ONE YEAR AGO

October 12, 2007

One of Braintree’s biggest nightclubs is fighting to stay open after police launched a move to close it, due to an “unacceptable” amount of crime and disorder in the town centre.

The future of Ice Nightclub, in East Street, hinges on a licensing hearing, which will decide whether its premises licence will be revoked.

* A marching band is celebrating after coming top in its national league for the first time.

Braintree Marxmen Youth Marching Band won the finals of the junior section of the British Youth Band Association competitions and has now moved up to division three.

TEN YEARS AGO

October 15, 1998

An aircraft engineer told an inquest that a plane which crashed, killing the pilot, had the worst wiring he had ever seen.

A 51-year-old Finchingfield man died after his single-seater Taylor monoplane nosedived into a field soon after take-off.

The inquest heard the man died instantaneously after losing control of the plane following the loss of engine power. A jury returned a verdict of accidental death.

* Police have a new lead in the hunt for robbers who tied up a Finchingfield man and hit him over the head with an iron bar.

The 62-year-old was attacked by two men wearing ski masks in the early hours. The robbers fled with £100 and the victim was discovered when a friend called.

40 YEARS AGO

October 18, 1968

Customers waiting for dinner at the Oak pub, Rayne Road, Great Saling, were plunged into darkness when a fire damaged the electrical wiring.

The licensee’s wife went upstairs to find out why the lights went out, and saw the flames under the floorboards.

* The first dozen London families to move into Witham’s phase-two overspill development should be in their new homes next week.

The estate is opposite the phase-one development in Rickstones Road, which now houses 440 families.

50 YEARS AGO

October 16, 1958

Four males jumped on the counter of Lloyds Bank, Dunmow, grabbed two bags of silver and struggled with the cashier, a court heard.

A 21-year-old from Epping and three teenagers from Loughton appeared in court, charged with robbing a bank cashier of £150.

* Plans of new schools for rural areas were strongly criticised by Braintree Rural Council, which is to protest to the Government at what it termed the “ultra-modern” designs.

It followed an admission by the council that it had no option but to allow an ultra-modern school to be built in Hatfield Peverel.