Summary

  • Updates for Friday, 24 March, 2017

  • Murder inquiry arrest as man dies two days after brain injury

  • Appeal over missing boy of 13 from Frinton

  • Essex's McFly star pops into school for Comic Relief

  • Refuse collectors find snakes in rubbish in Chelmsford

  • Planning inspector says 350 can be built in Braintree

  1. Our coverage for todaypublished at 18:01 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    That's all for our live feed today. Do scroll back and take a look at what's been happening.

    Among the stories we covered are:

    Have a good evening. We'll be back at 08:00 tomorrow.

  2. London attack: Transport police to increase patrols across network published at 17:37 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    Richard Westcott
    Transport correspondent

    Following events in London earlier this afternoon , British Transport Police has told me extra officers will be out tonight, across the whole British rail network, not just London, "to reassure" people.  

    No specific numbers of how many extra officers have been given, and there's no indication as to whether they'll be armed or not.

    To be clear, they say it's just to reassure people, and not because of a specific threat.

    But you could see a bigger presence going home tonight. 

  3. Weather: Cloudy overnight with outbreaks of rainpublished at 17:19 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    BBC Weather

    Tonight will be rather cloudy, with outbreaks of rain spreading east to west. Lows of 4C (39F).

    MapImage source, BBC Weather

    A rather cloudy start to the day tomorrow, but becoming brighter with sunny spells and the chance of an isolated shower. But most places staying dry. 

    Top temperature of 11C (52F).

    BBC Weather has more local details. 

  4. Problems on rail service to Londonpublished at 17:15 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

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  5. Tuesday's non-league footballpublished at 16:49 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    Listen to BBC local radio commentaries from the National League, National League North and BBC Essex Senior Cup Final.

    Read More
  6. Westminister attack: Baroness Jenkin describes the scenepublished at 16:47 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    Nikki Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    Baroness Anne Jenkin is at No 1 Parliament Street, looking straight across to the Palace of Westminster. 

    Police outside WestminsterImage source, Getty Images

    The wife of the Harwich and North Essex MP, Bernard Jenkin, described what she could see from her window:

    "I can see two bodies on the pavement. They’ve told us to come in off the balcony. I can now see two men in chemical suits arriving, covered in white top to toe.

    "I can see down Westminster Bridge, two bodies but with groups of people around them.

    "I’ve no idea whether they are alive or dead. And there are another two bodies in front of us on the pavement but both moving, by the car that has clearly gone straight into the railings.

    "I think I can see the ambulance where the attacker must have been shot and there’s a dog running around, looking for explosives I think."

    Baroness Anne JenkinImage source, PA

    "It’s shocking because it’s the people who were walking over Westminster Bridge who were, as far as one can see, just innocent by-passers who have been hit."

  7. Police conduct search of river after terror attackpublished at 16:31 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    Andrew Sinclair
    BBC Look East political correspondent

    A search of the Thames has started after the attack in Westminster.

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  8. Westminster Shooting: MPs tweet reassurancespublished at 15:38 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    Some of our local MPs are caught up in events in London and are keen to reassure people that they and their teams are safe.

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    The leader of Basildon Council is inside Westminster

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    Baroness Basildon, Angela Smith, the Shadow Leader of the House of Lords, is also understood to be safe in the lobby.

  9. Braintree MP says all his team are safepublished at 15:26 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    As we await more details of the incidents outside Parliament ...

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  10. Traffic delays on A1245, Rayleighpublished at 15:22 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

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    Recovery is under way and police hope the road will be fully reopened soon, but there are obvious delays. 

  11. What we know so far about situation at Parliamentpublished at 15:15 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    Mariam Issimdar
    BBC News

    What we know so far:

    • Witnesses say they've heard shots fired at Westminster
    • Pictures have emerged of a car crashing into the railings of Parliament at the end of Westminster Bridge 
    • The Leader of the House of Commons, David Lidington, has said Parliament is in lockdown 
    • An ambulance has attended New Palace Yard

    Read more here.

    ParliamentImage source, PA
  12. 'Stampede of people' run from Parliamentpublished at 15:00 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    Andrew Sinclair
    BBC Look East political correspondent

    At 14:20 there was a stampede of people running away from Parliament. 

    Police blowing whistles, stopping traffic and telling people to run.

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  13. House of Commons evacuatedpublished at 14:56 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    BBC East's politics correspondent has just tweeted about a situation at the House of Commons.

    The latest is two people were seen lying within Old Palace Yard, immediately outside Westminster Hall. The sitting in the House of Commons has been suspended while police officers sealed off the area around the incident.

    There are reports of a shooting.  An air ambulance is on its way. 

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  14. Colchester's Szmodics suffers broken legpublished at 14:50 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    Colchester United's ‎Sammie Szmodics is probably out for the rest of the season after breaking his leg against Crewe.

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  15. Cakes 'in custody' after traveller clashpublished at 13:54 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    Officers took the cakes away after a "disagreement" at a party, and gave them to charities.

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  16. Family tribute to St Osyth stabbing victimpublished at 13:28 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    The family of Danny Myers, who died after being stabbed in St Osyth on Monday, have issued a statement via police.

    "The family are devastated and in shock," they said.

    "Danny was a good boy, a loving son, brother, dad and partner."

    Danny MyersImage source, Contributed

    Mr Myers, 23, from Enfield, died in hospital after he was stabbed at an address in Rochford Road.

    Kevin Paddick, 34, of Rosemary Road, Clacton, has been charged with his murder.

  17. Cakes in custodypublished at 12:38 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    More on that party - believed to be a confirmation party - at Stapleford Abbotts Golf Club last night.

    Officers and a police helicopter were deployed after trouble broke out at the event at the golf club, near Epping, attended by about 100 people.

    Insp Rob Brettell, from Essex Police, tweeted to say "lots of damage" had been caused at the club, and some thefts had also been reported.

    He later wrote on Twitter to say "a number of cakes were donated to our team tonight".

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  18. Man arrested over 1999 bomb threatpublished at 11:23 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    The hoax was made on 10 November 1999 at a fast food restaurant in Knightsbridge.

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  19. School funding: All schools in Southend likely to lose outpublished at 11:05 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    Are you worried about how the new funding deal for schools will affect your kids?

    Well if you live in Southend, there could be cause for concern. Official figures have now been released and we've been crunching the data to work out the winners and losers .

    Southend is one of only four areas in the country where no school will get more money, in fact many will be worse off.

    The heads of schools in Essex have already  written to MPs and ministers  warning of the potential impact. 

    The government's consultation on the new funding, external  closes today, so it's still not too late to make your views known.

    Pupils in school corridorImage source, Getty Images
  20. Man charged with St Osyth murderpublished at 10:33 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    Sonia Watson
    BBC Essex

    A man has been charged with murder after a 23-year old man was stabbed to death in St Osyth.

    Danny Myers, from Enfield, was found injured at an address in Rochford Road on Monday morning. He later died in hospital. 

    Kevin Paddick, 34, from Rosemary Road, in Clacton, is due at Colchester Magistrates' Court today. 

    A woman who was also arrested has been released without charge.

    Crime scene