A newly-qualified teacher says she loves working with children but is having to work "every weekend".

Michaela Midwinter has started work at her old school Passmores Academy in Harlow. She said while she hugely enjoyed working with pupils, the role had become increasingly "paper and data" based.

Georgie Bevan
BBC Look East

The TeachVac survey found the largest numbers of teacher vacancy adverts were for science, English and maths.

These subjects also saw the largest rises in vacancies between the first six months of 2015 and the same period this year. 

Image source, TeachVac

Georgie Bevan
BBC Look East

Figures released by TeachVac, external - a teaching jobs website - reveal the number of advertised teaching vacancies in Essex, Southend and Thurrock has risen 6% in the past year.

In the first six months of 2015 there were 535 jobs advertised compared with 569 in the same period this year.

A life-long friend of a man fatally stabbed in Basildon town centre says he is shocked at what has happened.

Daniel Mitchell-Monroe, 37 and from Pitsea, died on Tuesday evening. 

Joram Bakumanya, 22, of no fixed address, has been charged with his murder.

Paul Parker, a close friend of Mr Mitchell-Monroe, said: "I just can't believe it's happened to him."

The family threatened with a community protection warning over their peacocks fear the only options might be a cull.

Image source, Frances White

Frances White's daughter Helen Theckston-White said: "The peacocks who roam are actually free-range fowl and were not bred, brought up or ever contained on the farm premises.

"We feel to take a wild bird and restrict it to captivity would be cruel after a lifetime of freedom. To meet the deadline, and after seeking advice, we have been advised to have the flock culled."

A spokesman for Maldon District Council said: "We are not asking for them to be culled, but we hope the owner of the peafowl acts responsibly in this case."

Nick Alliker
BBC Essex

A 22-year-old man has been charged with murder following a fatal stabbing in Basildon town centre.

Daniel Mitchell-Monroe, 37,from Pitsea, died on Tuesday evening.

Joram Bakumanya, of no fixed address, is due to appear at Basildon Magistrates' Court later today.

Image source, Google

A pensioner has been threatened with a "criminal record" because her peacocks have been "intimidating residents".

Maldon District Council has issued a community protection warning notice stating Frances White must stop her peafowl in Mayland straying from her land.

Image source, Kate Carver

Owain Wyn Evans
Weather presenter, BBC Look East

A dry start, with possible showers later. Maximum temperature: 19C (66F).

Some well scattered showers are forecast for later this afternoon. 

Laurence Cawley
BBC News

Today on Local Live we will be taking a special look at teacher recruitment and telling the story of a barrister who has just given up the law to work in primary education.

Image source, Kate Carvey

We'll also be reporting on the latest in the fatal stabbing in Basildon and telling the story of peacocks which a council claims could land their elderly owner with a criminal record.

Stay tuned.