Andrew Woodger
BBC News

People in Harlow are defending the town against suggestions it's a town where "residents fear to live", as a headline in The Guardian, external suggested.

Michael Casey, the editor of Your Harlow, external who was born and bred in the town, said: "The reputation isn't fair - we don't know if Polish people have been 'targeted' and we've got an obfuscation of people coming from all sorts of different angles. 

"What has gone wrong is that there is a lot of anti-social behaviour which has continued to go on unchecked.

"You cannot eviscerate police numbers and then stand back and go 'look what's happening'. How many police are out there?"

Essex Police, external have said the suggestion that Arek Jozwik was the victim of a hate crime because of his nationality was just one line it was pursuing in its murder inquiry.

Residents of Harlow are annoyed by the way some national media organisations are portraying the town in the wake of the killing of a Polish man - and injuries inflicted on two other Polish men after they had attended a vigil in his honour.

Laura Davidson, who lives in the town, took to social media and appeared on BBC Essex earlier after reading a headline in The Guardian, external which said: "Harlow death exposes left-behind town where residents fear to live".

Ms Davidson said: "The headline I felt didn't really have anything to do with the facts of what happened.

"The Stow is not the prettiest of areas maybe, but it's got lots of shops and... there were lots of people milling around yesterday."

Two Polish ministers are poised to arrive in the UK following separate attacks on Polish men.

The Mail has photos, external of a giant portrait of singer Beyonce - created in a field in Great Notley near Braintree.

Chris Naylor (pictured) is the man behind the 40m (135ft) x 35m (115ft) image - which is in honour of the star's 35th birthday.

Image source, Chris Naylor

Relive text commentary of the latest round of County Championship games, including a hat-trick from Notts' Jake Ball.

BBC Weather

Light rain and drizzle possible throughout the afternoon as it peaks with a humid 20C (68F).

Tonight will remain humid as it drops by only a couple of degrees and there will be some mist developing in places.

Thanks to BBC Weather Watcher Ebb & Flow for this decidedly autumnal looking image from Saffron Walden. 

Ian Puckey
BBC Essex reporter

As a BBC poll reveals 60% of Britons felt "positive" about the future after the 52% v 48% split in favour of leaving the European Union - I found a butcher carving water buffalo in north west Essex who reflected that poll:

Andrew Woodger
BBC News

As the Rio Paralympics gets under way on Thursday... a disability football club in Brentwood has been given a £6,000 grant by the Football Foundation.

Image source, Brentwood Leisure Trust

Brentwood Soccability FC said it will now be able to appoint eight coaches to work with four new disability teams, including adult men, adult women, adult mixed and powerchair football (pictured).

Roger Davinson, chairman of the club and chief executive of Brentwood Leisure Trust, external, said: "[It] gives us the perfect opportunity to further develop our inclusive sport and fitness programme by introducing the most popular sport in the world... we will ensure that football is delivered to all ages, genders and abilities."

Two of Tchaikovsky's most famous ballets will be performed by his fellow Russians when they visit Essex next year.

The Russian State Ballet of Siberia has announced it will be at the Cliffs Pavilion in Southend with The Nutcracker (29 January) and returning for Swan Lake (26 February).

There will be two shows on each date as part of a national tour.

Image source, RSBoS

Andrew Woodger
BBC News

When Bill and Jean Dicken checked their lottery numbers on their computer, they thought they'd won £20,000.

They checked at their local shop in Benfleet and were given instructions to ring Camelot, external, the organisers of the National Lottery.

Image source, National Lottery

Jean said: "I rang and told the lady I thought we’d won £20,000 whereupon she said ‘It’s not £20,000, congratulations, you’ve won £1m’. 

"Well, all I could do was say ‘no’ over and over again as I tried to take it in. Poor Bill who was sitting beside me thought this meant we’d won nothing at all!"

Andrew Woodger
BBC News

A couple from Benfleet have won £1m in the special National Lottery Lotto Medal Draw, external which took place on Saturday, 27 August in honour of Team GB's Olympic success.

An additional 67 prizes were on offer after Britain won 67 medals - which included 27 extra prizes of £1m for the nation's gold medals.

Image source, National Lottery

Bill and Jean Dicken, who've been married for 53 years, won one of the £1m pots.

Ian Puckey
BBC Essex reporter

The Castle Point district, which includes Canvey Island, voted 72.7% in favour of quitting the European Union.

We've been to see if Leave voters felt they had made the right decision.  

Ian Puckey
BBC Essex reporter

More than 60% of Britons are "positive" about the future after the UK's vote to leave the European Union, a BBC poll finds.

I've been out to meet a voter in Saffron Walden to see if he's changed his mind after voting to Leave:

Simon Dedman
BBC Essex political reporter

I've been back to Clacton gauging the mood after people in the Tendring district voted 70% in favour of the UK leaving the European Union:

I'll bring you some of our findings later...

BBC Essex presenter James Whale has been back for his breakfast show after an absence of six weeks due to his appearance on Celebrity Big Brother, external on Channel 5.

He had a chat with fellow housemate and ex-EastEnders actor Ricky Norwood on his return to the radio studio:

Ben Fryer
BBC Essex sport

Oliver Fisher had a strong finish in the final round of the Omega European Masters golf in Switzerland yesterday.

The Chigwell player hit a 63 at Crans-sur-Sierre meaning he finished in joint-12th place, eight shots behind the winner Alex Noren.

Image source, Getty Images

The Swede won a one-hole play-off after tying with Scott Hend of Australia.

Lee Westwood finished in fourth place - five shots off the pace - while US Master champion Danny Willett was also back in 12th place.

Fisher is 114th in the European Tour rankings, external.

Ben Fryer
BBC Essex sport

Manager John McGreal says his Colchester side is still a team "in transition" after they lost their first game at home this season.

United were beaten 2-3 by Exeter in League Two - following two victories at home so far.

Image source, Colchester United

McGreal said: "To concede three goals when we're banging on about making this place a fortress, is disappointing.

"It's a transition - we've  got new signings and lost bodies - but we've got another home match [to Blackpool on Saturday] which we'll be ready for."

East Anglian Daily Times

On the front page of today's East Anglian Daily Times, external in Essex: 

Andrew Sinclair
BBC Look East political correspondent

This news East of England MEP Richard Howitt is standing down will come as a big blow to Labour supporters in the East.

For many years Richard Howitt has been the face of Labour in the region, the linchpin who held the party together after the the disastrous election defeat of 2010, the politician who could always be relied on to turn up at a local branch fundraiser.

But what will also come as a blow will be the fact that he has chosen to leave politics now. 

As an MEP, he knows he will lose his job when we leave the EU in a few years time, but for now there is still a job to be done in Brussels arguing for the UK's interests as Brexit negotiations get under way and the party would more than likely have rewarded his hard work with another job back in Britain.

Friends tell me that Jeremy Corbyn's leadership of Labour has been a factor in today's decision: he worries for the future of the party he loves and he fears Labour will be unelectable for some time to come.

But he also feels that as a British MEP he is starting to lose his influence, he's in his mid-50s and wants another career challenge before retiring.

There are many reasons for his decision, but there's no denying that for Labour in the East this is a big loss.

A man's been charged after a pet dog was attacked and killed in Grays.

Essex Police, external were called to Thames Road just after 00:35 on Sunday following reports that a man had assaulted a woman and kicked and stabbed a dog.

The dog was found in a nearby car park and died later. Two officers were allegedly assaulted during the disturbance.

A 30-year-old man from Wallace Road in Grays has been charged with assault, causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal, assault a police constable and assaulting a special constable.

He's due at Basildon Magistrates' Court today.