Our live coverage across Christmas Evepublished at 16:00
Essex Live has finished for today - thanks for joining us.
We're taking a festive break so our live updates for Essex will return on 29 December.
Have a very merry Christmas!
Summary
Updates for Thursday, 24 December 2015
News, sport, travel and weather updates resume at 08:00 on 29 December
Our live coverage across Christmas Evepublished at 16:00
Essex derby: Keen wants more solidity from Colchesterpublished at 15:50
BBC SportNew Colchester United manager Kevin Keenwants more solidityfrom his side against local rivals Southend United, his first match in charge.
Image source, Colchester UnitedKeen's side are bottom of League One, having leaked 55 league goals.
"We need to make sure defensively we are tighter and at the same time express ourselves," he told BBC Essex.
Canvey bungalow fire destroys kitchenpublished at 15:40
Nick Alliker
BBC EssexA kitchen has been destroyed following a bungalow fire on Canvey Island.
Image source, GoogleEssex Fire and Rescue Service says it was called to the blaze in Goirle Avenue just before midday.
There are no reports of any injuries.
Police to deploy cameras at Essex football matchespublished at 15:25
Jack Warren
BBC Local LiveVideo cameras will be used to keep Essex football fans safe over the festive season, police say.
The £1,000 high-definition camcorders, paid for by money seized from criminals, have been used at big games since August, and will be deployed at Boxing Day'sEssex derby.
PC Keith Baker said: "Where necessary they will provide evidence to support applications for football banning orders".
Headlines: Amputee mum to raise awareness and bungalow fire destroys kitchenpublished at 15:12
Nick Alliker
BBC EssexHere are your top stories for Essex:
- An Essex woman says she wants to raise awareness of septicaemia which caused her to have to have herlower legs and fingers amputateda year ago
- A man is hospital with a serious head injury after he was attacked in Grays High Street late last night
- A kitchen has been destroyed following a bungalow fire on Canvey Island earlier this afternoon
Essex derby: Southend prepare 'the same as any other game'published at 14:55
BBC SportSouthend boss Phil Brown says the team are preparing for Boxing Day's derby "the same as any other game".
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Blues head to Colchester for the first time in nearly six years.
"The importance of it is the fact that we're knocking at the door of the play-offs and they're bottom of the league, and they'll be smarting from that", Brown said.
Pensioner left with broken arm after Chalkwell robberypublished at 14:40
Laura Safe
BBC EssexAn 84-year-old woman has been left with a broken arm after her handbag was snatched in Chalkwell.
Image source, GoogleShe was walking in Ridgeway Gardens on Monday afternoon when a man approached her from behind.
Essex Police says he grabbed the bag, which caused her to fall over, and then ran off. The suspect is described as being white, about 6ft (1.82m) tall and wearing a hooded jumper.
Essex derby is officially a sell outpublished at 14:25
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End of twitter postHomeless man cannot stay in Colchester shelter over Christmas as he has a pet dogpublished at 14:15
A homeless man is in need of a garden topitch a tent, externalover Christmas.
Spoiler alert: Essex beats Cambridge in University Challengepublished at 14:00
Jack Warren
BBC Local LiveSometimes in Essex we get mocked for not being the brightest bunch - however, a University of Essex alumni team has beaten Christ's College Cambridge onUniversity Challenge!
Team members Dotun Adebayo, Rupert Maas, Nick Dear and Richard Bartle beat the Cambridge group in a Christmas special of the BBC Two programme last night.
Good work chaps!
University award in Hannah Witheridge's honourpublished at 13:45
Hannah Witheridge's family has revealed the University of Essex has introduced an award for outstanding excellence in clinical placements in her memory.
Image source, GoogleMiss Witheridge was studying for a Masters degree in speech and language therapy when she wasmurdered in Thailandin September 2014.
It will be named the Hannah Witheridge Award for Clinical Excellence and Hannah will be the first recipient. The family said they were "touched by this beautiful tribute".
Colchester miss players for Essex derbypublished at 13:25
Tom Croasdell
BBC Essex SportColchester's Owen Garvan (pictured) remains a doubt for the Essex derby on Boxing Day.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe midfielder has overcome an ankle injury but has been ill for the last week.
The U's must also decide who plays in goal against Southend as recent first choice Jamie Jones has returned to Preston after his loan expired.
Amputee mum's husband told to 'say goodbye'published at 13:04
Andrew Woodger
BBC NewsA Hockley woman whose "common cold"turned out to be blood poisoninglast Christmas says her husband was told to "say goodbye" to her.
Image source, Amanda RalphTracy Ralph was put into a coma at Southend Hospital on Christmas Eve. Her husband Brad arrived "in his Christmas jumper because he thought I was going to be OK", she said.
"He got taken into a room and that's when they said there's not much more they could do, I had septicaemia, all my organs were failing", Mrs Ralph added.
Weather: Becoming drier and brighter this afternoonpublished at 12:43
A band of heavy rain and strong windswill quickly spread eastwards this lunchtime. By mid-afternoon this rain will clear, leaving behind long spells of sunshine and the odd shower.
Maximum Temperature: 12C (54F).
Headlines: Amputee mum one year on and serious assault in Grayspublished at 12:31
Nick Alliker
BBC EssexHere are your headlines this Christmas Eve lunchtime:
- An Essex woman who cameso close to deaththat doctors told her relatives to say their final goodbyes is due to celebrate Christmas with her family one year on
- Two Burmese migrant workers have beensentenced to deathin Thailand for the murders of a University of Essex student
- A man has been left with serious head injuries after he was assaulted in Grays High Street late last night
Investigation continues into Grays High Street attackpublished at 11:55
Chris Flynn
BBC EssexA police cordon remains in place on Grays High Street this morning after a man was seriously assaulted here late last night.
The victim, who is in his 40s, remains at Queens Hospital in Romford with serious head injuries.
Hannah Witheridge's family in 'whirlwind of emotions'published at 11:30
Jodie Smith
BBC NewsThe family of University of Essex student, Hannah Witheridge, say they're facing a "whirlwind of emotions and difficulties" following theguilty verdict.
Image source, Facebook"In these challenging times, we try to concentrate our efforts on remembering our beautiful Hannah for the fun, vibrant and incredible young woman that she was," the statement says.
"We now need time, as a family, to digest the outcome of the trial and figure out the most appropriate way to tell our story.”
Santa hats 'increase risk of an accident', councillor sayspublished at 11:07
Jenni Hulse
BBC EssexA councillor in Colchester says refuse collectors have been banned from wearing Santa hats because it "increases the risk of an accident".
Liberal Democrat Dominic Graham said although the risk wasn't large, "it's enough to give us pause for thought".
"I'm quite happy to be called a Scrooge as long as it prevents an accident", he added.
High winds prompt Southend Christmas market cancellationpublished at 10:40
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End of twitter postAmputee mum thought she had a coldpublished at 10:19
Christmas this year will be very different for mother of two Tracy Ralph from Hockley.
On 24 December 2014 she lost both her legs and fingers after she was diagnosed with blood poisoning, she assumed it was just a cold.
Amputee mum thought she had a cold
A mother of two, who had her legs and fingers amputated after getting blood poisoning last Christmas, says she assumed it was just a cold.
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