Colchester and Essex news, sport and information from the Essex County Standard

Brown admits defence spending slip

6:45pm Wednesday 17th March 2010

Gordon Brown has admitted he wrongly claimed defence spending had risen in real terms every year when he gave evidence to the Iraq Inquiry.

Bid to ban mephedrone within weeks

6:33pm Wednesday 17th March 2010

The Government's drugs advisers could recommend a ban on mephedrone within weeks following the deaths of two teenagers thought to have taken the drug.

Afghan victim's family heartbroken

6:33pm Wednesday 17th March 2010

The family of a British Army officer who died in hospital three weeks after being wounded in Afghanistan said they were "heartbroken" by their loss.

Pilot cleared over gyrocopter death

4:47pm Wednesday 17th March 2010

The partner of a hunt supporter who was killed by a gyrocopter's rotor blade spoke of her devastation after the aircraft's pilot was cleared of manslaughter.

Jedward signed by new label

4:29pm Wednesday 17th March 2010

X Factor twins Jedward have been signed up by Universal, just 24 hours after it was revealed they had been dumped by their former record label.

BA adds more flights during strike

4:29pm Wednesday 17th March 2010

British Airways is to fly thousands more passengers during a three-day strike by its cabin crew after more staff volunteered to work.

Terry quizzed after steward hurt

3:49pm Wednesday 17th March 2010

Chelsea football captain John Terry was breathalysed and questioned by police after his car ran into a club steward.

Three face court over boy's kidnap

3:26pm Wednesday 17th March 2010

Three people arrested in Spain in connection with the kidnap of a five-year-old boy in Pakistan will appear in court on Thursday.

Man thrown off train over set list

3:01pm Wednesday 17th March 2010

A musician has spoken of his shock at being removed from a train for "behaving suspiciously" by writing a list of songs which included the band name The Killers.

Colman in court over child porn

2:47pm Wednesday 17th March 2010

The former head of Wales's public spending watchdog has appeared in court accused of possessing hundreds of indecent images of children.