This just in... Greater Anglia warns disruption, external to train services running through Manningtree will continue to 09:30.

Good morning, it's great to have your company.

If you listen closely, you may hear the sound of the county's free-range chickens celebrating their first taste of freedom since the beginning of December, when owners were told they had to keep their birds inside because of fears over avian flu.

The team here may have less freedom to enjoy the fresh air though, as they prepare to keep you posted on what else is happening across Essex.

Don't forget you can join in too, by clicking on the "Get involved" link at the top of this page, if there's anything happening where you live or work, that you'd like to share with us.

Sara Thornton
BBC Weather

There'll be some sunshine, but make the most of it, as cloud will increase as we go through the afternoon. 

The cool north westerly wind may bring a little drizzle much later on, but mostly we've got a dry day ahead of us.

Top temperature: 12C (54F).

Watch my full regional forecast here:

Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter

The MP in whose constituency the new Lower Thames Crossing will be sited says 'a historic opportunity' has been missed. 

Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter

The MP in whose constituency the new Lower Thames Crossing will be built says a "historic opportunity" has been missed.

Families found in contempt of court for flouting a court injunction preventing the site's development.

Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter

The announcement of a new tunnel between Gravesend and Tilbury to ease pressure on the Dartford Crossing is going down well in Dartford town centre.

Our regular updates on a busy day for Essex have come to an end, but if a major story breaks you'll find the details here.

We'll be back from 08:00 on Thursday.

Have a good evening.

BBC Weather

This evening will be rather cloudy with the chance of a few spots of light rain. Skies will clear later, leaving low overnight temperatures of 3C - that's 37F.

Tomorrow will start chilly but it will be mainly dry with sunny spells and the odd isolated shower. Highs of 12C, that's 54F.

BBC Weather has more local forecasts. 

Action has been taken to remove a group of travellers from a leisure site in Walton-on-the-Naze, the local council has said.

Image source, Tendring District Council

Officials say nine caravans and twelve vehicles are on the Tendring District Council-owned land at Bath House Meadow, near Walton Lifestyles centre. 

The travellers have been given 24 hours to leave.  

The group has said they were just stopping for a day or so before leaving for the Netherlands.

Image source, Tendring District Council

Zoe Applegate
BBC News

A tortoise has been stolen from a farm in Hadleigh.

Image source, Essex Police

Police are appealing for information to find Tommy, who was last spotted on Monday at a birthday party at the Salvation Army's rare breed centre, external in Hadleigh.

The eight-year-old tortoise is eight inches long (20cm) and micro-chipped, police said.

Centre manager Emma Sayer said Tommy was found to be missing after the centre closed at 16:00.

"Tommy was one of three tortoises at the centre and we would like to reunite him with his two female companions," she said.

Back now to the new Lower Thames Crossing.

As we reported earlier, the project is set to cost £4.4bn, with the tunnel linked by a new road in Essex which will join the M25 between junctions 29 and 30.

Image source, Highways England

Highways England, external has said about 55 million journeys a year are made on the Dartford Crossing - six million more than it was designed for - and it has to be closed daily while incidents are dealt with.

There will be a 70mph speed limit along the 13-mile stretch (21km).

The project is expected to be completed by around 2025-27.

A shortlisted option to build a new bridge or tunnel next to the existing bridge and tunnel at Dartford was rejected.

Gareth George
BBC Look East

I've been at the High Court today for a case about a family of travellers who claim they didn't realise they were breaking planning laws when they developed a site in Wickford. 

Touring caravans were replaced by static mobile homes in breach of a court injunction at the site, the court heard.

It was thought Mr Justice Kerr was due to decide today what sentence the travellers - Thomas Anderson, Eileen Anderson, Winnie Anderson, Margaret Anderson and Arran Jones - could face, but the hearing has now been postponed to 5 May.

The action against another traveller was dropped. 

Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter

A historic Kent church will be cut off from its parish by the new Lower Thames Crossing.

Its vicar's hitting out at the consultation process which lead to the decision.

Zoe Applegate
BBC News

Image source, Nigel Thompson/Geograph

We have been told that First Essex Bus, external will accept Greater Anglia tickets on some routes.

Those are the numbers 71, 72, 100 and 351.

Greater Anglia said they would be giving out as much information as possible to travellers affected by the disruption.

Follow them on Twitter @greateranglia, external

An Essex man who hit the headlines after a judge allowed him to take his cat into the dock to calm his nerves has been sentenced for stalking two women and breaching a restraining order.

The pet was also with Aidan Wiltshire, 74, of Brownings Avenue, Chelmsford, at today's hearing at the city's crown court. 

The cat called Taylor was said to keep Wiltshire calm. He was given an 18-month supervision order.

He was declared unfit to plead at last month's two-day hearing, but a jury decided he was guilty.

Wiltshire, who was living as a woman and calling himself Anne at the time, had stalked a London lawyer and church minister and also breached a restraining order not to contact one of them.

Today, Judge David Turner QC told Wiltshire his behaviour towards the two women was intrusive, disruptive and intimidating. 

We have just had this statement from the British Transport Police, external:

"Officers were called to Chelmsford railway station at around 15:50 today to reports that a person had been struck by a train. 

"The ambulance service were also called but sadly a man was pronounced dead at the scene. 

"We are working to identify him and inform his next-of-kin.

"The incident is not currently being treated as suspicious." 

Zoe Applegate
BBC News

We have been on the phone to Greater Anglia to find out the latest details on the train situation.

They said a person was hit by a train just before 16:00.

London-bound services are being terminated at Witham or Colchester.

Braintree and Colchester-bound trains are being terminated at Shenfield.

Rail replacement services are currently being arranged to serve stations from Witham to Shenfield and Braintree to Witham.

Norwich-bound services out of London are being terminated at Shenfield.

Disruption is expected until 19:00.

Emergency services are at the scene in Chelmsford.

Trains from London to Norwich are set to be disrupted after a person was hit by a train at Chelmsford Rail Station.

The station is being evacuated.

Motoring and business groups have praised a "long-awaited decision" to give the green light for the new tunnel beneath the Thames.

Image source, PA

AA president, external Edmund King said the case for greater road capacity across the Thames is "overwhelming and overdue".

RAC Foundation, external director Steve Gooding said: "The need for extra road capacity between Kent and Essex will already be well understood by long-suffering users of the existing crossing." 

Road Haulage Association, external chief executive Richard Burnett said it will have a "tremendously positive economic benefit" as it will save operators time, money and fuel.