A man and woman are due in court later over a shooting at a travellers' site in Wickford.

Levi Draper, 27, of Cranfield Park Avenue, Wickford, will face charges of murder, attempted murder, possession of a firearm with intent and possession of an offensive weapon.

Harriet Crittenden, 25, of Cranfield Park Avenue, Wickford, will face charges of attempted murder and possession of an offensive weapon.

The pair will appear at Basildon Magistrates’ Court this morning.

The charges relate to an incident alleged to have happened on Sunday at Cranfield Park Avenue during which 45-year-old Hugh Doherty died after suffering a gunshot wound.

A 35-year-old woman also suffered stab wounds and is now recovering from her injuries.

Essex homeowners living near the new Lower Thames Crossing have said it is going to get more difficult to sell their properties. 

Image source, Transport for London

The government announced Option C - connecting Tilbury to Gravesend - as its preferred route for the link road.

It will pass through North Ockendon and Orsett, go around Chadwell St Mary to East Tilbury, with a tunnel under the river to Gravesend. 

Kymm Edwards, who lives next to the route in Orsett, said: "Personally while we're living here through it, I am trapped.

"I can't move. I couldn't move before the decision was made because it was hanging over us and now the decision has been made, it's not salable."

She said she has been to four estate agents and none of them have called her back.

The government has said the £6bn project would "reduce the burden on the busy Dartford Crossing" and would boost the local economy by more than £8bn.

Elizabeth Rizzini
BBC Look East weather

It will be a bright but chilly start to the day. 

However, it will become cloudier than in recent days, with this cloud perhaps thick enough at times for the odd spot of rain later.

Top temperature: 14C (57F).

Get a full forecast where you live from BBC Weather.

Kate Scotter
BBC News

Thank you for joining us.

The team here will be bringing you all the news, travel, weather and sport for the county throughout the day.

We'll be hearing more from those living near the planned Lower Thames Crossing.

They say it's now going to get more difficult to sell their properties.

But first, let's take a look at the weather with Elizabeth Rizzini.

That's it from the team today - unless, of course, a story breaks overnight in which case this feed will be updated.

The stories hitting the headlines across Essex today include:

• Man jailed for life over murder of 'hero' uncle
• Police seek man, 23, over Towie nightclub hit-and-run - it's also been revealed that one of the victims remains in a critical condition in hospital nearly three weeks on
• Bristol-based millionaire businessman Arron Banks says he will run against Clacton MP Douglas Carswell - despite not knowing anything about the town

We'll be back at 08:00 tomorrow, so join us again then.

Have a good evening.

The officer in charge of the case into Daniel Mitchell-Monroe's murder said he was "pleased" that his killer had been handed a life sentence at Chelmsford Crown Court today.

The 37-year-old had been called by his niece for help after she found herself harassed by Joram Bakumanya in Basildon last year. He then launched a "ferocious" fatal knife attack on the woman's uncle.

Det Insp Al Pitcher said: "I would like to pay tribute to Mr Mitchell-Monroe’s family who have shown great patience to see justice served and conducted themselves with dignity and restraint.

"My thoughts are very much with them at this time.

"This case is a sad and shocking example of the consequences of what carrying a knife can lead to. 

"I plea to those who carry a knife to think long and hard about this case and make a choice not to carry such weapons.”   

The detective who investigated the murder of Daniel Mitchell-Monroe has described his killer as "dangerous and callous".

Image source, Google

Joram Bakumanya, 22, was told earlier today he must serve at least 25 years of a life sentence for the murder in Market Pavement, Basildon, (pictured) last summer.

Mr Mitchell-Monroe, 37, had been called by his niece for help after Bakumanya started harassing her while she shopped alone.

Det Insp Al Pitcher, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: "Mr Mitchell-Monroe acted selflessly and bravely to protect his niece. When he intervened, Bakumanya ferociously attacked him."He ran from the scene and threw his knife and bloodstained T-shirt into bushes. "It was quick-thinking from local officers who completed a very effective search and found Bakumanya in a residential street a short time later."

A man has been jailed for life today for murdering an uncle who was trying to protect his niece from unwanted advances.

Image source, Essex Police

Daniel Mitchell-Monroe had been to get his haircut while shopping with his 23-year-old niece last June.

She was alone when she was approached by Joram Bakumanya, 22, in Basildon.

Her uncle - described by his family after his death as a "hero" - came to help her but was then stabbed three times by Bakumanya, who was found guilty of murder by a Chelmsford Crown Court jury in December.

Bakumanya must serve at least 25 years in prison.

Mariam Issimdar
BBC News

The sister of a man from Clacton who's been missing for two weeks and was last sighted in Dickleburgh says it has been an "awful" time for his family.

Image source, Norfolk Police

Diana Mays says her brother, Nigel Kedar, aged 52, has a young son who he's devoted to and "for him not to be there it's not right."

The family don't know why he came to Norfolk, she said. 

Ms Mays says the emergency services have been very good and are in regular contact but the family "just want him found." 

"His disappearence is not like him at all," said Ms Mays.

"We just want him home as a family," she added. 

Norfolk Police say Mr Kedar was last seen walking along the A140 corridor through Dickleburgh towards Ipswich.

Essex become the second county to oppose a new city-based Twenty20 competition, but Durham support it.

The victim was stabbed when he went to the aid of his niece who was rejecting the killer's advances.

Police want to trace a man they would like to speak to after three people were run over during a mass brawl outside a Brentwood nightclub.

Image source, Essex Police

Detectives want to speak to Martin Stokes, 23, of no fixed address, who they believe has information about the hit-and-run outside the club featured in reality TV series The Only Way is Essex.

They have also revealed one of the victims was still in a critical condition in hospital since being struck by a blue Audi on 2 April.

Mr Stokes (pictured) has been described as 6ft (1.8m), of stocky build, with light brown mousy hair and has links to Northern Ireland, Hertfordshire, Essex and London.

Det Insp Stuart Truss, from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said he wanted to "urge him to come forward".

"We also urge anyone who has information or knows of his whereabouts to get in contact with our investigation team," he added.

Do you remember a moment of youth football glory in 1984-85? 

Then you could be waiting to be reunited with this trophy, which was found after being hidden in bushes in Westcliff, police have said, external.

Image source, Essex Police

Its plate is inscribed with the words "under 12 84-85 players, player D Hicks". 

Badges on each side of the trophy say "Island BC The Swans".

Anyone who recognises it should contact Loughton police station on 101.

A returning officer has told BBC Essex that finding polling stations for June's general election at such short notice could be an "interesting challenge" because of exam time.

There has been more reaction in Essex to Prime Minister Theresa May's decision to hold a snap general election in June.

Mrs May said it was in the national interest to hold the election as opposition parties want to hold up Brexit plans.

Sir Eric Pickles, Conservative MP for Brentwood and Ongar, hailed her announcement as a "very bold step".

"I think that part of Theresa’s success as prime minister is that she is prepared to do something that is counter-intuitive," he said.

See Theresa May's full election statement here.

Braintree's Conservative MP, external has said party leaders should be travelling around the country to meet voters rather than take part in TV debates given the short lead-up to the general election.

A road junction in Clacton has hit the national headlines as the country's worst blackspot after a string of accidents.

Local resident Les Baker has captured a series of collisions on his CCTV at the junction between Ellis Road and West Avenue.

They included a man being knocked over and carried along on the bonnet of a car.

Mr Baker said he feared somebody could be killed, but Essex County Council has said it is not a "lethal" junction and that most collisions were caused by drivers' lack of attention.

It added that a "number of new safety features" have been installed in recent times.

The boyfriend of TV presenter Ferne McCann is being hunted by detectives investigating a nightclub acid attack which left 20 people injured. 

Image source, Ferne McCann/Facebook

Arthur Collins, 25, is wanted for questioning after the corrosive liquid was sprayed during an argument at Mangle in Dalston, east London on Monday. 

A spokeswoman for Ms McCann, who found fame on reality show The Only Way Is Essex, said that she "urges Arthur to co-operate fully with the police and attend a police station immediately".

Read the whole story here.

Whether you're running an international championship race or out for a weekly jog, we all have a reason to run.

In London Marathon week, BBC Sport is launching the #IRunFor campaign for the 2017 summer of athletics.

Find out more about the campaign here and follow the London Marathon on the BBC Sport website from 08:30 BST on Sunday.

Police have appealed for information, external after a man was punched repeatedly in the face with what's believed to be a knuckle-duster.

Image source, Google

The victim, who is in his 20s, suffered "significant" facial injuries during the attack at Dick de Vigne's nightclub in Warrior Square, Southend, just before 01:30 on Easter Sunday.

The attacker was thrown out of the club and was thought to have gone towards the High Street.