A man who murdered his ex-girlfriend in an "unprovoked and frenzied" attack is jailed for life.

Julie Reinger
BBC Look East weather

It’ll be a cloudy night with a few showers and some clear intervals. 

Some patchy mist and frost is likely, with temperatures in rural spots possibly dropping down close to freezing (32F).

After a cloudy, misty start, with some drizzle in places, Tuesday should be largely dry with bright or sunny spells developing, and a high of 7C (45F).

There are more details on the BBC Weather website.

A Colchester man who stabbed his former girlfriend to death in a "senseless attack" in Sheffield has been jailed for 26 years.

Tapiwa Douglas Furusa, 37, of Leonard Place, Clarendon Way, attacked Leigh-Anne Mahachi outside her home as she left for work on 12 April.

Image source, Family/SYP

Bank worker Leigh-Anne had left the house to go to work in the city centre when her mother heard screaming and shouting coming from outside.

She looked out and saw Leigh-Anne’s ex-boyfriend, Furusa, knelt over her, lashing out at the top half of her body with a knife.

Leigh-Anne was taken to hospital, but died a short time later.

Furusa was jailed for life at Sheffield Crown Court, with a minimum term of 26 years.

The Apprentice runner-up Courtney Wood says appearing on the BBC show has made him a bit more ruthless. 

The 29-year-old, from Stanford-le-Hope, just missed out on Lord Sugar's £250,000 investment for his novelty online gift shop.

Speaking to BBC Essex this afternoon, the Southend United fan said: "It's dog eat dog on the show, and you need to be on the forefront to succeed because you don't want to be fired and going home. 

"Now I feel I'm a bit more aggressive on my sales techniques and my negotiating."

Image source, Essex County Counci

It's the season of good will, and with just a few days to go until the big day, staff at Essex County Council have chosen to ditch their own office 'Secret Santa, external' and instead donate toys to disadvantaged children.

Staff gave more than £2,500 and 1,200 toys to add a bit of festive cheer to those less fortunate. 

They will now be distributed over the coming days.

The UK government's funding for an "Ethiopian girl band" has been placed "under review", MPs hear.

Waltham Abbey's Steve West gets his PDC World Darts Championship, external campaign under way tonight.

Image source, Getty Images

The 41-year-old faces number 22 seed Meryvn King, who has been runner-up twice at the BDO World Championships.

The action takes places at the Alexandra Palace in London. 

Richard Haugh
BBC Introducing in Suffolk

Congratulations to Superglu, who have seen off competition from Kasabian and The Cribs to be named the best live band of the year by readers of the Gigslutz, external website.

It's been an amazing year for Superglu, who are based in Manningtree/Ipswich. They headlined the BBC Introducing stage at the Reading and Leeds festivals in the summer, and have been selected to play at the South by Southwest Festival in Texas in March.

Announcing the win, Gigslutz said: "If you pay attention at all, you’ve no doubt heard of Superglu – but have you seen them live? A well-deserved win for the Manningtree band, put them on your bucket-list for 2017."

The band posted on their Facebook page, external, saying: "Thanks to everyone who voted. 2K16 was good to us and us alone."

The RSPCA is searching for the owners of this poor cat after it was found to have been shot three times in Clacton.

Image source, RSPCA

The black and white puss was found staggering along Alton Park Road on 9 December by a concerned member of the public. 

An x-ray later revealed the six-year-old animal had pellets lodged inside her leg and chest. 

The cat, named by the RSPCA as Noelle, is currently in the care of vets while her owner is tracked down. 

The UK government's funding for an "Ethiopian girl band" has been placed "under review", the international development secretary and Witham MP has announced.

Image source, Parliament

Priti Patel promised MPs she would work to ensure taxpayer "value for money", after reports the group Yegna was getting £5.2m.

She added that there were "many other ways" to deal with issues like forced marriage and violence against women.

But the government could not "vacate the pitch", Ms Patel said.

On this day in 1982, six people were killed in a ferry disaster when a ship leaving Felixstowe capsized after colliding with a cargo ferry from Harwich. 

Image source, Derek Sands

The European Gateway was left lying on its side on a sandbank and was refloated in 1983.

It collided at about 22:50 with the Speedlink Vanguard, which was a British Rail Sealink ferry heading into port.  

A memorial to the disaster was unveiled in Felixstowe in 2013.

Image source, Contributed

Staying mostly cloudy through the afternoon, with perhaps the odd spot of rain at times. 

Maximum temperature: 8C (46F).

Get your local forecast from BBC Weather.

Stuart Woodward
BBC Essex

Six koi carp, donated by members of the public, are beginning their new life in Colchester today, after 45 fish were killed by a vandal last month.

An 18-year-old man was found guilty of slashing a temporary container open that the animals were being kept in during maintenance work at Castle Park on 2 November. 

After an outpouring of donations, six koi carp, including a 19-year-old called Banquo, are settling into their new surroundings.

Jack Warren
BBC Local Live

Here's what's making the news in Essex this lunchtime: 

• Three cats have died in a house fire in Shoeburyness
• Witham MP and cabinet minister, Priti Patel, is facing questions about how millions in UK foreign aid is spent

• Basildon gymnast Max Whitlock came seventh at last night's BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards

Essex Police says it is not ruling out a link between Friday's armed robbery at the Co-op in Church Street, Braintree and an armed raid at a betting shop in Newland Street, Witham last Monday.  

Image source, Google

Det Insp Mark Cadd said: "Due to these similarities we are investigating to see whether or not they are linked, we will keep an open mind.

"Such incidents where multiple suspects enter and rob a shop are extremely unusual in Essex, and particularly in the Braintree District, so to have two in such a short space of time is obviously concerning."

Police are looking for four men who raided a Braintree Co-op armed with a crowbar, monkey wrench and screwdriver.

Image source, Essex Police

It happened in Church Street at about 19:50 on Friday.

The group are said to have threatened staff and made off with a three-figure sum of cash from the till and cigarettes worth a three-figure sum.

East Anglian Daily Times

Here is the front of today's East Anglian Daily Times, external:

Image source, EADT

Ben Fryer
BBC Essex sport

Southend United have enough players to cover for injuries to Simon Cox and Nile Ranger, manager Phil Brown says.

Image source, Getty Images/Southend United

Both strikers went off with muscular injuries in Saturday's 2-0 win at Oldham.

Brown, told us he is confident he can fill their roles if the pair are sidelined, and will be "guided by the physio" before making any decision. 

Basildon gymnast Max Whitlock came seventh at last night's BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards.

The double-gold Olympic champion, who trains at the South Essex Gymnastics Club, received over 32,000 public votes. 

In the end, Andy Murray romped home being crowned winner for the third time.  

Witham MP and cabinet minister, Priti Patel, is facing questions about how millions of pounds of UK foreign aid is spent.

The Conservative is due before the international development committee, external alongside her department's top civil servant.

One committee member said the MPs wanted to ensure "every pound is properly spent".

The government has been defending its record after newspaper reports questioned how aid cash is spent.

You can watch proceedings here on the Parliamentlive.tv, external website.