Alex Dolan
BBC Look East weather

A fine end to the day, but turning cloudy during the evening and overnight, with some light and patchy rain possible.

Turning misty during the night and staying frost free. 

Lows of 5C (41F).

Wednesday will start rather cloudy and misty, but it should stay mostly dry with some brighter spells.

Outbreaks of rain reaching us by end of the day and there could be a clap of thunder.

Top temperature: 12C (54F).

Get the full forecast where you live from BBC Weather.

Police are appealing for information after two men were admitted to hospital in Cambridge with stab wounds.

Officers were called to Haverhill at about 23:20 last night, to reports of suspicious behaviour, including a possible altercation, in the Marlborough Court and Wellington Terrace area of the town.

No-one was found, but as they began preliminary inquiries, officers discovered from their colleagues in Cambridgeshire that two men, one in his late teens, the other in his mid-20s, had been admitted to Addenbrooke's Hospital with stab wounds.

Both men are in a serious but stable condition.

Patrick Byrne
BBC News

Radio amateurs are celebrating the 95th anniversary of the start of Britain's first ever regular, advertised broadcast station, 2MT, which came live from Writtle. 

The Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society are transmitting from the same building where the broadcasts were made. 

Image source, Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society

Jim Salmon will also be operating a three-day internet radio service, Radio Emma Toc, featuring radio related documentaries, vintage comedies and live programmes from various locations. 

The first 2MT broadcast started at 19:15 on 14 February 1922 from an ex-army Marconi hut in a waterlogged field at Lawford Lane in Writtle. 

Image source, Chelmsford Museums

This famous hut is now on permanent display at Sandford Mill in Chelmsford and can be visited during the summer open days at the site.

The Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society regularly transmit to fellow hams from this historic hut.

Nikki Fox
Health reporter, BBC Look East

A 25-year-old pharmacy manager, from Tilbury, whose heart stopped beating suddenly has become the first person in the east region to be fitted with the world's smallest pacemaker. 

The operation was performed at Basildon Hospital, external's specialist heart unit.   

The pacemaker's 10 times smaller than those used in the past and unlike conventional units can be fitted inside the body. 

Joshua Taylor (pictured) said just before Christmas his heart stopped and he completely blacked out. 

"I stood up and had the usual warning signs - pressure on my nose and eyes and everything went blank. I woke up with my legs in the air."

Conventional pacemakers are fitted on to the chest and for a young active person at the beach, on holiday or at a swimming pool they are quite obvious, Dr Stuart Harrison at Basildon Hospital said. 

"The mini-pacemaker goes inside the body and no-one need ever know it has been fitted."

Patrick Byrne
BBC News

A deer has been found dead in a field where a crop was growing and the land has been churned up by a vehicle. 

Police found the animal and the damage at Navestockside in Brentwood on Saturday and have now increased patrols in the area. 

A vehicle was used to damage the land before it hit the deer which died. 

"The actions of those responsible for this incident are despicable. They have not only caused significant damage to crops but have killed a defenceless animal," Sgt Lisa Cooke said. 

"We would urge any farmers or landowners who have seen anything suspicious of indeed suffered anything similar to contact us."

Image source, The Morris family

Can you spot the difference between these two pictures?

Image source, The Morris family

Proud dad Kim Morris picked up his son for his graduation photograph 22 years after being snapped holding him as a toddler at his wife's graduation.

James Morris, 23, graduated with a BA (Hons) in Applied Psychology and Criminology from the University of Brighton last week and the family struck the same pose taken when his mother Ruth gained her Masters in Management Development from Salford University.

Ruth, from Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, said: “We are incredibly proud of James, in fact we couldn't be prouder.”

James, who lives in Brighton, conducted interviews at the YMCA for his dissertation and is now working for the YMCA, helping vulnerable people in the community.

Kim wore the same suit and tie for the photograph that he wore when she graduated in 1995, when James was 18-months-old, and he hopes to wear the same outfit at their younger son Alex’s graduation.

He said: “The suit is a little snug these days – it must have shrunk.”

Blerim Hajdarmataj, 24, of Chelmsford, was found guilty of sex offences by a jury in his absence last September.

Patrick Byrne
BBC News

House prices in Chelmsford are rising quickly and the city council is having to find a solution for residents who need accommodation but cannot afford it. 

It has invested in prefabricated box-style units with one or two bedrooms including a shower, washing machine and kitchen. 

The units will be set up on developments in Fox Crescent (artist's impression below) and Beeches Road.

Image source, Chelmsford City Council

"Over the last few years in Chelmsford we have seen a significant growth in house building, but there has also been a huge increase in the cost of housing," Paul Hutchinson, cabinet member for strategic housing, said. 

"We have seen a year-on-year increase in the number of people applying to the city council for help with their housing. 

"Unfortunately, many people have been unable to cope and we have a duty to help those in priority need, especially families with young children. 

"Our aim with these new developments is to provide safe and dignified accommodation to residents in need whilst we help them to find something more permanent." 

Patrick Byrne
BBC News

A planning application for 18 modular prefabricated self-contained homes on two sites in Chelmsford, external is to be presented to the city council today. 

Box-style units mounted on top of each other like shipping containers will be set up in Beeches Road and Fox Crescent. They will each contain one or two bedrooms and include a shower, washing machine and kitchen.  

Image source, Chelmsford City Council

They will provide short-term accommodation for families and individuals who have been made homeless, the city council said. 

Chelmsford has a housing shortage and the council expects the problem of people losing their homes to grow as finances get tighter. 

Accommodation in the city is still scarce and one-bedroom flats can command rents of more than £1,100 per month.

Simon Dedman
BBC Essex political reporter

Council tax bills are to rise by 3% from April costing the average household in Essex an extra £35 a year.

Essex councillors agreed to raise the tax earlier today and it is expected to bring in £17m more to budgets to be spent on care of the elderly and those with learning difficulties and disabilities. 

Despite the rise the authority still has to cut its social care spending by £55m in the coming year.  

Conservative council leader David Finch also outlined plans to raise levels of qualifications and skills, improve transport infrastructure and supporting business growth.

Mr Finch said: "We already spend more than £1.4m a day on adult social care and the number of people over 85 who need care is set to grow by 50% in the next decade."

He pledged to continue to lobby government for a review of the care system for future generations.

Kevin Burch
BBC Look East

Witness statements from people who worked with Ali Qazimaj at an environmental company in Essex have been read to jury at Ipswich Crown Court.

They said Mr Qazimaj, who is accused of the murders of Sylvia and Peter Stuart from Weybread, Suffolk, was known as a bit of a gambler, who'd been given advances on his wages, and also borrowed money from colleagues.

One described him as a bit of a fantasist.

He told them he'd witnessed war in Montenegro and suffered gunshot wounds.

A comment about planning a robbery on a house in Ipswich or near to it was dismissed by Joshua Sage, a fellow worker, who said in his statement that he thought he was just chatting rubbish.

On 3 June last year, Mr Qazimaj had appeared subdued and withdrawn, the jury was told, and after an altercation he said he was quitting and was escorted from the premises.

On leaving Mr Sage said he'd asked him .. "Where are you off to then?"

The reply ... "Best you don't know".

Image source, Suffolk Police

The court was told that two days later, a Citroen C3 car registered to Mr Qazimaj, was found parked close to the port of Dover.

The police broke in and found a sports bag and a cricket bat in the boot.

In the passenger footwell was a shopping bag containing a torch which was still switched on.

The trial continues.

The minority parties on the 75-member Conservative-run Essex County Council also contributed to today's debate over the budget. 

UKIP did not propose any changes to plans presented by council leader David Finch, but leader Nigel LeGresley said he had some concerns about provision for care and roads.

He was also alarmed by a note from an official that the budget carried "significant financial risk". 

James Abbott, for the Greens, said he would support the LibDems idea for a contingency fund but no increase on the lines outlined by Labour leader Ivan Henderson. 

Labour would raise council tax by 5% to fund adult social care and would reverse some of the £55m proposed cuts.

Simon Dedman
BBC Essex political reporter

A proposal to create a "social care pressures reserve" fund of £2.5m to tackle bed blocking in Conservative-run Essex, external has been put before the county council. 

Councillors are debating the budget for 2017-18 in the light of a government grant cut of £44m and a need to increase provision for care as the population increases by 21%. 

Liberal Democrat leader Mike Mackrory said as presented the budget "contains little wriggle room" for care so he wants to set aside a bed blocking contingency fund. 

Ivan Henderson, Labour group leader said the budget "fails to assess the impact on people". 

He set the spotlight on an overall cut of £55m in adult social care despite the 3% increase in council tax aiming to raise £17m for that part of the budget.

Kevin Burch
BBC Look East

The trial of Ali Qazimaj, who is accused of the murders of Sylvia and Peter Stuart from Weybread, has been told a bank card belonging to Mrs Stuart was used to pay £25 at Goodies Farm shop in Pulham Market, Norfolk, where she and her husband were seen on CCTV for the last time on morning of 29 May 2016.

Image source, Suffolk Police

The next day, at night, £300 was taken from the account in two quick withdrawals from a cash machine in Grays in Essex. 

The jury at Ipswich Crown Court was told that in the next few hours further attempts were made to withdraw a total of £1,300 from other cash machines in the area but all declined. 

CCTV cameras at some of the cash machines at the time filmed someone in a hooded top and dark clothing. 

Ali Qazimaj is accused of the murders of Mrs Stuart, who's still missing, and her husband who was found stabbed near their Suffolk home last June.

But the defendant denies it and claims he's the victim of mistaken identity.

The trial continues.

Simon Dedman
BBC Essex political reporter

Proposals to raise council tax in Essex by 3% has brought somewhat expected different reactions from the parties on the county council. 

The government grant to Conservative-run Essex for 2017-18 is £44m and this means cuts will have to be made, said leader David Finch.

The 3% rise in council tax would all go on boosting adult care services. 

Labour Party leader Ivan Henderson said the rise should be the full 4.99% allowed by the government, but opposition leader Mike Mackory said LibDems would not support any increase above the 3%.

Mr Finch said he had ambitions to boost the county's economy from the current £33bn to £60bn by 2025, virtually doubling its size over eight years. 

Also a lottery will be launched later this year to raise money for community projects.

Michael Beckwith died two days after he was attacked in Harwich.

Patrick Byrne
BBC News

The entire contents of the former ARLA Dairy at Hatfield Peverel are to go under the hammer and the sale is attracting international interest, according to the auctioneers. 

The site was closed last year following ARLA Food UK's decision to concentrate milk production at its new billion-litres-a-year dairy at Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire.

Image source, Arla

Auctioneers CJM Asset Management, external will dispose of hundreds of thousand of pounds worth of plant, machinery and equipment in the auction on Thursday 23 February. 

Director Paul Cooper said: "The Bury Lane site is to be cleared and redeveloped so everything has to go. 

"A number of interested parties have already had private viewings, including major dairy industry players based in Scotland and Wales. 

"In terms of foreign interest, we have not only been fielding inquiries from the Continent, but even from as far away as Turkey and New Zealand."

A paedophile hunter who says he has several "sting" operations under way claims his work led to the arrest of an Essex man who thought he was meeting a 13-year-old girl. 

But police say groups of private individuals who target paedophiles could be putting innocent people at serious risk. 

A residential home manager claims Essex needs more funding to improve services for older residents who need care.

Patrick Byrne
BBC News

A new nursery, community hall and nine new houses are to be built in Shoeburyness, external. 

Planning permission has been granted to demolish and redevelop the library and referral unit, the existing car park and community hall in Centurion Close.

Image source, Shoeburyness District Council

The Department for Education, external has contributed £331,837 for 24 new nursery places and to extend its current 26 places from part time to full time. 

Development of the site will start soon, with the nursery set to open in Autumn 2017. 

"This project will deliver a new state of the art nursery for local children with high quality play areas both inside and out," said James Courtenay, executive councillor for children and learning at Southend Borough Council. 

"Thanks to our successful funding bid, we can also develop new and existing childcare places for working parents ready for September 2017 when the new 30 hours of free childcare entitlement begins."