Prested Hall which closed suddenly in 2022 reopened after being taken over, but says it needs a bigger marque and less tight restrictions to attract more couples.

With temperatures continuing to stay low, here is the Met Office hour-by-hour forecast for Colchester over the next 7 days until January 6.

Waitrose is recalling all of its No1 Deeside Mineral and Sparkling waters, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has announced in a statement published this morning.

Emergency services have been left reeling after a traumatic year of policing roads in Essex, with 58 fatal road traffic collisions.

The opening will be eleven months on from a tragic crash which killed four Essex University students in the early hours of February 1.

The Department for Education (DfE) has released its annual secondary school performance tables for 2024/25.

Armin Lange and Nikki Ranson are the co-directors of Colchester Foodbank, in Tollgate Village.

Gladman Developments Limited put forward the plans for a development at land off Rowhedge Road back in June.

No auditions are required and people with and without experience are welcome to join.

Less than an hour from Colchester, Bury St Edmunds High Street has been named among the top 20 in the UK.

Essex Highways say street lights will stay on for an extended period of time while many revellers are celebrating the New Year.

For those who want to study at the University of Essex there is still plenty of time to apply ahead of the 2026 start date.

A body-worn camera video shows the moment armed Essex Police officers tracked two suspects through a field after a stabbing earlier this year.

With everyone celebrating as we go into 2026, we have put together some of the best parties to attend if you are yet to have plans.

A search by emergency services continues today after a plane crashed into Hanningfield Reservoir on Sunday.

The Jumbo Project has received a big boost in the way of a generous grant which will go towards the restoration of the water tower.

New pictures have been released showing good progress being made ahead of London Liverpool Street reopening.

The Met Office weather forecast has confirmed the potential of snow in Essex is real as we enter 2026.

As part of a Tesco five-a-day campaign they are offering children shopping with parents free fruit at their checkouts.

Essex Police's specialist armed officers have attended 14,000 incidents this year – but haven’t fired a shot in the line of duty for a decade.

Officers made 14 arrests and stopped 180 vehicles in a roads operation monitoring delivery drivers across Essex.

With dazzling lights and a cacophony of joyous tooting, a village’s annual Christmas Convoy brought joy to everyone on Christmas Eve.

Ken Jones was a teacher and headmaster of Budhanilkantha School in Kathmandu, Nepal, where he served from 1975 to 1982.

One study showed some babies are now spending more than four hours a day in front of a screen.

As 2025 ends, another year of big Colchester events comes to a close.

The Department for Education (DfE) has released its annual primary school performance tables for 2024/25.

Bloor Homes originally submitted plans to build 165 homes off of Maldon Road, Tiptree, in March

Sam Ryder will join four other celebrities in a special festive edition of Taskmaster for its New Year Treat edition on Channel Four.

Nancy Birtwhistle offers a number of eco-friendly cleaning tips in her books, but how effective is the one for bathroom grout cleaning?

Valerie Lolomari, 54, has received national honours for launching Founded Women of Grace UK, an organisation helping to spread awareness about FGM.

TWO identical twins who have saved countless lives over the last 13 years are “incredibly honoured” as they have both been handed a BEM.

A dedicated knife crime campaigner who founded The Liam Taylor Legacy in her grandson’s memory has been recognised in the King’s New Years Honours list.

The charity has invested more than £180 million to programmes to support youth in Essex and London.

Angela said the day she got the letter was the same day she received her seven-year sobriety chip.

Some exciting news is set to drop regarding Jumbo water tower in Colchester, described as a 'big announcement'.

Brightlingsea Town Council has removed the dog waste bin in Strangers Corner and is in the process of having it replaced.

David Pasley targeted Parkers garden centre four times between June and August, as well as the Co-op in Connaught Avenue.

The new technology centre at 43 Queen Street has now been built, Colchester Council announced on its Facebook page on Saturday.

A man who exposed himself to a six-year-old girl in McDonald's and to two women in a sauna claimed he was confused about “cultural boundaries” in the UK.

Works to repair Colchester Castle roof is due to begin soon with the £1.3m project to take place over a number of months.

An investigation into a fatal aircraft crash is nearing completion.

With more than 100 active pubs in Colchester dating back to 1925, just how many have survived into 2025.

Weather forecasters have confirmed Essex is finally due to get some snow as the New Year begins.

Essex Police have launched an investigation after a plane crash at Hanningfield Reservoir yesterday.

The award-winning garden centre, Perrywood in Tiptree are offering massive savings in their Christmas sale.

A Suffolk village less than 15-miles from Colchester has been named among the top 10 most underrated spots.

A stretch of the A12 is due to undergo essential roadworks in January from Colchester towards the A14.

As we begin the new year, many of us think about healthier habits and fresh starts – but the same applies to our pets.

Seven schools across Essex have been left below the Good standard after being subject to Ofsted inspections in 2025.

With insider intel on the country’s loveliest city spots, towns and villages, here are the eight best places to live in Essex for 2026.