Updates for Friday, 30 December 2016
About 300 people attend a beach vigil for two teenagers killed in car crash
'I can't sleep or eat - I can't focus straight', says dead youth's friend
Call for a minute's applause in tribute to dead youths
Firms fined thousand over Benfleet asbestos
Artist auctions portrait of late Star Wars star
Man arrested after police threatened with 'firearm' in village
Ambulance service provides a 'Twitterthon' today
Staying with the weather... the Met Office, external has issued a "yellow warning" for freezing fog patches across the East of England.
Driving conditions may be difficult and journeys may take longer.
The fog patches are expected to thin slowly, but may persist throughout the day.
A chilly start with patchy fog in places, but this will clear to leave bright spells later. Sara Thornton has the full regional forecast.
You can get the detailed forecast where you live from BBC Weather.
Mariam Issimdar
BBC News
Hello from the team on this cold and frosty Thursday.
Between now and 18:00, we'll have the news, sport and travel updates for you. Sara Thornton will have the weather forecast shortly, and it's looking like a chilly day.
Don't forget to get in touch if there's anything happening in your part of the county that you'd like to share with us.
A 6ft rhea that was spotted on the loose on Christmas Day remains on the run, police admit.
Read More
Patrick Byrne
BBC News
That's it from the Essex Live team today so it's goodbye for now. We'll be back from 08:00 tomorrow, bringing you the news, sport, travel and weather updates as they happen.
Just scroll down through today's news to catch up - but here are some headlines:
If you have any photographs from around the county that you'd like to share, or if there's anything happening that you'd like us to know about, you can contact us via email, Facebook, external or Twitter, external.
Have a good evening.
It will be dry and frosty across the region overnight with mist and freezing fog patches. Minimum temperature: -2C(28F).
There'll be some sunny intervals tomorrow after a frosty start.
However, widespread mist and freezing fog, dense in places, may persist all day in some locations. Maximum temperature: 4C (39F).
BBC Weather has more.
Richard Daniel
BBC Look East
Friends of two teenage boys who died after a crash in Leigh-on-Sea have paid tribute to them.
Leigh-on-Sea crash: Friends pay tribute to two killed teenagers
Reigan Knight, 17, who has been named locally and on social media, died at the scene of the crash in Southsea Avenue just after midnight on Tuesday.
Liam Phillips, also named on social media, died of his injuries in hospital on Wednesday. Flowers have been laid at the scene of the crash and people have been paying tribute online, external.
Keeley Boissinot wrote on Facebook: "RIP Reigan and Liam, Far too young to pass away."
Shane Davies also wrote on Facebook: "RIP Liam Phillips and Reigan Knight much love for you both why did it have to be you my heart's going out for family and friends gone but never forgotten RIP BRO."
A second teenager dies following the crash of car being pursued by police
Read MoreA search for two missing fishermen who disappeared when their boat capsized in the English Channel is called off for the day.
Read MorePatrick Byrne
BBC News
British Transport Police have just released details of a sexual assault on a 16-year-old boy on a train in Essex.
They have appealed for information and witnesses following the attack on a service from Colchester North to Colchester Town on 6 October.
A man sat next to the boy and engaged him in conversation before taking hold of his arm and forcing him to touch him inappropriately, a police spokesman said.
The man is described as white and slightly tanned with short brown hair and stubbly facial hair.
He spoke with a local accent and when he left the train at Colchester Town station was wearing a black polo type shirt with a white square outline bearing a motif of a coffee bean.
He was pushing a blue/turquoise racing-type bike with a metal basket on the front.
A schoolgirl with dyslexia has designed a virtual reality system to help spot the early signs of the condition.
Read MoreA pensioner says she has never felt so vulnerable after falling victim to a phone scam.
Read MorePatrick Byrne
BBC News
A long serving trading standards officer says an identity theft scam in which fraudsters raised a loan in the name of a 71-year-old woman was one of the most difficult cases he has ever had to deal with.
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Patrick Byrne
BBC News
Police are renewing an appeal for information to help them find a man from Colchester wanted for questioning.
Image source, Essex PoliceBen Moisey is wanted in connection with allegations of making threats to kill and possession of a firearm.
The 31-year-old of Ilex Close is described as white, 5ft 6ins tall, of stocky build with tattoos on either side of his neck.
Patrick Byrne
BBC News
Image source, Lupus FilmsAward-winning actors Jim Broadbent and Brenda Blethyn are among the star voices in the animated film Ethel & Ernest, based on Raymond Briggs' 1998 graphic-novel which was a tribute to his parents, directed by a man from Essex.
Image source, Lupus FilmsMr Briggs, creator of The Snowman, said: "Brenda Blethyn and Jim Broadbent got my parents absolutely spot on. When their voices came over, it was like my mum and dad were in the room."
The film begins in 1928 when Ethel and Ernest's first meeting happens by chance while she is working as a lady's maid.
When Ethel shakes her yellow duster out of a window she catches Ernest's eye as he cycles by on his way to work.
Ernest surprises Ethel at work with some flowers and an invitation to the pictures
Roger Mainwood, who directed the film and lives near Colchester, also worked as an animator on The Snowman, Where the Wind Blows and Father Christmas.
"As director it's a bit like conducting an orchestra... to bring the best out of everyone. We all felt it was such an important thing to get right as it's such a personal story for Raymond, we just couldn't mess up on this one," he said.
The filmed is tipped as a highlight in the BBC One Christmas schedule.
A 17-year-old boy had died in hospital, the second teenager to have been killed following an incident on Tuesday when the car they were in collided with a BMW before hitting a wall in Southsea Avenue in Leigh-on-Sea, police said.
The other 17-year-old died at the scene.
A 16-year-old boy from Great Wakering has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving in connection to the fatal crash.
He is also charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving without a licence and without insurance. He is due to appear at Chelmsford Youth Court today.
Another 17-year-old, from Shoebury, was arrested on suspicion of possession of drugs and has been released on bail until 14 January pending further inquiries.
The incident has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission as the crashed car was being followed by a marked Essex Police vehicle.
BBC Travel
The fog is still lingering on our roads this lunchtime.
There are currently delays on the M11 southbound because of poor visibility.
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Two 17-year-old boys have died after a Ford Escort car being pursued by police failed to stop and collided with a BMW and a garden wall in Essex.
The accident happened in the early hours of Tuesday morning near Glendale Gardens in Leigh-on-Sea.
The case has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission who said: "Investigators have been deployed to the scene to oversee evidence collection and to a local police station where the officers are participating in a post-incident procedure."
Two other teenagers, who were also both injured, have been arrested, Essex Police said.
... spare a thought for passengers on the Caledonian Sleeper, external.
According to figures from the Office of Rail and Road, external, the average age of their rolling stock is 41 years, compared to a sprightly 27 years for Greater Anglia - putting them in seventh oldest place nationally out of 20.
In case you want to treat yourself to a trip on the newest rolling stock in Britain - head to the Transpennine Express, external. The carriages have an average age of nine years according to the findings.
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