People living in Wickford have said they are worried about a possible influx of travellers over the Easter holiday. 

More caravans have arrived at a site near Hovefields Avenue. 

There are concerns it  could become as big  as the old, unauthorised, Dale Farm site. 

Phil Turner, the Conservative leader of Basildon Borough Council, told BBC Essex the law does not give local authorities "sufficient powers" to deal with large traveller camps. 

He wants councils to have emergency powers to speed up evictions. 

A number of Wickford residents say they're worried about a possible influx of travellers over the Easter holiday. 

More caravans have arrived at an unauthorised site near Hovefields Avenue, which is surfaced and has electricity. 

Some people who are living in the area fear it could become as big as the "Dale Farm" site, which was closed and about 400 people evicted after a long-running legal battle between the travellers and Basildon Council. 

Jill Walsh, one of the Wickford residents, said: "I'm worried about once the council offices shut at 4.15 on the Thursday, that we're just going to have a string of mobile homes appearing, and being delivered to the site - lorries -  who knows what's going to appear? 

"Residents are seriously concerned."

Image source, Twitter

A Conservative MP's aide has appeared in court charged with two counts of rape following an alleged incident at the Palace of Westminster.

Samuel Armstrong, 23, from Danbury in Essex, is also charged with sexual assault in relation to the alleged attack in October last year.

The charges relate to an alleged incident last October at the Palace of Westminster.

He was bailed to appear at Southwark Crown Court on April 28. 

Police have arrested three men after discovering more than 1,000 cannabis plants at a warehouse in Braintree, which we mentioned earlier .

Image source, PA

Officers found what they described as a "sophisticated cannabis factory" with plants in the ‘drying out’ phase at the site in Convent Lane yesterday.Three men from London were arrested on suspicion of cannabis cultivation.They were are in custody at Colchester police station. Meanwhile a full search of the building is due to take place today.     

An Essex shopkeeper says his family is struggling to come to terms with a road crash in Leigh-on-Sea which has left his pregnant wife in hospital with serious injuries. 

The collision happened after an alleged fraudster was trying to leave their store on London Road. 

Thangarasa Ajanraj told the BBC that he, and his two-year-old son, can't believe what's happened. 

He said: "I can't control my feelings. She's crying. I'm crying. My son can't find out. I can't tell my son about her injuries. It's a very bad time.

"I plan to sell it [the shop].

"I have to look after my kids, and my wife, and I can't do everything." 

Essex Police, external  said a large cannabis factory was being dismantled after it was discovered in Braintree.

A shopkeeper has decided to sell his business after his pregnant wife was seriously injured in a road crash when she tried to stop an alleged fraud at their store.

Vinisha Ajanraj, from Leigh-on-Sea, is currently being treated in hospital after Monday's incident  where she was hit by a car outside the shop on London Road.

The couple's unborn baby was not harmed.

Mrs Ajanraj's husband Thangarasa said it was an "extremely difficult" situation to deal with.

A 25-year-old man has appeared at Basildon Crown Court, accused of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, fraud, dangerous driving and failing to stop.   

Essex Roads Police, external arrested a "drunk and disorderly" driver on the M25 last night.

Back now to our story about Suffolk losing the  Wattisham-based police helicopter from today, after which time the nearest chopper will be based at Boreham near Chelmsford in Essex.

Aviation expert Roger Smith from Oulton Broad says: "Over the years, helicopter performance has increased.

"Helicopters are faster than they used to be. 

"The actual transit time has reduced, so having an aircraft that's based slightly further away doesn't have the impact that it would have done, say, 10 years ago." 

Elizabeth Rizzini
BBC Look East weather

It will be a very mild start to the day, with any early brightness soon clouding over.

Through the afternoon the cloud will break up to reveal some good spells of sunshine and just the outside chance of a shower.

It will be a little less warm than yesterday, but temperatures could still reach 17C (63F).

Here's my full forecast...

You can find more details on the BBC Weather website .

A very good morning on this bright and mild Friday.

We'll be bringing you all the news, travel, sport and weather from Essex throughout the day until 18:00.

Don't hesitate to get in touch with us by clicking the "Get involved" button above.

First up, here's Elizabeth Rizzini with the weather.

One of four goats born on a farm has developed a close bond with a dog while being reared indoors.

A Welsh foxhound is helping a baby kid find his feet at Fulibroch Dairy, external in Bures:

An investigation's under way after a man tried to forced a 17-year-old girl into a van in Holst Avenue, Laindon, last night. 

The teenager managed to escape uninjured.

Essex Police are now searching for the driver and the passenger of the vehicle.

Julie Reinger
BBC Look East weather

Any evening showers should soon ease, to leave mostly dry conditions for the rest of the night with some clear spells. It will be mild with a minimum temperature of 10C (50F).

Tomorrow morning some showery rain will move eastwards. By the afternoon it will turn drier and brighter, with sunny spells and a few light showers. 

It'll be a little less warm than today with a maximum temperature of about 17C (63F).

There are more details on BBC Weather website .

The former Southend United striker Danny Webb has resigned as manager of Leyton Orient after just two months in charge.

Image source, Getty Images

Webb, 33, won only two of his 12 games in charge and the O's are now seven points adrift of safety with seven matches to play.  

Basildon's Stuart Bingham is out of the China Open snooker after a 5-2 defeat in his third round match against Kyren Wilson . 

Image source, Getty Images

The £510,000 tournament is taking place in Beijing. Wilson is now due to play Ding Junhui in the quarter finals.

A charity for prison reform shares the view of a former inmate of Chelmsford Prison who claims there aren't enough officers to cope at the jail.

Rob Preece, of the Howard League for Penal Reform, external , was speaking after the former inmate spoke of two suicides during his time at the jail, and of witnessing regular violence. 

Mr Preece said: "In allowing the prison population to go unchecked whilst at the same time, starving prisons like Chelmsford of vital resources, the government has created a toxic mix of violence, drugs, death and human misery."

The Ministry of Justice sent a statement which says: "We are overhauling our prisons to make them places of safety and reform. 

"We have taken immediate action to tackle the issue of drugs, drones and mobile phones that undermine security by investing £100m every year to boost the frontline by 2,500 officers.

"We are also empowering prison governors by giving them greater control over how their establishments are run, helping to turn offenders' lives around and reducing the annual cost to society of re-offending."

Research will be carried out into the age and rarity of the tusk.

The Tory MP for Saffron Walden says he believes "no-one will get a better deal" than the prime minister in negotiations over Brexit.

The government is due to set out details of what it's calling its Great Repeal Bill, outlining how it plans to transfer powers from the EU to Westminster. 

Image source, Getty Images

The bill will incorporate thousands of pieces of European law into UK legislation.

Sir Alan Haselhurst said: "The prime minister has got the Conservative Party behind her, and probably wider than that, with different degrees of enthusiasm, but nevertheless the recognition that there's a firm hand on the tiller - that she is going to approach this in a down-to-earth and pragmatic way. 

"And if anybody's going to get a good deal out of it, it's going to be Theresa May."

BBC News: Brexit coverage