Nic Rigby
BBC News

We've been following the cancellation of some work at Basildon Hospital as it deals with a high number of patients needing its services.

The Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals Trust has declared an "internal critical incident", external.

Steve McManus, managing director, said: "We are well versed in responding to peaks in demand and our dedicated staff rise to the challenge, sometimes working extra hours, sometimes taking on different roles.

Image source, Getty Images

"Despite our best efforts, we simply cannot balance the number of patients we already have in our beds with the additional needs of new patients arriving with complex needs, so we need to respond to the situation to restore our services.

"I would like to ask the public for their understanding and co-operation. If you have an upcoming appointment at Basildon or Orsett Hospital, please arrive as planned unless you are contacted and told otherwise."

The hospital said it had had to cancel one "routine operation" so far.

The photograph shows the the derelict windmill at South Ockenden Windmill near Thurrock, Essex.

The picture was taken 55 years ago and shows a windmill dating backs to the 1820s. The building was listed as a structure of special interest but it collapsed in 1977.  

Image source, Getty Images

A five-year-old twin whose skull was fractured during his traumatic forceps delivery has won nearly £8.5m compensation from the NHS.

The youngster suffered a devastating brain haemorrhage during his birth at Colchester General Hospital in 2011, London's High Court heard.

And, when he was still a toddler, he contracted a virus that led to a catastrophic stroke, said senior judge, Mr Justice Foskett.

The two tragic events were "unrelated", but the end result was that the boy was left severely disabled for life.

Colchester University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust admitted liability for the injuries the boy suffered at birth.

Mr Justice Foskett said the trust had now agreed to a settlement of his case with a "capitalised value of just short of £8.5m".

The settlement will take the form of a substantial lump sum, plus index-linked and tax-free annual payments to cover the costs of the boy's care for life.

Nic Rigby
BBC News

Plans to change the name of Hythe railway station to Colchester Hythe are being submitted to the government.

Image source, Google

Colchester Borough Council has written to the secretary of state for transport to ask for the change to the lengthened name.

The council believes the change will help regeneration, giving the station greater prominence on timetables and reduce confusion with a similarly named station in Kent.

Councillor Mike Lilley, portfolio holder for safer communities and licensing, said: “The Hythe train station is located to the East Colchester regeneration area, which is undergoing a significant change. 

"The vicinity is changing from port operations to more residential and commercial sector development.

"We believe working together on this small change will have a significant positive impact on the local area.”

A pregnant woman and her one-year-old child are rescued from a car stuck in floodwater in Essex.

A pregnant woman and her one-year-old child have been rescued from a car that got stuck in flood water in Essex.

Nic Rigby
BBC News

The number of police officers using Tasers (electric stun weapons) in Essex will more than double with 92 officers undergoing training in their use.

Image source, Getty Images

Essex Police said the extra officers using these devices will include 23 police dog handlers.

If the training is a success 41 more officers are due to be trained.

Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh said: "A small but determined number of criminals and gangs are intent on bringing violence and fear to our streets.

"More well-trained officers able to use Tasers make communities and the people who protect them safer and I need the public to know that we will use all the tools at our disposal to take violent crime off our streets.” PC Ashleigh Watkinson, who is trained to use Tasers, said "Every time I prepare to use a Taser I need to be sure of the justification for it.

"I’ve had comprehensive training so I can use Tasers to keep the public safe in violent or dangerous situations.”  

BBC Essex have been out to Buttsbury Wash, near Ingatestone, where a pregnant woman and her one-year-old child have been rescued by Essex Fire Service from their car after getting stuck in floods:

Ninety eight years ago this month German submarines were captured on camera moored at Harwich in Essex at the end of World War One. 

The vessels, seen on this stereo card, were surrendered to Britain under the terms of the armistice signed by Germany. 

Image source, Getty Images

The submarines are described on the card as the "greatest menace that ever faced our Empire".

A building in Haverhill described as a "historic landmark" has been badly gutted by fire.

An East of England Ambulance Service paramedic from Southend tells the BBC he's been assaulted at work 50 times.

It follows the news that staff across the region were assaulted 232 times in 2015-16, compared to 195 the previous year.

An Essex pensioner is being treated for serious injuries this morning after being hit by a delivery van in Warley, near Brentwood.

The collision happened in Greensleeves Drive on Saturday afternoon when the victim was waiting to get into another vehicle.

The 84-year-old man, from Brentwood, was taken to the Queens Hospital in Romford. The van driver was unhurt.

Passengers using the Greater Anglia line through Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex and east London claimed more than £2.3m in compensation in the past year.

The train operator has been compensated in turn though, with Network Rail paying it £4.2m for unplanned disruption.

Despite the number of delays, the campaign group Transport Focus, external says only one in three make a claim, with some people not bothering because they can't face it or they feel the amount is too small.

Bus drivers set to strike over mystery shoppers:

Colchester United are on their way to relegation from League Two after 10 winless league games, says forward Kurtis Guthrie.

Nic Rigby
BBC News

Bus drivers in Harlow, Southend and Colchester could go on strike over plans by bosses to employ "mystery shoppers", who will report back to them on customer service.

There are about 350 drivers in Essex who work for Arriva Southern Counties and they say the idea of mystery shoppers assessing driver's skills in secret is unfair.

The union Unite claims the company has not been willing to provide customer service training for workers despite courses being available.

Arriva has told BBC Essex the mystery shopper service is currently being used at a number of its sites elsewhere in the country. 

It says it hopes to find a solution to avoid any disruption to services.

Helen Burchell
BBC News

We've been following the story of the gifts given to Essex police - which include a cat, Chihuahua harnesses and a feather duster.

Essex Police told the BBC: "We don't encourage it, but neither do we want to cause offence by refusing gifts." 

Image source, Thinkstock

Steve Taylor, from the Essex Police Federation, said: "No-one's ever offered me two Chihuahua harnesses, but what a fantastic gift. You'd be completely stumped by a gift like that."

It is not known whether officers were allowed to keep smaller gifts such as a bottle of chilli sauce, an anti-fog cloth for spectacles and fridge magnets from Slovakia.

Nor is it known whether an officer took up the offer of a personalised foot analysis session.

However, Mr Taylor said: "There are very strict rules. We must never accept anything that calls into question our impartiality.

"At the same time we have to balance the need not to be rude. In some cultures it's deeply insulting to return a gift."

A 16-year-old boy is due at Chelmsford Magistrates later, charged following a stabbing in Grays.

It happened last week - leaving an 18-year old man injured.

A teenager from Harlow has been charged with causing grievous bodily harm, possessing an offensive weapon and various drugs offences.  

Helen Burchell
BBC News

A live black and white cat, two Chihuahua harnesses and a feather duster are among the gifts given to the county's police force by the public.

Image source, Thinkstock

Essex Police's public financial records also list "a brace of pheasants" and washing-up liquid among donations.

The force said, while it was "flattering", all gifts were recorded and many donated to charities. 

It is not known what happened to the cat, but the force confirmed it does not use Chihuahuas in its dog unit.

The records cover gratuities and hospitality gifts given to the force over the past four years.

Nic Rigby
BBC News

A 15-year-old boy who was arrested in connection with the death of Polish national Arkadiusz Jozwik in Harlow has been rebailed.

Image source, Essex Police

Mr Jozwik (pictured), known as Arek, was attacked on 27 August.

Essex Police provided a file to the Crown Prosecution Service on 25 October for a decision on this case. The boy, who is from Harlow, was due to return on bail on 21 November, and the CPS asked Essex Police to extend his bail until 1 December, pending a decision on the case.