Something to be aware of if you're using the A12 this evening...

A council has served a court application over an unauthorised travellers site that its "settled" neighbours fear could become "Dale Farm II".

Image source, Google

Hardcore-laden lorries followed by mobile homes arrived in the Hovefields area of Wickford last month.

Basildon Council is taking  legal action over alleged planning breaches .

Council officers said they visited the site and the last known address for the site owners on Monday to serve copies of a High Court application notice.

A High Court injunction, obtained in October 2016, had banned any further development on the land.

The matter is now listed for another High Court hearing on 7 April.

A team of former military personnel hope to become the first all-disabled team to compete in Le Mans.

Study found piglets have "innate preference" for sweet flavours.

Nick Elgar is the coach of disability team Woking Wolves and dad to two of its players. 

He tells us what it means for his two disabled boys and the rest of the Wolves team to be able to play competitive football...

To see more stories from the semi-finals of the FA People's Cup , watch our highlights programme, available now on the iPlayer.

This week's Bells on Sunday comes from the tower of All Saints, Writtle in Essex. All Saints is one of the many hundreds of churches taking part next weekend in the National Trust's Heritage Open Days. Visitors will be able to see the bells and ringers in action in a good number of towers and in some cases, have a go themselves. As part of the celebrations on Saturday, ringers from Essex will be competing in a striking competition for the Essex Trophy. All Saints, Writtle has a peal of 10 bells cast by John Taylor and Company in 2004. The Tenor weighs Thirty One and a Half Hundredweight and is tuned to the Key of D. We hear them now ringing Plain Bob Royal.

New figures have revealed there were more than 60 cases of so-called modern slavery in Essex last year.

It comes as the National Crime Agency says that across the country,  numbers have more than doubled since 2013 . 

Most of the cases involve people being trafficked for labour but there is also an increase in the number of children involved in sexual exploitation. 

Cristina Gavrilovic, from Essex Police, said: "What's happening now is we understand more what these crimes look like, what impact they have on our community and we're better and quicker at identifying exploitation.

"That will see numbers rising."

Live music is coming to Essex libraries - following the lead of Suffolk, among others.

Image source, Essex County Council

The event, Plugged and Unplugged, will see two award-winning acts play at eight different libraries across the county.

Ray Cooper, former cello, bass and mandolin player with folk-rock act The Oysterband, will play three acoustic sets in Coggeshall, Wivenhoe and Writtle in early May.

Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin, past winners of Best Duo at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards , will then play five concerts in Maldon, Rayleigh, Billericay, Harwich and Loughton in mid-June.

Ipswich Library, external has been staging occasional gigs for over a year, including Police Dog Hogan , and has upcoming gigs from Helen & The Neighbourhood Dogs ("purveryors of East Anglicana") and Norfolk's Vagaband.

Miranda Bedwin, one of the Essex organisers, said customers suggested its libraries could also be used as live music venues.

"We hope the tours will showcase the huge potential of our libraries as venues for all kinds of community events, whilst still maintaining their traditional role as centres of information and places to find a great read," she said.

The opening gig is on 2 May. All events will be held at 19:30. 

Image source, Essex County Council

Listen to BBC Essex commentary from the opening day of the County Championship as Essex host Lancashire.

Listen to live BBC local radio commentary from Saturday's action in the National League and National League North.

Two thousand Suffolk and Essex-based troops from the British Army's, external airborne rapid reaction force are taking part in a training operation on Salisbury Plain.

Image source, MoD

The three-week exercise, which began on 20 March, is designed to test 16 Air Assault Brigade's readiness to deploy on operations at short notice anywhere in the world as the Air Assault Task Force (AATF).

Image source, MoD

As part of the training operation, the AATF will launch offensive operations against insurgent bases, with 160 troops parachuting in to the Stanta ranges near Thetford later today.  

Image source, MoD

Amanda Bray hopes her warnings about using hands-free mobile phones, even though it's not illegal, will make people think again. 

Image source, Pierrephoto

Amanda Bray, from Orsett, said it has been "devastating" for her family after her mum was knocked down and "killed instantly" when she walked across a road she had crossed "thousands of times" in Rainham, east London.

She said her mum was one second from safety.

Speaking on BBC Essex, Ms Bray said hands-free kits "are not safe".

"Knowing hands-free is not illegal makes people think they are safe using a hands-free but they are not. They should be made illegal. 

"My mum isn't coming back, it's devastating for us, but if I can do anything to raise awareness I certainly will. 

"People being aware will stop another person from being killed and going through the most difficult time our family has gone through."

East Anglian Daily Times

Here is today's Essex edition of the East Anglian Daily Times, external : 

Image source, Archant

Beryl Wenborn was killed after she was hit by a car in Rainham when she was crossing a road in in 2015. 

Her daughter Amanda Bray, from Orsett, fought for a prosecution and the driver was charged but he was cleared of any driving offences in court.

The BBC issued a statement after the broadcasting watchdog Ofcom confirmed it was investigating complaints about a string of "Essex girl" jokes made on air.

It was part of Scott Mills' Comic Relief 24-hour marathon on Radio 1 last month.

The jokes were made by The Only Way Is Essex participant Bobby Norris.

Complainants generally argue that it propagates a derogatory stereotype about women from the county.

A statement from the BBC said: "No offence was intended by the jokes that were broadcast during Radio 1’s 24 hour Lolathon to raise money for Comic Relief."

Image source, Ian West/PA

A friend and colleague of murdered Harwich man Michael Beckwith says everyone at the care home he worked at was shocked at the news of his death.

Three people have been convicted for killing him , including his ex-girlfriend Rebecca Ryan who lured him to a beating in the town in July last year.

Mr Beckwith had been at Connolly Care Home in Weeley for six years, which was where he met Ryan.

Cannabis, believed to be worth up to £2,5m, has been recovered from a warehouse in Braintree.

As we told you last week, the cannabis factory was found by Essex Police at Convent Lane at about 14:10 on Thursday.

A team of 10 police officers have since worked 20-hour shifts to search, document and deconstruct what the force has described as "one of the largest uncovered in Essex". 

Image source, Essex Police

Some 78 bags have been filled with the plants and a 10-tonne skip has been used to help with the deconstruction of the site.

Work at the site has now been completed.

Det Sgt Mick Carrington said: "This is one of the largest cannabis factories uncovered in Essex in recent years and represents a huge impact on the drugs industry in our county.

"It has been a daunting task to search the site, recover each plant, and dismantle the equipment due to its sheer size and the volume of drugs here so I want to praise the officers involved."

Three men have been arrested and charged with the production of cannabis and possession with intent to supply cannabis.

A fourth man, a 30 year-old from London, has been arrested on suspicion of production of cannabis and released on bail until 26 May.

Image source, Essex Police

Back to a story we first brought to you yesterday...

Rebecca Ryan and Scott Swift, both pictured, were found guilty of murdering Harwich man Michael Beckwith while a third man, Joseph Smith, was convicted of manslaughter.

Image source, Essex Police

Speaking exclusively to BBC Essex after the verdict, Mr Beckwith's friend Ray Rogers said the 44-year-old "did not deserve to die".

He had been lured to a secluded path by his ex-girlfriend Ryan and beaten with a metal pole by Swift.

Mr Rogers said: "Rebecca was a carer, the same as Michael. 

"You don't expect a carer to do something like she did or arrange something like she did, it's beyond me why she did it."

Ryan, 22, of Hilltop Rise in Weeley, Swift, 27, from Station Road in Dovercourt, and Smith, 18, from Canning Street in Harwich, will be sentenced on 21 April. 

Kate Kinsella
BBC Look East weather

A misty and murky start to the day across the BBC East region, and the skies will remain generally cloudy.

There'll be oubreaks of light patchy rain and drizzle as temperatures reach 14C (57F).

Here's my forecast:

BBC Weather  has more details for where you live. 

Kate Scotter
BBC News

Hello and welcome back to our live updates for Essex. 

From now until 18:00, we'll be bringing you all of the news, travel, weather and sport for the county.

We always like to hear from you, so click on the "Get involved" button at the top of the page and let us know what's going on where you live.

First, let's take a look at the weather forecast with Kate Kinsella.