That's it for another week from the Essex Live team, although any breaking news over the weekend will still appear here.

Before we go, here's a reminder of some of the stories we've been looking at since 08:00:

• Two people have been sent to prison for life for the murder of Michael Beckwith, and three other people have also received custodial sentences
• A man has appeared in court in connection with a fatal shooting at a travellers' site
• Former public toilets will have a new lease of life as a recording studio 
• A food blogger has announced she is to stand in the general election

Scroll down for more on these and other stories.

If you're running in the London Marathon we wish you well - and it's good luck to Basildon's Stuart Bingham who's 9-7 down going into this evening's final session of his World Snooker Championship second round match against Kyren Wilson.

Image source, PA

BBC Weather

A largely cloudy night with some patchy light rain pushing down from the north. The winds becoming light and variable and lowest temperatures around 6C (43F). 

Image source, BBC weather

Once the last of any overnight rain has cleared, Saturday will be relatively cloudy with odd showers feeding southwards. There should be some bright or sunny spells and a top temperature of 13C (55F).

A cold start to Sunday with a touch of frost in places, it’ll then be largely dry with some brightness and sunshine at times and the small chance of a shower. Temperatures again reaching around 13C (55F) at best.

BBC Weather, external has more local forecasts.

Caroline Shearer says she will be taking on former UKIP donor Arron Banks for the Clacton seat.

It may be a bit grey out there today but spring is still in full swing, with carpets of bluebells springing up.

It's staying mainly dry for the rest of the day with some sunny spells...feeling pleasantly warm in the sunshine with only light winds. 

Maximum temperature: 15C (59F).

Thank you to our BBC Weather Watcher judy for this photo. 

Philippa Taylor
BBC Local Live

If Theresa May's recent announcement of a snap election in June has made you yearn to be an MP, here are a few guidelines, external for you to consider.

You can't stand if you're:

• Under 18
• A member of the police forces
• A member of the armed forces
• A civil servant, a judge or a peer
• You're subject to a bankruptcy restrictions order or a debt relief restrictions order

If none of those conditions preclude you, and you're either a British citizen, a citizen of the  Republic of Ireland or a commonwealth country (with certain provisos) then you're over the first hurdle, and will need to consider these regulations:

• You need a completed set of nomination forms and a deposit of £500 
• You also need an election agent
• You probably want to plan and run a campaign

There - it's almost as simple as that. So what's stopping you? I'm off now to see how much money is in my piggy bank.

Firefighters helped to rescue what's been described as a "large" horse from a pond in Great Cornard near Sudbury this morning.

The animal, which was stuck in four foot (1.2m) of water at New Farm, off Joes Road, had to be sedated before the rescue could be carried out.

It was then moved to a paddock, apparently none the worse for its ordeal.

Essex singer Pixie Lott has been telling BBC Essex about her days at a performing arts school in Chelmsford. Here's the full interview with the singer:

A food blogger from Southend is set to stand in the general election.

Jack Monroe, who recently won a libel case against newspaper columnist Katie Hopkins, has not yet announced which party she will stand for, and has said she is still "crunching" as to whether it will be Rochford and Southend East or Southend West.

Those were the words of Denise Arthey to doctors after she and her husband Chris were involved in a road accident while on holiday.

Chris and Denise are just some of the thousands of inspiring runners who will be taking part in the London Marathon on Sunday. 

Read more about there story here and follow the live text commentary on this website from 08:25-16:00 BST on the day.

If you're taking part in the race - or know someone who is - let us know by using the #GetInspired on social media and we could feature your message!

Image source, Getty Images

Kyren Wilson of Kettering (left) has a two-frame lead over Basildon's Stuart Bingham following the daytime session in Sheffield.

The pair will begin the final session of their second-round World Snooker Championship match at 19:00, with Wilson 9-7 up in the best of 25-frame match.

The match is live on the BBC Red Button. Full coverage details here.

Southend United goalkeeper Christian Walton is hoping for the unusual accolade of promotion with three clubs in the same season.

Rebecca Ryan is jailed for life after luring her ex-boyfriend to a remote spot where he was bludgeoned to death.

Chris Flynn
BBC Essex

The judge sentencing a man and a woman found guilty of murdering a Harwich man has said their attack was "violent" and "cowardly".

Michael Beckwith's former girlfriend Rebecca Ryan, 22, of Hilltop, Weeley, and Scott Swift, 27, of Station Road, Dovercourt, have been jailed for life.

Sentencing them at Chelmsford Crown Court, Judge Charles Gratwicke said: "It was a violent, cowardly attack in which Michael Beckwith stood no chance.

"He'd done you Swift no harm at all. He had the misfortune at one stage or another of replacing you in the affections of Rebecca Ryan.

"It was not a spur of the moment attack, he delivered himself into the the trap you and Ryan had set for him."

Ryan and Swift's accomplice Joseph Smith, 18, of Canning Street, Harwich, was imprisoned for 12 months for manslaughter.  

Triston and Enderlein Biddlecombe, from East Street, Harwich, were jailed for two and a half years for assisting an offender and perverting the course of justice.

Meet Fran - she's just one of the many thousands who will be taking on the London Marathon this weekend.....

If you're taking part in the race - or know someone who is - let us know about it using the #GetInspired hashtag on social media and we could feature you in our live text commentary or messages on the TV coverage during the day. 

A man and a woman have been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for their role in the killing of Michael Beckwith.

Triston and Enderlein Biddlecombe, from East Street, Harwich, were found guilty of assisting an offender and perverting the course of justice.

As we've reported, Rebecca Ryan and Scott Swift have been jailed for life for murder and Joseph Smith has been imprisoned for 12 years for manslaughter.

More to follow.

Kettering's Kyren Wilson is leading Basildon's Stuart Bingham 8-7 as we come to the end of their morning session in Sheffield.

The final session in their second-round match at the World Snooker Championships at the Crucible begins at 19:00.

Wilson hit a 110 break with no response in the 10th frame. There's one frame of this session left.

Follow the snooker results at BBC Sport.

A teenager convicted for his role in the killing of Michael Beckwith has been jailed for 12 years.

Joseph Smith, 18, of Canning Street, Harwich, was found guilty of manslaughter.

As we just reported, Rebecca Ryan and Scott Swift have been jailed for life for murder.

More to follow. 

The former girlfriend of a murdered Harwich man has been sent to prison for life.

Rebecca Ryan, 22, of Hilltop, Weeley, has been told been told she must serve a minimum of 17 years.

Her co-defendant Scott Swift has also been jailed for life, and told he must serve at least 24 years.

More to follow.

A man convicted of murdering Harwich man Michael Beckwith has been jailed for life.

Scott Swift, 27, of Station Road, Dovercourt, has been told he must serve a minimum of 24 years.

More to follow. 

Chris Flynn
BBC Essex

The former girlfriend of a man who was murdered with metal poles "did not expect weapons to be used", a court has heard.

Image source, Essex Police

Five people are being sentenced for the roles they played in the murder of Michael Beckwith at Chelmsford Crown Court.

The 44-year-old suffered 17 blows to his head, arms and legs when he was attacked in a remote part of Harwich.

His former girlfriend Rebecca Ryan, 22, of Hilltop, Weeley, and Scott Swift, 27, of Station Road, Dovercourt, pictured, were found guilty of murder.

During mitigation, Ryan's lawyer said she did not know weapons were going to be used against Mr Beckwith.

Swift's lawyer said there was "no intent to kill" and it was "supposed to be some kind of beating".

The hearing continues.