That's it from us at Essex Live - thanks for stopping by.

We'll be back at 08:00 tomorrow with the latest news, sport, travel and weather for Essex.

Have a great evening. 

BBC Weather

Tonight will be mild and damp with further outbreaks of rain across the county, which again will turn heavy at times. 

Minimum temperature: 12C (54F).

It'll be a cloudy and mostly dry start tomorrow, but it will gradually turn brighter through the morning.

Get can stay up-to-date with the latest forecast at BBC Weather.

Simon Dedman
BBC Essex political reporter

The independent leader of Southend Borough Council, Ron Woodley, told me he will not resign from his role.

Image source, Southend Borough Council

He said although it looked likely he and the independent-led coalition would lose power, he would force the Conservatives to table a motion to remove him. 

It comes as BBC Essex learned the Tories had struck a deal with UKIP to run the authority after no party gained overall control at Thursday's elections.  

Today it has been confirmed the Typhoon jet will be making an appearance at Clacton Airshow.

Image source, Tendring District Council

The Royal Air Force fighter will feature on both days of the event, which takes place on 25 and 26 August.

Earlier in the year it was confirmed the famous Red Arrows will also flying.

A Tendring councillor filmed swearing at a man in the street has been cautioned by police.

Image source, YouTube/Bard Guido

Michael Skeels (pictured) was recorded being abusive at William Hones, who used to be a member of UKIP. Mr Skeels left UKIP to join the Conservatives before forming the Coastal Independents.

Essex Police said a 69-year-old man from St Osyth was voluntarily interviewed and given a caution for committing a public order offence.

Nick Alliker
BBC Essex

If you're just joining us, here are our top stories for the county: 

• Flowers have been laid outside the Grampian block of flats in Westcliff after a woman and her unborn child died following a fire there on Saturday
• The victim of an alleged vigilante gang murder "kept images of people wanting to lose their virginity", a jury has heard
• Police have asked parents of small children to stay alert after officers dealt with many reports of missing children in Southend during the weekend's hot snap  

Jack Warren
BBC Local Live

You and I may be sheltering indoors today, but these swans and their cygnets are loving it down in Stanford Rivers. One's even hitching a ride!

Image source, BBC Weather Watchers/Maximus

Thanks to BBC Weather Watcher "Maximus" for sending his picture to us. 

Chris Flynn
BBC Essex

Police have asked parents of small children to stay alert after officers dealt with many reports of missing children in Southend during the weekend's hot snap.

Image source, Getty Images

Ch Insp Simon Anslow told me at one point on Sunday his officers were trying to find eight children - that's more reports than they had of missing mobile phones.

"As a parent myself I wonder how you find yourself in a situation where you've lost such young children in an area where the risk [of doing that] is obviously so high," he said. "We just need to keep some of those preventable things to a minimum so we can deal with the stuff that's more crime-based."

The victim of an alleged vigilante gang murder "kept images of people wanting to lose their virginity", a jury heard.

Image source, Facebook

Darren Kelly (pictured), 42, from Basildon, was kicked, punched and stabbed to death near his home last October. A group of four denies his murder and is currently on trial at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Karim Khalil QC, representing the now 16-year-old girl accused of luring Mr Kelly to his place of death, said Mr Kelly had used "at least four aliases" when using the Whispr messaging system and on one occasion had pretended to be the daughter of a former partner.

The trial continues.

Essex's tour match against Sri Lanka in Chelmsford has been abandoned due to continued rainfall.

Image source, Essex County Cricket

The game was declared a draw after only two days play was possible. 

Essex will next be in action on Sunday when they host Derbyshire in their fifth County Championship match.

Basildon Echo

"Disgraceful" thieves stole hundreds of pounds worth of furniture and ornaments, external from a retired housing complex.

The newly-elected Conservative police and crime commissioner for Essex says he has no plans, external to put more "bobbies on the beat".

Speaking on BBC Essex, Roger Hirst said he hopes to improve response times and police visibility by encouraging officers to work outside the office.

"If they're doing their paperwork via remote devices, such as in a cafe where people can talk to them, then they'll have a much better presence," he said.

Ben Fryer
BBC Essex sport

Southend United midfielder Franck Moussa is unsure where he'll be playing his football next season. 

Image source, Getty Images

Moussa scored in Sunday's loss at Bury - his first goal since he rejoined the club in March. The Belgian is now a free agent and open to a contract offer from the manager Phil Brown.

"All I will do is make sure I'm ready for whoever wants to have me so I can perform straight away," Moussa told BBC Essex Sport.

Flowers have been laid outside the Grampian block of flats in Balmoral Road in Westcliff.

It's after a 30-year-old woman and her unborn child died after a fire on the ninth floor here on Saturday. Essex Police has since launched a murder investigation. 

A bunch of flowers with the words "gone too soon" have been fixed to the railings outside, along with a white cross.

BBC Weather

This afternoon will be mostly cloudy with outbreaks of showery rain. There will be heavy downpours at times, with the risk of thunder too. 

Maximum temperature: 18C (64F).

You can get the latest forecast for your part of Essex here.

Nick Alliker
BBC Essex

If you're just joining us, here are your top stories for Essex this lunchtime: 

• Essex Police are assessing if a fire that killed a pregnant woman and her unborn child on Saturday was a "targeted attacked"
• The new police and crime commissioner for Essex says a rise in gang crime in the county is partly down to a successful campaign by the Metropolitan Police
• The Conservative group on Southend Borough Council has struck a deal with UKIP to take control of the authority  

Chris Flynn
BBC Essex

Ch Insp Simon Anslow told BBC Essex he was "shocked and appalled" at the death of a mother and her unborn baby following a fire in a tower block in Westcliff. 

Officers are working to assess if the blaze at the Balmoral Road flats on Saturday night was a targeted attack.

"This is a tragic and terrible incident... Whoever was responsible may have suffered minor burns or returned home with the smell of smoke on their clothes," he said. 

Jack Warren
BBC Local Live

If today's weather has left you longing for Sunday's sunshine, we can briefly relive it with this photo taken in Kirby-le-Soken over the weekend.

Image source, Dan Manning

It was sent to us by Dan Manning. We love seeing your pictures from around the county - you can send them to us via email, Twitter, external or Facebook, external.

No play has taken place this morning in Essex's tour match against Sri Lanka. 

Ian Puckey
BBC Essex

Essex Police says it can't charge anyone with breaking rules on election expenses during the 2014 Clacton by-election because too much time has passed since any alleged offences took place.

Image source, AP

Officers started an investigation after Channel 4 News claimed in February, external there were irregularities over the Conservatives' spending, which the Tory party denied.

However, the relevant piece of law, the Representation of the People Act, has a 12-month limit for matters to be reported, and so no prosecutions can be brought. The force says it is considering applying for an extension on time to investigate.