A brigadier admits to claiming money for sons' school fees in breach of British Army rules.

Vicky Ford MEP (Conservative, East of England) has today been re-elected chairman of the European Parliament's influential Internal Market and Consumer Affairs Committee (IMCO).

Mrs Ford first became chairman in 2014 and was re-elected unopposed. She will hold the post until the end of the current parliament, in May 2019.

Mrs Ford hopes she will be able to help keep Brexit talks "amicable".  

"The IMCO Committee looks at the practical elements of removing barriers to trade across Europe," she said. "I hope that many of these practical co-operation networks will continue for both the UK and the rest of the EU post-Brexit.

"Re-confirming a UK Conservative in this important role confirms my view that many across Europe wish to maintain a close co-operative partnership with the UK, minimise barriers to trade and keep an amicable and open dialogue during all negotiations, including those on Brexit."

Nikki Jenkins
BBC Local Live

That's a serious vehicle, apparently being driven by someone with a serious intention. That's what a stinger does to your tyres.

The highest ranking officer to be court martialed in 65 years has appeared at a brief hearing at Merville Barracks in Colchester.  Brig Charles Beardmore, 51, is believed to be the most senior officer put on trial by the Army since 1952. 

He appeared in full uniform to admit a single charge of negligently performing his duty. He's accused of claiming money for his two sons' school fees in breach of British Army rules:

• Continuity of education allowance can be claimed to help pay boarding school fees 
• The rate is £5,470 a term for junior school and £7,245 a year for seniors
• To qualify the couple must not spend more than 90 days living apart in any one year

Prosecutor Col Nigel Jones, who appeared by videolink, said that authorities established that Brig Beardmore's wife had not been in Germany for 173 days between January 14, 2014, and January 14, 2015. He said this was established through use of mobile phone records, bank records, flight details and by looking at Mrs Beardmore's work diary.

Brig Beardmore disputed the figure of 173 days but accepted that between 120 and 130 days was the "correct figure".

The court heard that there was no question of dishonesty and that the brigadier had lodged the fees for the term in question with his solicitor should they need to be repaid.

• The starting salary for brigadiers in the British Army is £101,147.
• Brigadiers are senior to colonels and outranked only by generals.
• The last brigadier to face a court martial is believed to have been Mike Calvert, a commander in the Second World War, in 1952.
• He was found guilty of gross indecency with male persons, 15 years before

          homosexuality was decriminalised but denied the charge until his death in 1998.

The hearing was adjourned for sentence on 14 March.

A "rare" hermaphrodite Staffordshire bull terrier has proved hard to rehome.

Most have dismissed the evidence as the work of squirrels, but tonight on BBC2's Winterwatch we can see it for ourselves.

Russell Savory, external, a passionate wildlife enthusiast and photographer, has spent hours freezing in the icy waters of the River Colne to prove his belief that water voles can climb, and climb high.

He spent hours submerged in the river, in temperatures as low as -4C, to get this groundbreaking film.

Voles live a hard life, rarely surviving into a second year. Having discovered this behaviour the question is what's driving it? Is it a food source? A shortage of something? Or have they just discovered something they like?

Nikki Jenkins
BBC Local Live

The Shadow Justice Secretary Richard Burgon says the government must end what he says is a crisis of overcrowding, understaffing, drugs and violence in our prisons.

It follows serious concerns expressed about Chelmsford Prison, and criticism over the death of 25-year old Dean Saunders, who took his own life in the jail last year.

Mr Burgon says Labour forced a debate on the issue for later this afternoon.

Sonia Watson
BBC Essex

Burglars who targeted a cabling company in West Thurrock may have been exposed to asbestos which puts them at risk of serious respiratory diseases and cancer.

They gained entry to UK Cables in Motherwell Way by smashing through a clear, corrugated roof panel over the weekend, police said.

Cable worth a five-figure sum of cash was removed. The company has told police the roof is made with asbestos and the building has been evacuated.

Image source, Google

Kate Williams
BBC Local Live

A business has been given permission to double its number of wild boar, despite fears that they are "a danger to children".

The New England Boar Company, which is based near Haverhill on the border of Suffolk and Essex, already has permission to keep 55 of the animals - but wants to up the number to 131.

Image source, PA

But a residents' group objected to the plans, saying: "Wild boar are a danger to children, pet dogs and the general public utilising the space around the wood."

Toby Wilson Waterworth, a campaigner who was at the meeting at Braintree District Council last night, said: "There did seem to be, we felt, a more favoured response towards the applicant, than actually was interested in hearing the concerns of the residents who turned up."

The New England Boar Company has so far been unavailable for comment.

Nikki Jenkins
BBC Local Live

That's what we're being told after three men posing as police carjacked a van, leaving the driver handcuffed in a ditch with a broken ankle.

It happened in Vicarage Lane West, in Epping, on Monday afternoon and police are still looking for the suspects: three white men.

One is described as around 5ft 10in tall, of slim build and aged in his mid-30s. He was wearing a black baseball-style hat or cap, a long-sleeved black top with black and white checkers on it. He had a slight Northern accent.

The second is over 6ft tall, of large build and in his early to mid-30s. He was wearing a black baseball-style hat or cap and a yellow high-visibility jacket with black and white checks on it.

The third man was wearing dark clothing and a black baseball-style cap or hat.

The stolen Ford Transit Luton van has the registration number BW65 LTA and features the Alley Cat Car and Van rental company logo.

Image source, BBC/screengrab

Nikki Jenkins
BBC Local Live

A man from Southend has spoken out about the racist abuse which started at school and has carried on even though he's moved hundreds of miles away.

Timi Ariyo is now studying at Bristol University but decided to speak out after seeing a video about him was circulating on social media. He hopes talking about the issue might stop it from happening to others.

Be warned the content is shocking.

You can read more about three students who are speaking up about the abuse on the Tab website, external.

BBC Weather

Today's freezing fog patches will tend to gradually lift into low cloud through the morning. 

It will remain dry but cloudy through the afternoon and become colder, with only limited brighter intervals. Maximum temperature: 3C (37F).

Tonight will be cold, and cloudy, with a widespread sharp frost, perhaps a little drizzle or very light snow. 

Later in the night the cloud may break, with clear spells by dawn.

Nikki Jenkins
BBC Local Live

Well it's been a foggy, drizzly, icy drive to work this morning, what the Scots would call 'dreek'.

It's supposed to get colder over the next 24 hours too,  but we'll have a full update for you and all the rest of the day's news. #WatchThisSpace #WrapUpWarm #HeadlightsOn

That's it for now from the BBC Essex Live team today unless a major story breaks overnight.

We'll be back as usual at 08:00 on Wednesday, but for now we'll leave you with a recap of the stories making the headlines in the county today.

• Chelmsford MP Sir Simon Burns has asked the justice secretary to visit the city's prison amid fears of under-staffing

• A gang of fake policemen leave a van driver trapped in ditch with a fractured ankle after a car-jacking in Epping
• The wife of a man left brain-damaged after a brutal attack in a Chelmsford park before Christmas says his family's lives have been "changed"
• A mystery Basildon lottery winner is urged to claim a £1m jackpot, more than two weeks after they struck lucky
• A new school for Chelmsford has been backed by the county council - and will take up to 1,200 pupils

Alex Dolan
BBC Look East weather

A dry but cold evening and night, with dense freezing fog patches forming.

The fog will become widespread overnight, with ice on untreated surfaces becoming an additional hazard. The Met Office has issued a yellow warning, with the potential for travel disruption.

Temperatures reaching a low of -3C (26F).

A cold and frosty start to Wednesday.

Fog will lift into low level cloud, and it'll remain cloudy with some brighter spells.

Maximum temperature: 4C (39F).

BBC Weather has more details for where you live.

A "rare" hermaphrodite Staffordshire bull terrier is struggling to find a new home, the RSPCA says.

Five suspected illegal immigrants have been arrested on the M11 in Essex.

Image source, Google

The four men and a child, believed to be from Sudan and Egypt, were detained near Harlow last night.

The adults are being questioned by Home Office officials, while the youngster is currently with social services.

A spokesman for Immigration Enforcement, external said: "Where someone has no right to remain in the UK we will take action to remove them."

Plans for a 1,200-place secondary school in Chelmsford have been given the green light by the county council, external. 

Image source, Essex County Council

The new school is earmarked for the Beaulieu Park area, where a big housing development is being built. 

It is hoped work on the school will start in July and will be finished in January 2019.

It will become Essex's first "all-through" school, the council has said, with a 420-place primary school and 56-place nursery due to open on the same site in September next year. 

An abandoned dog with both male and female reproductive organs is still looking for a new home months after being deserted by her owner.

Image source, RSPCA

Jodie, a Staffordshire bull terrier, is a hermaphrodite and was rescued by the RSPCA from Southend , externalin October.

The charity believes the 12-year-old dog's "very rare" condition is putting off potential new owners.

"Jodie has been with us for a number of months now and we haven’t had a single inquiry for her," said Kathy Butler, from the RSPCA’s Essex South, Southend & District branch.

"It’s such a shame because she is a lovely little dog." 

RSPCA staff who took her in soon discovered she was slightly unusual but said her condition didn't cause her any difficulties.

Concerns about the staffing levels in Chelmsford Prison, external have been raised in Parliament. 

Image source, Google

The city's Conservative MP, Sir Simon Burns, external, has asked Justice Secretary Liz Truss, external, if she would visit the jail to see the problems for herself.  

In his address to her, he said: "The greatest support we can give to prison officers is to make sure they have the right levels of staffing. 

"Is she aware there have been a number of significant problems highlighted by reports recently at Chelmsford Prison, which have been attributed to the under-staffing of the prison?"

Ms Truss replied: "We do need to recruit staff at Chelmsford, as well as other prisons. I am also keen to visit Chelmsford myself... and see the situation on the front line."

Yesterday, it was reported that the Prison Ombudsman found the criminal justice system "did too little to protect" a vulnerable inmate who electrocuted himself in the prison.