Wildlife fans can watch a pair of barn owls raise their second brood this season on a "nestcam", external.

Image source, Essex Wildlife Trust

The five cute chicks hatched over the last two weeks, almost as soon as the first two barn owls fledged the nest at Blue House Farm Nature Reserve in North Fambridge last month.

Essex Wildlife Trust, external, which runs the reserve, said only a small percentage of barn owls tended to breed twice in a season but sometimes a glut of prey - linked to good weather - can be responsible for more than one clutch of eggs being laid.

It's the first time the barn owls have bred for a second time in a year since the trust launched the webcam in 2012.

Image source, Peter Hewitt

A man from Brentwood has been arrested after a pursuit which stretched across part of Suffolk ended in a crash with two police cars.

Image source, Suffolk Police

Police tried to stop a silver Vauxhall Astra on the A140 at Eye at 11:30. The pursuit then went down the A140, on to the A14 and continued along the A12, before leaving at the Capel junction.

It continued through the village and re-joined the A12 southbound where the crash happened.

A 58-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, failing to stop, driving with excess drugs and having no vehicle insurance.

The driver of the car suffered minor injuries, but no police officers were hurt.

A lorry driver has been left with minor injuries after his vehicle, which was carrying a load of rice, overturned in Grays early this morning. 

Image source, Google

Motorists faced long delays when the road was closed for several hours after emergency services were called at 02:00 to deal with the spillage near the Treacle Mine roundabout.

Adam Pipe, Essex Police's casualty reduction manager, said: "It does look like the load it was carrying became insecure, wobbled, the driver tried to correct it and it's all gone over."

For up-to-the-minute updates on Essex's roads, go to BBC Travel.

The murder of a Polish man in Harlow and the suspected rise in hate crime following the Brexit vote have been condemned by European Commission, external president Jean-Claude Juncker. 

Image source, AP/ Jean Francois Badias

Mr Juncker defended the free movement of European Union citizens as he denounced the killing of Arkadiusz Jozwik in the town last month. 

Six teenagers, aged 15 and 16, have been arrested and released on bail. 

At his state-of-the-EU address to the European Parliament, Mr Juncker said, external: "We Europeans can never accept, never, Polish workers being harassed, beaten up or even murdered in the streets of Essex."

He added: "The free movement of workers is as much a common European value as our fight against discrimination and racism." 

Read more on Mr Juncker's speech here.

Job figures released today have revealed a slight rise in the number of people out of work in Essex. 

Image source, European Photopress Agency

According to the Office for National Statistics, external, more than 15,500 people were on unemployment benefits in the county last month. 

The number is up by almost 200 compared to July. Nationally there was a fall in unemployment.  

Kate Scotter
BBC News

Firefighters are still at the scene of a large hay fire that broke out last night.

Image source, Essex Fire and Rescue Service

Fire crews were called to more than 400 tonnes of hay alight at Hedingham Road, Blackmore End, near Braintree, at 20:30.

The blaze was put out by 06:25 this morning but firefighters from Saffron Walden are still at the scene, carrying out further safety checks.

Incident commander Darren Hockley said: "Crews did a fantastic job stopping the fire spreading to nearby hedgerows and a local business."

BBC Weather

This afternoon, it should remain hot and humid with lots of sunshine and some light winds. Maximum temperature: 28C (82F).

Tonight a dry, warm night is expected and fog patches will form again overnight, most likely in the west towards Harlow. Minimum temperature: 17C (63F).

Tomorrow, the fog patches will soon clear through the morning and sunny spells will develop across the count for another hot and humid day. Maximum temperature: 28C (82F).

More detailed forecasts are available at BBC Weather.

Listen as the president of the EU Commission, external condemns attacks on Polish workers in Britain and the "streets of Essex" during his annual state of the union address in Strasbourg.

Deborah McGurran
BBC Political editor, East of England

A Conservative MEP for the East of England, who supported Britain remaining in the EU, has told the European Commission to "calm down".

Vicky Ford warned Jean-Claude Juncker to "take time to get Brexit right", as he made his annual State of the Union Speech today. 

Mrs Ford said: "If we are forced to rip the UK out of the single market with no long-term plan then economies across all of Europe will suffer.

"Negotiators on both sides of the English Channel need to take time to get this right."

BBC Sport

Essex County Cricket , externalteam's head coach has paid tribute to his promotion-winning side.

The team claimed the Division Two title after six years in the league and clinched promotion against Glamorgan at Chelmsford in the County Championship yesterday. 

Chris Silverwood said: "Great credit to all the guys that were out there. The whole squad have played brilliantly throughout the year."

Listen to the live commentary as Essex face Glamorgan in day three of the four-day game.

A man and a woman have been arrested over the "suspicious" death of a Tilbury man in January.

Image source, Google

Police said they believed Steven Greenway was assaulted before his death.

The 49-year-old was found dead in his Riverside Heights flat in Dock Road on 18 January and police have appealed for anyone who heard a disturbance in the block the week before to come forward.

Det Insp Alan Pitcher said they were "making progress with the investigation".He said: "Inquiries are ongoing and I ask anyone who knows of Steven’s last movements to get in touch."

The man, 62, was held on suspicion of murder and conspiracy to commit murder and the woman, 54, on conspiracy to commit murder. The pair, both from Dover, were arrested on Tuesday and have been bailed until 30 November. 

BBC Travel

The Treacle Mine roundabout has been re-opened after an overturned lorry spilled its load of rice, but there are still severe delays on the A1012 in Grays.

For up-to-the-minute updates go to BBC Travel.

The president of the European Commission, external has used his state of the European Union address to say Europeans will never accept Polish workers being "murdered in the streets of Essex".

Image source, AP/Jean Francois Badias

Jean-Claude Juncker's comments come after the death of Arkadiusz Jozwik, fatally assaulted last month in Harlow, and an attack on two Polish men in the town earlier this month.

During his speech at Strasbourg's European Parliament, Mr Juncker said Europe's basic values must be defended.

He said: "An integral part of our European way of life is our values, the values of freedom, democracy, the rule of law.

"We Europeans can never accept, never, Polish workers being harassed, beaten up or even murdered in the streets of Essex."

Well done to anyone who has been getting involved with this today...

If you want to find out more about getting into cycling, read our special guide.

BBC Essex

A former player at Southend United has told BBC Essex defender Ryan Inniss should be judged by his actions on the pitch, not off it. 

Image source, Clint Hughes/Getty Images

The 21-year old has been freed from prison and given a suspended sentence for smashing a bottle over a man's head at a nightclub. 

Roy McDonough, who was sent off 22 times during his career, says Inniss should be given a chance.

Inniss, who is on a season-long loan at Southend United from Crystal Palace, was jailed for 14 weeks after he admitted assault.  A judge has now suspended the sentence for 18 months.  

BBC Travel

Essex Police is urging people to avoid the Treacle Mine roundabout in Grays this morning after a lorry carrying a load of rice overturned. 

A lot of diesel has also been spilled on the A1012 Elizabeth Road and officers say it's going to take a long time to sort out. 

BBC Travel has more details.

BBC Weather

A hot, sticky and humid again today with a top temperature of 29C (84F). 

But it will be cooler along the coasts.

BBC Weather has more details. 

Mariam Issimdar
BBC News

Good morning from the team. Another scorcher of a day with temperatures reaching up to 29C (84F)!.

Get out there and enjoy if you can. We'll be here in the office and on the road to keep you posted with all the county's news, sport, travel and weather. 

Image source, Page family

We start off with more on the inquest into the death of a man who died from a heart attack. Gary Page's wife says more could have been done to prevent his death after an inquest revealed that a private ambulance crew failed to realise what was wrong with him. 

The East of England Ambulance Service, external - which hired the company - has apologised.

Chez Isaac scores in each half as 10-man Braintree return to winning ways with a much-needed victory over Sutton United.

BBC Radio Essex commentary as captain Ryan ten Doeschate scores a single to secure Essex's promotion to Division One.