Patrick Byrne
BBC News

Morning! And welcome to today's Essex Live page on a bright but cold morning - for the first time since last year I arrived at work in the light.

We'll bring you the latest news, sport, weather and travel updates from now right through until 18:00 this evening. 

Here are some stories we will be covering: 

• Man appeared before Chelmsford magistrates charged with attemtped murder over a stabbing in January 
• Well behaved pupils at a Canvey school go home early but a union calls scheme "detention" for others

To contact us we're on email, Facebook, external and Twitter, external.

Reece Hall-Johnson scores Braintree's winner over North Ferriby, who slip to the bottom of the National League table.

Colchester boost their play-off chances as two first-half goals set them on their way to a deserved win over Barnet.

The teenager was one of two people arrested after three men were run over during a fight.

Fred Onyedinma heads the only goal of the game as Millwall overcome 10-man Southend in League One.

The former Conservative minister mixes up two John Clarkes in a letter to Jeremy Corbyn.

A specialist masters degree in science fiction and fantasy to be rolled out in 2018.

Pupils who behave well during the day can go home 10 minutes before those who do not.

We're signing-off until Monday when we'll be back from 08:00 with all your news, travel, sport and weather.

But before we go, here's a look at some of the stories we've been covering this freezing Friday: 

• Sister pays tribute to lorry driver killed in A12 crash
• A group of suspected illegal immigrants is found on a motorway  
• Essex MP tables no-confidence motion against Commons Speaker over Trump comments

We'll leave you with this photograph taken by one of our Weather Watchers ObTheGardener at Braintree.

Have a great weekend.

Stuart Woodward
BBC Essex

The sister of Gurdip Johal, who died when his lorry plunged off a bridge on to the A12 at Witham on Wednesday, has spoken of the heartache felt by his family.

Julie Reinger
BBC Look East weather

Further outbreaks of rain, sleet or snow and this could lead to a covering of snow in places across the BBC East region tonight.

It's also likely to turn quite murky at times with the risk of frost and ice, as temperatures fall. 

Minimum Temperature: -1C (30F).

Saturday will be cold and cloudy with further wintry showers feeding in on a light-to-moderate north to north-easterly wind. 

These showers are likely to turn mainly to rain by the afternoon. 

Maximum Temperature 4C (39F).

More details from BBC Weather:

We've been telling you about the new £70m train maintenance depot that's been unveiled for Manningtree...

Greater Anglia, external has said it is a "vital transformation" for railway services in the region. 

Managing director Jamie Burles said: "Providing a depot at Manningtree will enable us to bring in our ambitious new timetable with more frequent trains and reduced journey times. 

"It also reduces the amount of time that trains are out of service for maintenance."

Image source, Greater Anglia

Here's a bit more about what it will entail:

• There will be 13 tracks where trains can be parked overnight for cleaning and toilet maintenance
• Two further tracks will be under cover in a 300m (984ft) shed
• The shed will feature train inspection pits and cranes for maintenance
• The depot will cover 22 acres
• A new wheel lathe will be installed
• There will be a train wash, remote train monitoring systems, a control room and spares storage

Stuart Woodward
BBC Essex

The sister of Gurdip Johal, who was killed when his lorry fell off a bridge on to the A12 at Witham, has paid tribute to him on BBC Essex:

A vision for a £70m train maintenance depot on the Essex/Suffolk border has been unveiled.

Image source, Greater Anglia

Greater Anglia, external plans to build the state-of-the-art facility on the site of a derelict chemical works factory at Brantham, across the Stour estuary from Manningtree railway station.

It will provide a base and light maintenance for about 20 of the new trains due to arrive in East Anglia from 2019. 

The depot, expected to be built by December 2018, will provide jobs for about 30 people.

James Cartlidge, MP for South Suffolk, said: "I'm absolutely delighted. 

"This is an enormous decrepit, decaying site which is crying out for regeneration and it's now going to be delivered."

Essex Police are confirming that lorry driver Gurdip Johal was the only fatality when his vehicle crashed off Coleman's Bridge at Witham on to the A12 below.

The A12 is open, but the B1389 across the bridge is still closed.

For the latest, visit BBC Travel.

The sister of lorry driver Gurdip Johal says news of his death "still isn't real for her, her mother and her younger brother".

Mr Johal, 30, from Witham, died when his lorry came off Coleman's bridge in the town and crashed on to the A12 on Wednesday afternoon.

Image source, Mannie Kaur

His sister Mannie Kaur said the family heard the news on Thursday morning: "I heard my mum screaming and crying hysterically. I ran downstairs and she was saying: 'My boy is gone'. 

"We didn't know what was going on. At first I thought she might have had a nightmare, but the more she was screaming we realised something had actually happened. 

"Right now it still isn't real for any of us."

Essex Police are still investigating the cause of the crash.

Following yesterday's vote, UKIP have gained a seat at Tendring, winning Great & Little Oakley with a total of 216 votes and taking it from an independent candidate.

It brings the party's total number of seats on the council to 13, but the Conservatives are still in control.

BBC Essex's Political Reporter Simon Dedman has been reflecting on the news...

The sister of a driver killed when his lorry came off a bridge and crashed on to the A12 says he was "the best brother you could ever ask for".

Gurdip Johal, 30, was pronounced dead at the scene of Wednesday's crash in Witham.

Image source, Family photo

His sister Mannie Kaur said: "He was quite private, kept his emotions inside but had a good sense of humour.

"He was lovely, friendly, polite - he was the best brother you could ever ask for.

"He stepped up to be almost like a father to us... he was always there for my brother and I and our mother."  

Earlier, we heard the ideas of a former governor of HMP Chelmsford, about mentoring, deporting foreign nationals instantly and moving jails to parts of the UK where labour and other costs are cheaper.

The POA has a different view:

Two people have been injured in a crash in Loughton.

Paramedics were called to Oakwood Hill just after 09:00 and two rapid response vehicles and two ambulance crews were also sent.

The East of England Ambulance Service said medics were on scene within three minutes of the call coming in.

Both people were taken to hospital with injuries to their hands and arms.

Image source, Google