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BREAKING
NEWS OF
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Homes evactuated as blaze rages
Hundreds of residents were evacuated from their homes after fears
a fire would
trigger a huge gas explosion.
Almost 600 people living within 200 metres of a workshop at Southend
Farm, in Southend Road, Billericay, were not be allowed to return
to their homes until about 3.30pm on Friday.
The residents - from an area bound by Southend Road, Grange Road,
Outwood Common Road and Highfield Road - were given refuge in Mayflower
Hall, Billericay School and Mayflower School.
The schools will both be closed to pupils on Friday.
The blaze started after a liquid petroleum gas cylinder exploded
at the workshop
at about 12.30pm on Thursday.
More than 30 firefighters tackled the flames for at least three
hours, as crowds of onlookers gathered to watch black clouds of
smoke filling the sky.
The fire burnt through the roof of the 20m x 30m workshop. Residents
were cleared from their homes for fear the heat could trigger an
explosion of several other cylinders, containing oxygen
and highly-explosive acetylene gas.
Sgt Peter Brian said: "If it exploded it could blow all the
windows from the houses within 200m. The pressurised gas cylinders
are next to the fire. If they heat up too much they could explode
like either a bomb or a rocket.
Courtesy of "Billericay Weekly News"
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BREAKING NEWS OF
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A tribute to Reg
An ATC stalwart's memory will be honoured when squadrons from all
over Essex gather in Billericay on Sunday, February 4, for a memorial
service.
Reg Ferriss, 83, of Norsey Road, died in March 2006 after first
serving with
Bomber Command during the Second World War.
He then spent much of his life building ATC squadrons in Essex and
teaching in south Essex schools, ending up at the
Billericay School where he served as a governor.
Former colleagues in the Air Training Corps plan a permanent memorial
to Mr Ferris, who also headed Royal British Legion's Billericay
branch.
The memorial will include an aeroplane propeller and the names of
his fellow crew members from the RAF.
The day of the service is also National ATC day.
Courtesy of "Billericay Weekly News"
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BREAKING NEWS OF
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Power cable scare
Anxious parents and residents have demanded assurances from electricity
company EDF Energy about the safety of high voltage cables which
keep falling on pavements.
During last Thursday's gale force winds, parents and children had
a lucky escape when an overhead power cable snapped outside Buttsbury
Infants School.
Bare wires showed when the broken ends of the cable landed on pavements
which, only minutes before, were packed with children and their
parents.
A father, driving away just after the school day started, saw the
cable break.
He said: "There was a massive shower of sparks and then
I saw the cables land on the ground.
"Obviously it was very lucky nobody was on the pavement because
they could have been electrocuted."
The cable broke at the junction of Perry Street and Springfield
Road and left parts of the school and scores of houses without power.
Retired Perry Street resident George Miles, 74, said: "It's
the first time this year
but a few months ago another of the same span of
cables broke and it's happened before.
"Last time it was dark and pedestrians were tripping over what
was probably a live cable simply because they couldn't see it."
Recognising the break could have occurred at any time, headteacher
Suzanne Haskins was also concerned for her pupils safety.
She added: "I'm so grateful to the electricity board who came
and fixed it so quickly."
However, supplies were off for around two-and-a-half hours.
EDF spokesman James Barber said: "The overhead cables in that
street are part of a review of all overhead lines affected by the
worst weather to hit Britain for 17 years.
Courtesy of "Billericay Weekly News"
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BREAKING NEWS OF
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Tribute to Ray Brewster
Mourners said farewell to the long-time friend of Billericay’s’
Cater Museum
at a packed Maldon church.
Ray, husband of the museum’s curator Chris Brewster has died
after a long illness. He was a very active member of the Sealed
Knot; a society dedicated to
re-enacting English Civil War Battles.
Mrs Sylvia Kent, historian, author and columnist added:
"Ray had a enviable knowledge of history and brought it to
life in his historical enactment’s, always brilliantly dressed
appropriately in costume, be it Henry VIII, Charles I, John Brown,
kings and soldiers.
He was a larger than life character and will be sadly missed by
his Billericay friends."
Courtesy of "Billericay Weekly News"
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BREAKING
NEWS OF
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Boots, a Billericay High Street store
is to be one of the first twelve
The store has now re-opened with a new name, it now aims to provide
a real
alternative to a doctor’s surgery.
This store will be one of the first 12 of the company’s 2,200
plus UK premises to make the change.
The company was reported as saying the re-vamped premises will have
private consultation areas and offer confidential advice about medications
and dealing with all sorts of health problems.
The company will analyse the customer response to the new stores
before deciding ho many other stores will get the same make over
and re-vamp.
Courtesy of "Billericay Weekly News"
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BREAKING
NEWS OF
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Twinning Road Signs are erected
The town’s twinning association has links with three towns,
and now we have these towns displayed on four road signs that are
seen when you enter the town.
The signs show our links with Billerica in Massachusetts USA,
Fishers in Indiana USA and Chauvigny in France.
Trevor Stansfield, the association spokesman is reported to say:
"They show visitors that Billericay is twinned with the three towns and the
twinning association is thriving.
"We have welcomed delegations from them this year and more
trips
in both directions are planned for 2007."
Courtesy of "Billericay Weekly News"
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BREAKING
NEWS OF
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Two Schools back Woodland Trust Campaign
Buttsbury Infant School and South Green Junior School will both
plant native hedgerow or hazel copse within their grounds.
The planting will attract wildlife and give schools "living
classrooms"
for many years to come.
It can also contribute to Key Stage Two in numeracy, literacy,
art & design and science.
Courtesy of "Billericay Weekly News"
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BREAKING
NEWS OF
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Skeleton at St Mary’s - Little Burstead
A TV crew and a Lord visited our local church searching for a peer’s
secret lovechild.
Thomas Pakenham, the eighth Lord Longford, joined a BBC Four film crew;
they were making a documentary film.
The film “Lord Longford’s Lovechild is about a women buried
in the churchyards of St Mary the Virgin, Little Burstead.
Three graves will feature in the programme; one is of a woman called
Catherine Weekes. It is believed Miss Weekes was the illegitimate daughter
of one of the peer’s 19 th-century ancestors.
Also another two of Lord Longford’s ancestors are buried in the
graveyard but it is not known why Miss Weekes is buried there.
Courtesy of "Billericay Weekly News"
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BREAKING
NEWS OF
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Street Lights to be dimmed
More than 100,000 Low-pressure sodium street lamps (SOX) are to be replaced
by high pressure (SON) bulbs and fitted with dimmer switches.
The lamps can be controlled by a remote switch that can dim the lights
out-put by up to 50 per cent as traffic flows decrease during off-peak
hours.
The replacement programme is likely to be phased in over a number of
years.
Courtesy of "Billericay Weekly News"
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BREAKING
NEWS OF
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Billericay gets filmed for a documentary
It has been reported that one of Billericay's twin towns, Billerica
in Massachusetts USA has been over to Billericay to film a documentary
about our town. It aims to trace the history of Billericay with the
help of local people, spotlighting the twin town link with Billerica.
The hope of the filmmakers is to encourage stronger links with our twin
town, promoting their residents to visit Billericay and Essex it provides
an excellent overview of the history, government, education and "Twinning"
of Billericay, and of England in general.. It is being screened later
this year on the Billerica town's Access TV channel, and funded by Billerica's
local community similar to our local council.
Courtesy of "Billericay Weekly News"
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BREAKING
NEWS OF
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Twin Town names it Billericay Park
Billericay's twin town of Fishers Indianapolis, USA is to create in within their town
a 29-acre public park and is to be named in honour of it's twin town "Billericay".
It will offer a variety of amenities, including seven lighted baseball/softball fields,
a walking track around the perimeter, a large playground area with two play areas
to accommodate children 2 to 5 years and 5 to 12 years, and an open-area play space.
The park is expected to be completed and opened to the public by Spring of 2003.
Courtesy of "Billericay Weekly News"
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BREAKING
NEWS OF
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Railway vandals to be played music while they work
Great Eastern is to resort to piping out classical music in its stations
in a bid to deter vandalism. The scheme, first of its kind in the country
is hoped to stop them hanging around stations and causing trouble. Great
Eastern is reported to say This has proved to be effective in several
European countries and has been successful at Harold Wood station, eventually
we want to have all stations on the Southend to Liverpool Street line
hooked up to play classical music.
Courtesy of "Billericay Weekly News"
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LATEST
BREAKING NEWS OF
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Meeting again 70 years on
One recent reunion took place in Billericay between two classmates who had not seen each other since 1930.
Billericay resident Jack Bartlett, 86 was successfully tracked down by his childhood friend Eva Minter,
who while in the hairdressers, happended to glance at the picture or her former classmate photographed inside
an Essex Countryside Magazine, outsidehis home in Scrub Rise.
With a magazine and only a vague idea of his address, Eva her sister and daughter all drove to Billericay
to begin a search. Luck was on their side a local recognised Jack's bungalow, and this enabled the pair to meet
for the first time in 70 years.
Courtesy of "Billericay Weekly News"
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LATEST
BREAKING NEWS OF
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Puffins could be seen in Billericay
New road crossings being introduced across Essex called Puffins are to replace the Zebra
and Pelican road crossings. Puffin stands for Pedestrian User-Friendly INtelegent crossings.
They are to use the familiar read standing man and the green walking man symbols but they
will use beams to detect when a pedestrian is waiting at the kerb to cross. Pedestrians are
still to press the button if they want to cross but if they walk away from the
crossing the beam detects this and cancels the request to stop the traffic. The indicators telling
the pedestrians to wait or cross are to be located above the button not
opposite across the road.
Courtesy of "Billericay Weekly News"
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LATEST
BREAKING NEWS OF
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Billericay Fire Station is retained
The Fire Station is staffed by part-time fire-fighters who have other jobs but
are available at pre-agreed times to attend incidents when called out by a personal bleeper. There are vacancies at the station for men and women to cover daytime duties although
other times may also be accommodated. A retaining fee is paid plus additional amounts
for training and callouts. The main requirements are to live or work four minutes from the station so
that the appliance can leave with all the crew aboard within five minutes of the
alert. You must be over 18 years and under 55 years old with good unaided vision and
able to meet the fitness requirement. Full training is provided and training nights are held on
Thursdays between 19.30 and 21.30. You must be able to attend these training sessions on a regular basis.
Interested? then telephone Personnel on 01277 222531 or you can visit the Station.
Courtesy of "Billericay Weekly News"
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LATEST
BREAKING NEWS OF
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Billericay is better than Hollywood
The popular comedian and actor Lee Evans who lives in Billericay
revealed he turned down movie contract because he would get home sick.
The movie producers thought it a bit freaky when he explained nothing would
tempt him to move to America.
Courtesy of "Billericay Weekly News"
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LATEST
BREAKING NEWS OF
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Historic Building Plaques
Black and gold plaques, have now appeared on 38 listed buildings in Billericay.
These are part of the Town Trail taking you on a tour of quaint cottages,
the old Union Workhouse, pubs, shop and imposing offices.
Courtesy of "Billericay Weekly News"
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LATEST
BREAKING NEWS OF
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Search for mothers long lost pal
The Billericay Mayflower Twining Association is trying to trace
a resident who lived in the town over 60 years ago.
Peggy Hobbs, from Billerica in Massachusetts,
has her heart set on finding her mother's long-lost pen pal.
Dorothy Fielding, lived in Billerica in the 1940's and wrote for many years
to Kathleen Wright, who was a resident in Billericay at the time.
Now in an attempt to retrace some of he history behind the twinning
scheme the association are keen to find Kathleen. Anyone who remembers
the scheme or if you know Kathleen, you can contact the Twinning
Association on by telephone 01277 652609 or by email at: bmta@btinternet.com
Courtesy of "Billericay Weekly News"
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MORE PAGES TO VISIT ON THE
LOCAL INTERESTS IN AND AROUND BILLERICAY
WEB SITE
Why not take a historic building walk on your
computer, with a pictorial view
of these buildings guided by a street map of the High Street.
You can also look at our family attraction list
informing you of the many
family attractions, current events and all types of recreation found in and
around the Billericay area.
One of Billericay's best kept secrets is Norsey Wood it's a
mixed coppice woodland
covering an area of 65ha (165 acres). It has a history that goes back some 4000 years
and this, together with the richness of its wildlife, makes this site unique.
The Wood has been designated a Local Nature Reserve,
a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
The
Billericay message board
is the place to submit your interests of Billericay.
Anyone can reply to the messages submitted.
So, looking for a lost friend who lived or lives in the area? or maybe you
have an enquiry.
Post it - someone may reply with just what you are looking for.
Do you have a problem?
This is where you can find help – a useful and comprehensive list of
Local and National Helplines.
Do
you need the latest weather forecast for the Billericay Area
plus the UK and Ireland, then go to our Local
Weather Page.
Where
are other web sites with local interest in and around billericay?
You will find a useful and comprehensive list of
Web Links with Local Interest to other local
web sites.
Do you want to know about Billericay's
fascinating history
I just know you will be surprised how rich
the history of Billericay is.
Billericay's Opinion Page is where we collect your views
on various issues affecting Billericay.
With your views we would like to put them to some positive
use in shaping the future of our town.
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