Colchester United goalkeeper James Bransgrove tells BBC Essex why he is giving up professional football at the age of 21

Regular updates from Essex Live have now finished - here are the top stories from today: 

• CCTV has captured the moment a firework, thrown from a passing car, narrowly missed a dog walker in Wickford
• Entertainer Michael Barrymore wants £2.5m in damages after suing Essex Police, a preliminary court hearing has been told
• A licence to build one of Britain's biggest waste incinerators near Witham has been refused by the Environment Agency  

The team returns tomorrow from 08:00 - have a great evening. 

Alex Dolan
BBC Look East weather

It'll be rather cloudy this evening, with the chance of showers across southern counties. Gradually clearing eastwards with clear spells developing from the west later in the night. 

Temperatures dropping with the risk of a frost. A low of 1C (34F).

Tomorrow will be a cold day with long spells of sunshine during the morning. Turning a little cloudier later in the day, but staying dry. 

Clouding over during the night and winds picking up. Highs of 7C (45F).

Get the latest where you live at BBC Weather.

The Environment Agency's decision to refuse a licence to build one of biggest waste plants in Europe in Rivenhall will give residents something extra to celebrate this Christmas, an MP has said. 

Priti Patel, MP for Witham, said locals had been concerned about what impact the 25 hectares (62 acres) site would have on the area.

"The Environment Agency have acknowledged these concerns and recognised that the proposals will have a very negative impact on our environment," she said. 

Colchester United goalkeeper James Bransgrove quits football at the age of 21 to focus on a career in business.

A former Tory cabinet colleague of Lord Jenkin, Lord Fowler (pictured below), has paid tribute to him after his death at his home in Bury St Edmunds.

Lord Fowler said Lord Jenkin was a "kind and principled man" who was highly respected in Parliament.

The Lord Speaker said: "Patrick Jenkin was a mainstay of the first Thatcher cabinets. He headed the Department of Health and Social Security, which dealt with some of the most politically contentious issues of the 1980s.

"He was immensely hard working and conscientious as I got to understand when taking over from him in 1981. He was also a very kind and principled man.

"He never perhaps received the public credit that he deserved. However, amongst colleagues in the House of Commons and the House of Lords he was highly popular and respected."

Nic Rigby
BBC News

We've been covering the news that former cabinet member Patrick Jenkin has died at his home in Bury St Edmunds, aged 90.

Charles Patrick Fleeming Jenkin was born on 7 September 1926 in Edinburgh. He was educated at Clifton College and served in the army with the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders from 1945 to 1948.

On his return, Mr Jenkin graduated with first-class honours in law at Jesus College, Cambridge.

Before entering Parliament as MP for Woodford as successor to Sir Winston Churchill in 1964, Jenkin helped to found the Bow Group, then a left-of-centre Tory pressure group.

In the Heath government of 1970 to 1974, Jenkin (pictured below in 1974) served as financial secretary, chief secretary to the treasury and minister of energy.

Image source, PA

When the Tories returned to government in 1979 (see top picture), he became secretary of state for social services, followed by industry secretary and then environment secretary until he left the government, reluctantly, in 1985.

His removal from the government for alleged political failure was regarded as unfair not only by him but by many of his colleagues.

It appears that Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher dropped him because she was dissatisfied with his handling of the abolition of the Greater London Council and the metropolitan authorities.

He was made a peer in 1987.

Jack Warren
BBC Local Live

BBC Essex presenter Dave Monk has a bit of a grin on his face today, after he was praised by a local MP for his work in a Parliamentary report. 

Image source, James Duddridge

Earlier this year, the Drivetime host grilled c2c boss Julian Drury over changes to the rail firm's timetable, which caused chaos for many of the county's commuters. 

Image source, James Duddridge

The veteran broadcaster was described as "wonderful" by Southend East Conservative James Duddridge.

CCTV has captured the moment a firework was thrown from a car, narrowly missing a dog walker in Wickford, Essex.

Lisa Hayward described hearing an "almighty bang" as she walked her pets in London Road on Friday, 16, December.

It comes after several reports in the past week from Essex residents claiming similar incidents had happened to them.

There have been no reports of any injuries.

Essex Police said it was investigating and has appealed for any witnesses to come forward.

CCTV has captured the moment a firework was thrown from a car, narrowly missing a dog walker in Wickford, Essex.

Lisa Hayward described hearing an "almighty bang" as she walked her pets in London Road on Friday, 16, December.

It comes after several reports in the past week from Essex residents claiming similar incidents had happened to them.

There have been no reports of any injuries.

Essex Police said it was investigating and has appealed for any witnesses to come forward.

Entertainer Michael Barrymore wants £2.5m in damages from Essex Police for unlawful arrest but the force thinks he should get £1, a court is told.

CCTV has captured the moment a firework, thrown from a passing car, narrowly misses a dog walker in Wickford, Essex.

Entertainer Michael Barrymore wants £2.5m in damages after suing Essex Police, who arrested him following the discovery of a body in his swimming pool, a preliminary court hearing has been told. 

Image source, PA

Stuart Lubbock, 31, of Harlow, was found dead after a party at Barrymore's house in Roydon in March 2001.

Senior officers believe the 64-year-old, who took legal action against Essex Police as a result of being held and questioned, should be paid £1.

A judge is expected to make a decision after a High Court trial in London, scheduled for summer 2017.

BBC Weather

The afternoon will be dry and bright at first but will become cloudier later. 

Maximum temperature: 11C (52F).

Get your local forecast from BBC Weather.

Margaret Thatcher saw Patrick Jenkin as a team player and a man who would not make mistakes, Lord Tebbit (pictured) has told BBC Essex. 

The former government minister described the 90-year-old as a "very decent straight forward man" who "always carried the confidence of the prime minister and his colleagues".

"If he said something in the House of Commons he would be believed not only by his own side but by members of the opposition," Lord Tebbit added.

The former Essex MP and cabinet member Patrick Jenkin has died, aged 90. 

Lord Jenkin was first elected as MP for Wanstead and Woodford in 1964, taking over from Winston Churchill. 

He served in the government under Edward Heath and Margaret Thatcher before being made a peer in 1987.

A statement said Lord Jenkin, father of Conservative Harwich and North Essex MP Bernard Jenkin, died peacefully at home in Bury St Edmunds, with his family at his bedside.

A licence to build one of Britain's largest waste facilities and incinerator in Rivenhall was refused by the Environment Agency over concerns about emissions.

The agency claims Gent Fairhead & Co. Ltd, the company which submitted the application, "failed to demonstrate" how the plant would reduce its impact on the environment. 

Concerns were also raised over the height of the proposed incinerator stack. 

A licence to build one of Britain's biggest waste incinerators near Witham has been refused by the Environment Agency.

Image source, Essex County Council

Earlier this year, Essex County Council granted planning permission for the site at Rivenhall Airfield,, external which is about 25 hectares (62 acres) in size.

Plans for the facility showed it had capacity to burn up to 600,000 tonnes of waste a year.

More on this story as we get it.

Southend United could be without Nile Ranger for up to 10 days, manager Phil Brown has said.

Image source, SUFC

The striker picked up a problem with his thigh during Saturday's 2-0 win at Oldham. 

Speaking during the team's visit to see children at Southend Hospital, external, Brown said the club were still waiting for Ranger's scan results, but it was "touch and go". 

"It looks like he has a grade one strain," he added.

However, there was some good news on the injury front, as striker Simon Cox could be back on the training ground this week with a view to play some part in Boxing Day's game against AFC Wimbledon. 

BBC Sport

Essex batsman Alastair Cook is "very close" to quitting as England captain, believes former skipper Michael Vaughan.

Image source, Getty Images

Cook, 31, said he will "go home and do some thinking" over his future after the 4-0 Test series defeat by India.

"His body language over the last three matches was one where he looks like he might be thinking of calling it a day," Vaughan told BBC Sport.

However, Vaughan believes Cook is not certain to resign and said taking time to decide was the correct move.