Great weather for cricket as Essex prepare for day two of the tour match against Sri Lanka.

A man has been charged with possessing a knife in a public place following a disturbance at a nightclub in Chelmsford.

Image source, Google

Essex Police says it was called to the Basement in Railway Street on Saturday night. 

A 26-year-old man was arrested about 23:45. He has been charged and bailed to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on 9 June.

A man who was rescued from the ninth floor of his flat during a fire in Westcliff-on-Sea described the heat from the blaze as "so hot, it felt like my face was melting".

Carl Atkins and his wife Sandra live in the Grampian block of the Balmoral Road flats. Seven people were injured when a fire broke out there about 23:00 on Saturday. 

"We were shouting out the window to the fire brigade 'can you get us out', we have two dogs and were panicking that that was it", Mr Atkins told BBC Essex. 

Van break-ins are taken "very seriously" Essex Police says, after BBC Essex uncovered there had been almost 15,000 such incidents in the past five years. 

Image source, Essex Police

The figures, which come from a Freedom of Information Request to the county's police, showed Essex had the highest total of van thefts than the whole of the East of England. 

Ch Insp Russ Cole said: "I can give reassurance to members of the public that we do take this very seriously... We increase patrols around hotspots where these incidents are taking place."

Nearly 15,000 Essex traders have had equipment stolen from their vans in the past five years, according to figures obtained by BBC Essex. 

The data, which comes from the county's police, reveals Essex had more van thefts than the rest of East Anglia as a whole.

On average there were more than six break-ins everyday in the county. 

Simon Dedman
BBC Essex political reporter

Politicians in Thurrock and Southend will continue talks today over who will run both councils after no overall party won a majority at Thursday's elections.

Image source, Google

In Thurrock, UKIP made gains to equal the Conservatives in terms of councillors, but it's the Tories who think they can make the best claim for leadership - that challenge will come in a few weeks.

Sooner though, Southend's Independent leader Ron Woodley could face a Conservative led revolt if they can gain UKIP's two councillors to support them or another two from the incumbent coalition.

A pregnant woman remains in a life-threatening condition in hospital this morning after a fire at a block of flats in Westcliff-on-Sea on Saturday night.

The 30-year-old was one of seven people, including a baby, injured in the blaze on the ninth floor of the Balmoral Road flats.

A number of other people were treated at the scene for injuries including the effects of smoke inhalation.

Georgina Burnett
BBC Weather

Today will start cloudy, with one or two showers. Later in the day a more persistent band of showery rain spreads in from the south. 

Maximum temperature: 21C (70F).

Stay up-to-date with the latest forecast from BBC Weather.

BBC Travel

The A12 London-bound is blocked due to a six-vehicle crash between J24 Kelvedon North and J23 for Kelvedon South.

Congestion is back to J26 at Essex Yeomanry Way. 

Sonia Watson
BBC Essex

Here are the top stories from the Essex newsdesk:

• A pregnant woman remains in a life-threatening condition in hospital this morning after a fire at a block of flats in Westcliff-on-Sea
• Nearly 15,000 Essex traders have had equipment stolen from their vans in the past five years, according to figures obtained by BBC Essex
• Politicians in Thurrock and Southend will continue talks today over who will run both councils after no overall party won a majority at Thursday's elections

Jack Warren
BBC Local Live

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