Officers have stopped more than 20 motorists in Essex for using their mobile phones behind the wheel, despite the harsher penalties introduced today.

The Under Secretary of State for Prisons, Sam Gyimah, has outlined reforms being introduced to deal with record levels of self harm in prisons.

He began his address by welcoming Mark Saunders, whose son Dean died in Chelmsford jail,  to Westminster.

He told the committee there would be new training for staff, new self harm diagnostic tools introduced into each prison to help identify those at risk, and a national learning day on 14 March for all prison staff on suicide and self-harm.

He also revealed that increased funding is being given to the Samaritans to provide targeted support for prison staff and directly to prisoners.

Richard Haugh
BBC Introducing in Suffolk

More good news for SuperGlu, the Manningtree/Ipswich-based band who are off to play the South By Southwest Festival next month.

Having already been picked to play two showcases at the prestigious festival in Texas, they have now been announced as guests at a BBC Music-curated event .

Most of us struggle raising just one or two kids, but Margaret and David Cox from Harlow have helped more than 60 children, and say they've "loved every minute of it".

The couple, who have two boys of their own, originally intended to adopt but fostered for the first time back in 1986: a 15-year-old girl, about the same age as their eldest son.

They described it as a "steep learning curve" but it obviously didn't put them off.

Margaret, who was a mental health nurse at Harlow’s Princess Alexandra Hospital, said: "We still get visited by a number of the children now and just to see how they’ve all moved on with their lives and made something of themselves is so special."

David, who was a Transport for London ticket officer, said: "One of them has got her own children now and brings them so it’s like being extended grandparents. One of them is at college and will be going to university soon."

The couple - now 70 and 66 - intended to retire in January but it was no surprise when they postponed it to help one more child.

Image source, Essex County Council

A Maldon vicar has appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court, charged with possessing indecent images of children.

The Reverend Peter Low, 64, of Crescent Road in Heybridge, entered no plea.

He's been bailed to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on 29 March. The vicar has been suspended from his duties by the Diocese of Chelmsford.

Image source, Google

Police are investigating after a man was found dead in a car which appears to have left the road in South Woodham Ferrers.

Officers were contacted yesterday afternoon with reports a black Jaguar X-Type Sport had been found in a small embankment off the A132 Burnham Road.

The driver, and only occupant in the vehicle, a 66-year-old man from the Burnham area, was pronounced dead at the scene.

As part of the investigation, officers will be looking to establish when the collision occurred. It's believed the car was driving towards the South Woodham Ferrers area and left the road to the offside, basically crossing the carriageway.

Image source, Google

Two people have been arrested in connection with an armed robbery at a post office in Evelyn Wood Road, Cressing, on 21 February. Police say two men, one armed with a gun, demanded staff hand over cash from the till.

A 48-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of robbery and a 42-year-old woman on suspicion of assisting an offender, at an address in Cressing Road, Braintree, last night.

A 49-year-old man from Tiptree previously arrested on suspicion of robbery was released on bail until 19 April, pending further inquiries.

Two men, aged 26 and 19, both from Tiptree, were previously arrested on suspicion of robbery but were released without charge and face no further action.  

Image source, RSPCA

People are being asked to make sure that pesticides, chemicals and antifreeze are safely stored after a family in Winstanley Road, Saffron Walden, lost two of their pets within 24 hours of each other.

Three-year-old sisters Boo, on the left, and Lolly were taken to the vets after both of them suddenly became uncoordinated and seemed unwell. Blood tests confirmed they had ingested antifreeze.

RSPCA inspector Lucy Brennan said: "At this stage we do not know if these were accidental incidents or deliberate, but in the meantime we would ask for everyone in the area to check where they keep their pesticides and chemicals including antifreeze and make sure it is secure and out of the way of cats.

"People should check their car radiators for leaks too."

Signs of poisoning include 

• vomiting
• seeming depressed or sleepy
• appearing uncoordinated
• seizures
• difficulty breathing 

Signs can appear anywhere from 30 minutes after a cat has ingested the chemical, though it can be two or three days before signs of kidney failure are seen.

Simon Dedman
BBC Essex political reporter

National Executive Committee member Mick McGough, from Loughton, says that Douglas Carswell, Ukip's only MP, "sometimes seems ashamed of the party" and has called on him to quit.

The MP for Clacton defected from the Conservatives and today has denied reports that he's trying to go back to them.

Mr McGough says he'd like to see a vote on expelling Mr Carswell.

Crews dealing with a large fire at a barn building in Epping Road in Theydon Mount say the blaze is now out, but work is continuing to damp down the area.

The building contained propane cylinders and two fuel tanks. The electricity board was called to isolate supplies to the building, which is used as a vehicle workshop.

Image source, Essex Police

Essex Police is targeting mobile phone offenders as part of a week of action to coincide with new stronger penalties which come into force from today.

If you are caught using your mobile you now face a £200 fine and six penalty points.

New drivers - those who've been driving for less than two years - could also face having their licences taken away.

Adam Pipe, casualty reduction manager for Essex Police, said: "It may seem like a simple, even innocent act to send a text message or take a glance at your smartphone screen, but there is a very real chance this could lead to devastation for you, or someone else. There is no excuse for recklessness in the driver’s seat."

Mobile patrols and static roads checks will be operating in areas including Brentwood, Loughton, Maldon and Southend.

Officers will also be dedicating one day next week to targeting HGV drivers.

A quick reminder about who Dean Saunders was and what happened to him.

Mr Saunders was 25 years old, a stay at home dad who was raising his young son, but he had mental health problems and was diagnosed with paranoia shortly before Christmas in 2015. 

He went to Rochford Hospital, where doctors considered sectioning him before agreeing he would return to his parents' home while a longer term care plan was decided upon. But that evening he threatened to kill himself and in the ensuing tussle stabbed his father and was arrested. 

He was taken into custody and placed into the prison system rather than a psychiatric hospital. He was initially placed on round-the-clock watch but was soon taken off it and instead staff were checking in on him only every half hour, leaving him alone in his cell for much of the day.  He electrocuted himself. 

The Ministry of Justice has accepted that there were "significant failings" in his treatment.

You can read full details of what happened to him here.

The father of Dean Saunders, who killed himself in Chelmsford Prison after failings by the authorities , will attend a debate in the House of Commons today. Mark Saunders, a bus driver from Basildon, has already met with the Justice Secretary Liz Truss as part of his campaign for improvements in prison safety.

Speaking ahead of today's debate, he said: "I looked back through 10 years of investigations into suicides and the same failings are repeated, there are clear patterns there.

"Now I know the failings I can't walk away. I can't walk away and let someone else die and I don't want Dean to have died in vain."

Firefighters are dealing with a large fire at a barn building used as a vehicle workshop in Theydon Mount, having been called at 08:40 this morning. 

The building contains propane cylinders and two fuel tanks.

More details as we get them.

Nikki Jenkins
BBC Local Live

The man who founded Ukip says it doesn't matter if the party dies because it's fulfilled its mission of getting Britain out of Europe.

Alan Sked was commenting on the current row between Nigel Farage and Simon Carswell, and said: "If the ex-leader and only MP can't work together then there's not much point to it.

"The party doesn't represent any particular political philosophy and it's got no real sense of where it's going in future."

He described Ukip as a "kind of opportunist party" for "people who want to stay in politics but can't say why".

Simon Dedman
BBC Essex political reporter

A bit more on my conversation with Douglas Carswell, Ukip's only MP, who tells me he is "100% Ukip".

It follows reports in the Telegraph this morning claiming he's held secret talks about rejoining the Conservatives to fight the 2020 general election.

If he were to leave Ukip of his own volition he'd be under pressure to call a by-election. He told me that "the people of Clacton have election fatigue" and "his wife would kill him".

The key question that remains then is: Will Ukip's governing committee kill his party membership? That's what Nigel Farage is calling for.

Simon Dedman
BBC Essex political reporter

I've spoken to Douglas Carswell this morning. He tells me reports in the Telegraph, external  about him rejoining the Conservative Party aren't true.

There's a spot of trouble on the mainline at Manningtree...

BBC Weather

It's going to start out bright, with sunny spells , but perhaps the odd isolated shower for much of the day. 

Cloud will increase and will bring rain to some areas during the evening from the southwest. It'll feel chilly in the rather brisk west or south-west winds. Maximum temperature 9C (48F).