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. M11 upgrades in doubtpublished at 09:41 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    M11 Sign

    Last week Highways East was warning of upcoming months of disruption.

    Now it seems the plans to improve electronic signage, emergency roadside telephones and CCTV cameras on the M11 between Stansted Airport and Cambridge could be scrapped because they are not value for money.

    The National Audit Office (NAO), which scrutinises government spending, said plans for 16 routes were on hold

    The NAO concluded that several problems were created by the plans being drawn up in just 17 months in order to publish them before the May 2015 general election.

    The equivalent rail planning takes about 30 months.

  2. Travellers and staff clash at golf club partypublished at 09:04 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    Helen Burchell
    BBC News

    A party at a golf club turned into a "large scale public order incident" after a "disagreement between travellers and staff", police have told us.

    Officers were called to Stapleford Abbotts Golf Club just before 22:00 yesterday.

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    Insp Rob Brettell tweeted to say "lots of damage" was caused during the incident, and some thefts had also been reported.

    Essex Police said a group of people were "dispersed" from the club and it was continuing to monitor the situation.

    No arrests have been made so far.

    We'll bring you more on this when we have it.

  3. Car modifications 'caused deaths'published at 08:52 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    Media caption,

    Modifications to car 'led to the death of two young people'

    Modifications to a car led to the deaths of Thomas Putt, 20, and Nikki Willis, 23, from Chelmsford, from carbon monoxide poisoning, an inquest heard yesterday .

    Exhaust fumes had leaked under the bonnet because of modifications that had been made to the car's exhaust system.

    The pair, who were not a couple, had been sitting in the car with the engine running on a cold, still winter's night just before Christmas 2016.

    It was described as a "unique" set of circumstances.

    Police released a film to demonstrate how the fumes leaked from Mr Putt's car.

    The levels were 1,000 times higher than an identical factory standard vehicle. The inquest recorded accidental deaths. 

  4. Weather: Rain moving in by lunchtimepublished at 08:13 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    If it looks bright and cheerful out there now, make the most of it, as a band of rain is set to move in from the west later today.

    Cloud will thicken, bringing some showery outbreaks of rain from the south-west during the afternoon. 

    Some rain may locally turn heavy, with hail possible, and brisk, south-easterly winds, which will be strongest near coasts. Maximum temperature 8C (46F).

    Best get the washing out on the line early, and get it back in by lunchtime....

  5. Welcome to Wednesdaypublished at 08:00 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    Nikki Jenkins
    BBC Local Live

    So do you want the good news first... or the bad news?

    Another morning of live updates on all that is Essex. 

    Keep it here and keep in touch via  Twitter, external  and Facebook, external

    Weather coming next: the skies over Boxted were looking promising this morning, this is courtesy of our weather watcher, Nik.

    Sunrise over BoxtedImage source, Weatherwatchers:Nik
  6. Murder charge after stabbing deathpublished at 07:53 Greenwich Mean Time 22 March 2017

    A 23-year-old man died in hospital after being stabbed in the early hours of Monday morning.

    Read More
  7. Braintree Town 1-3 Wokingpublished at 22:22 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2017

    Delano Sam-Yorke scores twice as Woking hit back to beat Braintree in the National League.

    Read More
  8. Murder probe after man dies in robberypublished at 19:16 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2017

    The death of a man during an armed robbery in Essex is being treated as murder, police reveal.

    Read More
  9. Our coverage for todaypublished at 18:00 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2017

    That's it, folks. Do scroll back and take a look at what's been happening in the grand old county of Essex today. 

    Among the stories we covered are the following: 

    • Police investigating the deaths of Thomas Putt and Nikki Willis have appealed to car enthusiasts to have modifications checked after an inquest finds they died from  inhaling car fumes
    • Six areas of Essex are to get police funding to support victims of gang culture  
    • And, finally, good luck to Braintree who are playing Woking tonight

    Have a good evening.

  10. A mainly dry night with clear spellspublished at 17:56 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2017

    Alex Dolan
    BBC Look East weather

    A mostly dry night with a few isolated showers.

    Temperatures falling in places to as low as 1C (33F).

    Tomorrow will start fine, dry and chilly. It'll become cloudy with showery later in the afternoon, with some hail mixed in.

    Temperatures reaching a high of 10C (50F).

    You can find more details on BBC Weather for where you live.

    
          Weather chart for Wednesday afternoon, showing rain showers scattered across the region
  11. Sport: Braintree have high hopes for tonightpublished at 16:57 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2017

    Nick Alliker
    BBC Essex

    Braintree Town are back in action tonight. 

    They're looking to move further from the National League relegation zone as they host Woking. 

    The Iron picked up only their second win in seven matches at the weekend to move seven points clear of the relegation zone. Woking are currently in the bottom four.

    There's commentary on the game via the BBC Sport website. 

  12. Funding to support victims of gang culturepublished at 16:57 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2017

    Mariam Issimdar
    BBC News

    Six areas of Essex are to get police funding to support victims of gang culture.

    Gangsline, which was set up nationally 10 years ago, will run the project being financed by Essex's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Roger Hirst.

    The PCC is putting £200,000 into the initiative over two years in six districts in the county chosen as the most vulnerable to gang activity. 

    Tendring, Chelmsford, Southend, Basildon, Thurrock and Colchester will all benefit. 

    Gangsline, external  provides help and advice to young people who are being groomed and exploited, as well as preventing others falling into the gang lifestyle.  

    Lynda McWilliams, of Tendring District Council, said: “There is no doubt that some of our young people are being recruited by older gang members and we need to get to grips with this problem."

    Mr Hirst said: “Gangs exploit some of the most vulnerable young people in our community, bringing them into a culture of crime, drugs and abuse. 

    "This pathway into exploitation can be stopped by early identification and effective intervention."

  13. Murder inquiry launched after man robbed at gunpointpublished at 16:45 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2017

    Nick Alliker
    BBC Essex

    A murder inquiry has been launched after man died following a robbery near Rayleigh.

    Essex Police HQ

    The victim, who was 57, was assaulted at a friends' house in Hullbridge on Sunday night after returning from The Anchor pub with his wife and the friends. 

    A sum of cash was stolen by two masked men, one of whom appeared to have a gun. 

    Det Ch Insp Martin Pasmore says  "From our inquiries so far, we understand that during the incident one of the suspects pushed the victim and he fell heavily onto a low level wall, causing a serious brain injury."

    No-one else was hurt during the incident and the firearm was not discharged.

    The man died in Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, earlier today.

  14. St Osyth fatal stabbing victim named by policepublished at 16:09 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2017

    Mariam Issimdar
    BBC News

    A man who died after being stabbed in St Osyth yesterday has been named by police as Danny Myers, 23, from Enfield, north London.

    A post-mortem examination has been carried out, which found the cause of his death was a stab wound to the heart.

    Detectives are continuing to question a man and a woman arrested on suspicion of murder yesterday.

  15. From the archives: Bear handful at Whipsnade Zoo in 1959published at 16:04 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2017

    Fifty eight years ago this month, photographers captured on camera Whipsnade Zoo's triplet brown bear cubs being held aloft by their keepers for their public debut.

    
          Whipsnade Zoo's triplet brown bear cubs being held aloft by their keepers on the occasion of their public debut
        Image source, Getty Images
  16. Inquest into Chelmsford prisoner death adjournedpublished at 15:58 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2017

    Chris Flynn
    BBC Essex

    An inquest into the death of an inmate at Chelmsford Prison earlier this year has been opened and adjourned today. 

    Chelmsford jail

    Chelmsford Coroner's Court was told that Timothy Shaw, 34, was found "apparently unconscious" on his bed in his cell on 28 February. 

    He died at Broomfield Hospital two days later.  

  17. Modified car pair deaths 'accidental'published at 14:49 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2017

    Vents cut into the car bonnet allowed fumes into the cabin, an inquest hears.

    Read More
  18. Smoke alarm alerts family to firepublished at 13:55 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2017

    Mariam Issimdar
    BBC News

    A family has escaped a blaze that left the roof of a period farmhouse near Colchester badly damaged.

    Fired houseImage source, Essex Fire and Rescue

    Emergency crews were called to the blaze, in Little Horkesley, just after 02:00 this morning.

    Those inside escaped unhurt. 

    The cause of the blaze has been recorded as "accidental". 

    A spokesman for Essex Fire and Rescue said: "I cannot emphasise enough how important it is to have working smoke alarms in your home. 

    "This morning, thanks to their working smoke alarm, the occupants of this property were alerted to the fire and were able to get themselves out of the house safely and call 999."

  19. Apprentice who died in car fume tragedy was 'not inexperienced' mechanic published at 13:23 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2017

    Mariam Issimdar
    BBC News

    Thomas Putt, who died with his friend Nikki Willis in a modified car, was not an inexperienced mechanic, according to the detective who investigated their deaths.

    Det Insp Robert Kirby said that as an apprentice at Ford, Mr Putt had carried out modifications to his car a year ago.

    Flowers at scene where couple were found dead inside a car

    Mr Putt, 20 and Ms Willis, 23 were found dead inside Mr Putt's modified Ford Fiesta in Chelmsford in December. 

    Det Insp Kirby said Mr Putt "was not inexperienced" and "had carried out lots of repairs".

    He also revealed the car's catalytic converter had been removed to try to increase its performance and vents had been cut in the bonnet. 

    A small gap had appeared in the exhaust system that had allowed fumes to escape. 

    "They had not gone through a catalytic converter so more dangerous fumes came out of the vents that had been cut out and into the cabin of the vehicle," he said. 

    He added that the deaths were "the first case of this kind that I have encountered".

    Essex Police said it would now be working with Ford and the family to get the message home to car enthusiasts about the dangers of carrying out modifications and the need to have them checked. 

  20. Police plea to car enthusiasts after 'needless' death of young friends published at 13:07 Greenwich Mean Time 21 March 2017

    Mariam Issimdar
    BBC News

    The police officer investigating the circumstances around the deaths of Thomas Putt and Nikki Willis has appealed to car enthusiasts to always have modifications checked by a mechanic. 

    Police investigation

    Speaking after the inquest into the pair's death, Det Insp Robert Kirby said "there were inherent dangers in modifying vehicles". 

    The friends died from inhaling exhaust fumes.

    Tests by police revealed the car had "levels of fumes a thousand times more than from an unmodified Ford Fiesta of that make".