News in Basildon

BASILDON Council has confirmed that Parkruns will return to the borough tomorrow (Saturday, 24 July).

Parkruns are a 5-kilometre event for walkers, runners, volunteers and spectators, that take place every Saturday morning in parks.

A POPULAR café/bar chain has become the first to sign up for one of the six new restaurant units in Basildon's East Square.

'Loungers' will operate from one of the new restaurant units being built as part of the 10-screen cinema scheme, which will be operated by Empire and include the biggest screen outside of London's Leicester Square.

On the day the Tokyo Olympics opened with a subdued but nevertheless impressive ceremony, one of England's most popular sporting heroes - iconic cricketer Monty Panesar, who has put down the ball and picked up the pen to follow his journalistic ambitions - writes exclusively for Nub News about why he believes it is right that the Olympics is going ahead.

Monty is currently studying an MA in International Sports Journalism at St Mary's University in Twickenham, where he has also been working with the team at Twickenham Nub News and other South and west London titles.

A FREE family fun day will be taking place this weekend at the new Wickford market in the High Street.

The event is taking place between 10am and 2pm, and the happenings on the day will include two sets from local band 'Brown Paper Bag', a balloon modeller, and an ice cream van offering free ice cream for children.

PLANS to build affordable housing on Basildon's green belt have been unanimously rejected by the borough council's planning committee in a decisive win for the site's current residents.

The development would have consisted of nine homes to the east of Hardings Elms Road, next to Belvedere Golf Range, suitable for housing elderly and disabled residents and young families.

ESSEX Police have highlighted the work of a Basildon-based officer as it marks the UK's first Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week, organised by community safety specialists Resolve.

All through this week forces across the country have been turning the spotlight on how police, councils, housing providers, fire services and community groups keep communities safe.

COMMUTERS on the c2c rail link have been asked by police if they saw an incident in which a man spat at a woman on a busy train.

Officers from British Transport police are investigating an incident during which the woman was spat at and have released a CCTV image in connection with the offence.

FOR the second time this week the Met Office has issued a 'severe weather warning' for the region.

Yesterday (Tuesday, 21 July) the alert was raised in anticipation of heavy rain, which duly arrived in some parts last evening.

ESSEX Police have asked for patience – and some help from the public – over the way crime is reported to them and requests for help submitted.

Over the past weekend the force reports that it received 3,716 emergency 999 calls, which stretched its resources.

THE results of a wildflower project run by Basildon Council with community groups across the borough is beginning to show its worth.

The wildflowers have now really started to bloom in meadows created within Lake Meadows, Wickford Memorial Park, Kent View Road, Northlands Park and Gloucester Park.