20 2147 5.30 www.marshfarm.co.uk/welly-week- 1670 along with your name, address, charged. Tue: 1009 5.40 2249 5.50 ends. telephonenumberandemail. Service Provider: JMedia UK Wed: 1110 5.70 2344 5.70 Tojoininwiththefunthefarmpark AlternativelytextYAWELLY(space) Limited, RH16 3EG. Tel: 020 7720 inMarshFarmRoad,SouthWoodham followedbyA,BorC,andyourname, 7130. Friday,January6,2017 55 66 Friday,January6,2017 NEWS LikeusonFacebook-facebook.com/YellowAdvertiser Ghost writers FollowusonTwitter-@SouthendYA The everlasting detention I TwasunfortunateIhadtostaylatethatnight. Sittinglikea The spooky highlights of our Christmas ghost story competition statueonmybrokenchair,Iwasstaringupattheclock observingtheslowsecondspassingby. IwishIknewwhatwashappening;thenithitme. NowIwish IcouldstillbeseenandmyparentsknewIwasokay. Itwasjustanothernormaldayindetention,wellformeatleast, WINNER theblackskywasjustlikeanyother. ThefaintoutlinesofanEnglishlessontaughtmanyyearsback and the damp musty smell of the room used for nothing but Kindred spirits detentions. Astheclockleaptonto10:00myheadjoltedtoonesideand that’swheneverythingchanged. S Lookingdownatmyluminousshadowitseemedalittledarker IRGeoffreydeVangéwasmore mists,noxious,sepulchral smells or the andsodidtheunnervingskyhangingaboveme. calmandnobleinmarblerepose oddblood-curdlingwail. Iheardachisellingsoundbehindme,asIturnedaroundasmall crackslithereditswaydownthewindowpane. thaneverhewasinlife. But,tiredofhauntinghisancestralrest- Myheartwaslikeatreadmillrunningtosavemylife–butI The obligation to be a Crusader was ing place,the Lee Chapel in St Martin’s wasgoingnowhere. unfortunatebutbeingcruellyfelledaged Church,hehadformedaplan. Theeeriesoundofthedoorhingesrocketedacrosstheroom. only22wasadisaster. Anold,equallydisillusionedSaracenhad ForasplitsecondIsawhim. Worse,tosuffertheindignityofpickling told him that, just before midnight on Standing in the door frame with his cadaverous, corpse-like in a barrel of fine Malmsey wine for his New Year’s Eve, one soul could be facepointinginmydirection. returnhome(whenhewouldratherhave exchangedforanother. Tonightwasthat Ihadtoleavethisplace. beendrinkingitandcarousing)wasintol- night. ButasIpassedthedoorwaymyspinecrunchedlikeamillion erable. SirGeoffreywaitedandwasnotdisap- packetsofcrisps. It amused him at first to emit damp pointed. I will always remem- bermylastbreathofair A dejected young man wandered into dartingintomylungs. I theunlockedchurch,slumpingintoapew, wasshockedtobealive. headbowed,apieceofpaperinhishand. Well, that’s what I HebreathedasighasdidSirGeoffrey; and“counselling”leapingoutather. thoughtanyway. NowI at that precise moment,time froze and “Poorchap,nowonderhecamehere; roam throughout my theirsoulsmerged. seemshewasterminallyill. It’saswellSt prison, an old aban- Sir Geoffrey’s spirit gently evaporat- Martin’swasopenforhim.” donedschool. ed.While,finallyatpeace,theyoungman TheVergernoddedgravely. Thecollectionofdead slumbered,eventually leaving the church Outside,SirGeoffrey,orPaulPitsea,as bodies increases, more just before preparations for the mid- hehadbecome,didn’tfeelquiteasinvigo- fool the curious chil- morning service,the letter he held,dis- ratedashehadimagined. dren that enter, fuelled carded. “What I need is a drink,” he thought, withstoriesofthedead “People will leave litter!” TheVerger gleefully heading for the nearest hostel- girl who didn’t return fromdetention. moanedtoReverendKingswood,before ry… handinghertherejectedletter. LeahBarns,12 Pausing,shescannedit,herbrightsmile CharmaineFletcher,53 Rayleigh fading,the words:“cirrhosis”,“incurable” Basildon Children’swinner Friday,January6,2017 77 NEWS yellowad.co.uk Chance passing Freed spirits I INHABITEDapark benchwherefewchoose tosit,heoccupiedits oppositeend.Aboyof eightornine,grubbyface, scuffedshoeswithunkempt hairandathreadbarecoat, inappropriatefor December. Heshiveredandcried. “Whatgriefbesetsyouboy?” “My mother is...dying,” he rubbedhisreddened eyes. I Twas9.30pmonChristmasEve,the at this station was the talking ticket machine “That is sad boy, what ails weatherwasicyandsnowhadbeguntofall whichstood,likeasentinel,outsidethewaiting her?” coveringtheplatformofWestwoodstation. room. “Cholerasir.” doyouweep?” Five teenage girls were huddled together in Suddenly the door was flung open and a “Thereisavaccine...” “Iweepforanother.Onewhohasstrayed the small waiting room as the snowflakes fell stocky man wearing a thick overcoat peered “Toolate.” fromthepathandisendangeringhisimmor- softlystickingagainstthewindows. intotheroom. “CanIhelpinanyway?” talsoul.Iseektoturnhimtotherightpath Thegirlswatchedaseachflakebeguntomelt Helookedaround,hiseyesappearingtopass “Youarekind,butherdieiscast.” before his end becomes inevitable. He has into tiny riverlets before running, like tears, rightthroughthegirlsfocusingonthepictures “What is your name boy, and where will losthisfaithandisindireneedofguidance.” downeachpaneofglass. hangingonthewallbehind. yougo?” “CanIaidyouinyourquest?” According to the computerised announce- Afteramomenthelimpedovertothebench “My named isArthur.Where I go should “Youcansir.” mentboardthelasttrainintoWadsworthwas inthecornerandsatdownpullinganewspaper notoverlyconcernyou.Iamheretoawaither “ThentellmewhatImustdo;ifitiswithin dueat9.45pmitwasnow9.35pm fromhispocketashedidso. finaldemiseandbearheruptoheaven.” mypoweritshallbedone!” Westwoodwascomputerisedandcontrolled Ashestartedtoreadthefrontcoverbecame “Ifyouaresocertainofhersalvationwhy “Yourwordsir?” byWadsworth. exposedandthegirlscaughtsightofthehead- Thenearestthingtoresembleahumanbeing lines which read: On the anniversary of the “Youhaveit!” Westwoodlevelcrossingdisasteratribunalhas The boy smiled, “father, return home and finallyconcludedthatthedeathsoffiveteenage buryyourwifeandrenewyourfaith.” girlswascausedbyacomputerfailure. ImovedcloserthatImightbetterseehis The girls shivered in realisation as the face,coulditbe?“Arthurmyson,howcould announcement concerning the approaching I not recognise you? I buried you just nine trainechoedthroughthecoldnightair. monthspast.Thescarletfeverthatstoleyou MrRobertsrosefromhisseatandmadehis fromme,stoleallpurposefrommylife.” waytothewaitingroomdoor. “Mytwosistershaveneedofafather.Take Asheopeneditafreezingblastbrushedpast careof theliving,letmeattendtomothers himand,minglingwiththescreechofthetrain’s passingsoul.” brakes,hewassureheheardscreams. He smiled, and paled becoming ethereal, “GladIwillbehomesoon,”hethought. “By your own word, we will meet again.Farewell,father.” PeterWoodgate,74, LenMorgan,72,Hullbridge SouthWoodhamFerrers Second Third 88 Friday,January6,2017 Friday,January6,2017 99 NEWS yellowad.co.uk Police probed over teens’ death crash ESSEX Police is under investigation after two sentinvestigatorstothesceneshortlyafterthe teenage boys died following a road collision accident.Investigatorshaveconducteddoor-to- whilebeingfollowedbyofficers. door enquiries and have identified CCTV that ThecollisionwasatthejunctionofSouthsea mayhavecapturedtheeventsleadinguptothe Avenue and Glendale Gardens, Leigh, shortly collision.” before1amonDecember27. IPCCoperationsmanagerColinSparrowsaid: A17-year-oldboydiedatthesceneandasec- “Thisisatragicincident,especiallyatthistime ond died in hospital the following day. Two of year, in which two young people have lost teenagerssufferedminorinjuries. theirlives.Mythoughtsarewiththoseaffected The Independent Police Complaints bytheirdeathsatthistime. Commission(IPCC)said:“TheIPCCisexamin- “TheIPCCwillbeexaminingtheeventsprior ingtheactionsofpoliceofficersinthepatrolcar tothecollisiontodetermineiftheappropriate andinthecontrolroompriortothecollisionand policiesandprocedureswerefollowed.” 1100 Friday,January6,2017