Two people remain in custody following the fatal shooting of a man and the stabbing of his sister on a travellers' site in Wickford on Sunday.

The pair were held after a car was stopped on the A12 yesterday afternoon.

Hugh Doherty, 45, was shot in the chest at the Cranfield Park Avenue and died in hospital.

His sister, 35, suffered multiple stab wounds and remains in a serious but stable condition in hospital.

UKIP's former major donor Arron Banks has told BBC Essex he will definitely stand against Douglas Carswell, external in Clacton in June's snap election.

The prime minister announced yesterday voters will go to the polls as she wants to secure the backing of the British people for her Brexit negotiations.

Mr Banks said he will meet UKIP leader Paul Nuttall, external today to decide if he will either stand for the party or as an independent, but admitted he knows "nothing about Clacton at all".

"I've got a reputation for just saying it as it is," he said. "My plan is to go down to Clacton, see what the issues are and then we'll start to campaign."

Officers investigating a sexual assault on a girl in Colchester have released an e-fit image of a man they want to speak to. 

Image source, Essex Police

The 16-year-old victim was walking from Rotary Way through an underpass at about 17:30 on 23 February when she saw a man who asked to use her mobile phone.

As she got her phone out the man sexually assaulted her, before she shouted at him and he ran off.

A man will appear in court this morning to face a charge of murder.

Skye Page, 37, of Dunkirk Road, Burnham, will appear at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court. 

The charge relates to an incident alleged to have happened at 10:45 on 17 April at an address in Main Road, St Lawrence. 

A 51-year-old woman suffered serious injuries and died at the scene.

Mr Page has been remanded in custody ahead of his appearance this morning.

BBC Weather

Another chilly start with frost in places but once that disappears it should feel much more pleasant in the sunshine with a top temperature of 12C that's 54F.

BBC Weather has more local forecasts. 

Hello and welcome to our live updates on this chilly but sunny Wednesday.

We'll be bringing you all the news, weather, travel and sport for the county across the day.

You can keep us posted too with news from your area by clicking the "Get involved" button at the top of the page. 

First, let's take a look at today's weather forecast. 

A postbox gets the stamp of approval from a pair of nesting birds.

A postbox in Essex has been given the stamp of approval from a pair of nesting birds.

Royal Mail has put up a notice asking people to use other postboxes instead in Great Dunmow after the birds - thought to be blue tits - were spotted inside.

The birds have returned to the site - which has been kept secret to protect their safety - after raising chicks there in previous years.

Royal Mail has said workers will regularly check to see when the birds have flown the nest, before the postbox is thoroughly cleaned and reopened.

Patrick Byrne
BBC News

That's it from the Essex Live team for today so we'll wish you a good evening.

We'll be back from 08:00 tomorrow, bringing you the news, sport, travel and weather updates as they happen. 

Today everyone, including local MPs, was surprised by the PM calling a snap general election.

Late in the afternoon police said two people had been arrested on the A12 in connection with a fatal shooting at Wickford.

And Colchester and Southend football clubs had their play-off ambitions dented over the weekend.

These and other stories can be seen by scrolling down.

If there's anything happening that you'd like us to know about, you can contact us via the "Getting involved" button at the top of the page - we'd be delighted to hear from you. 

Alex Dolan
BBC Look East weather

This evening will stay dry with sunny spells, but it will feel cool in the wind.

Dry overnight with clear spells and variable amounts of cloud, leading to the risk of a frost.

Lows of -1C (30F).

After a frost in places on Wednesday, it'll be a dry day with sunny spells and patchy cloud.

Top temperature: 12C (54F).

Get the full forecast where you live from BBC Weather.

Patrick Byrne
BBC News

A family has paid tribute to a woman who died following a car crash in North Weald.  

Megan Harding-Jones, 18, of Kents Lane, died after the Volkswagen Polo she was driving left the A414 near the junction of Bobbingworth Mill shortly before 03:30 on Saturday.

Image source, Family picture

Her family said in a statement: "It is with great sadness that Perry and Katharine Harding-Jones announce the tragic death of their beautiful and much loved daughter Megan..."

She was a "fun loving, vivacious teenager who was passionately devoted to equestrian life. 

"An accomplished and talented rider; Megan loved her horses and competed in local and national equestrian events. 

"Any words are inadequate to express the deep loss felt by Megan's family and friends at such a sad and difficult time."

No other people or vehicles were involved in the incident.

Patrick Byrne
BBC News

A man and woman have been arrested on the A12 in connection with a fatal shooting at a traveller caravan park in Wickford. 

The 27-year-old man was held on suspicion of murder and the 25-year-old woman on suspicion of attempted murder.

Hugh Doherty has been identified police as the man who died after being shot during the incident on Sunday evening at Cranfield Park Avenue. He was taken to hospital but died from his injuries. 

A post-mortem examination found Mr Doherty died as a result of a gunshot wound to the chest. 

A 35-year-old woman, who suffered multiple stab wounds during the incident, remains in hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Richard Smith
BBC Essex

Residents in Basildon have expressed surprise that Prime Minister Theresa May has decided to call a snap general election because opposition parties are making negotiations to leave the European Union more difficult than she thinks necessary.

The election is scheduled to take place on 8 June and has been welcomed by the opposition parties she believes are undermining her team's work.

Essex is on election alert after Theresa May made the surprise announcement this morning she wanted to go to the country on 8 June. 

She blamed opposition parties who were undermining her team negotiating the best deal for the UK after leaving the European Union.

The PM wants a clear mandate to silence the opposition to leaving the EU in what has become a "Brexit Election". 

Already local MPs in key constituencies are making their reaction known. 

Across Essex a clear majority of people voted to leave the EU, but there was a significant number of Remainers who want a chance to influence the outcome of the referendum. 

Andrew Sinclair
BBC Look East political correspondent

The region has been put on an election footing for what will be known as the "Brexit Election". 

Theresa May made the surprise announcement this morning because opposition parties are undermining her team negotiating the best deal for the UK after leaving the European Union.

Andrew Sinclair
BBC Look East political correspondent

This election will be the Brexit election.

With most of the East of England voting to leave and already solidly Conservative, there are unlikely to be many surprises - but a few seats will be fiercely fought over.  

Image source, Getty Images

Top of the list will be Cambridge where 74% of people voted to remain in the EU and Norwich South (59%). 

Both seats used to be held by the Liberal Democrats who will see this election as a second referendum. 

Both seats now have Labour MPs who were in the remain camp, but with the official Labour party policy being to support Article 50, both Daniel Zeichner and Clive Lewis will have to fight hard. 

North Norfolk will be another interesting one. Lib Dem health spokesman Norman Lamb has always been able to command a strong personal vote, but 59% of people in North Norfolk voted to leave and Mr Lamb only has a majority of 4,000. 

Clacton's one to watch

It's MP Douglas Carswell left UKIP last month and said he'd stand as an independent. That could be a challenge in itself, but he'll also have to face businessman Aaron Banks, a big UKIP donor who has declared that he will stand against Carswell. 

The Conservative association in Chelmsford will have to find a new candidate as Sir Simon Burns has already announced that he would stand down at the next election. 

And will Sir Alan Haselhurst stand again in Saffron Walden? Last time some in his local party tried to deselect him because they thought he was too old. 

Hitchin and Harpenden is a seat which we don't normally pay much attention to, but it's held by arch euro sceptic Peter Lilley and in North Hertforshire there was a strong remain vote last year. 

Bristol businessman Arron Banks has wasted no time in confirming he will take on Douglas Carswell in Clacton.

Banks suggested in February he could stand against Carswell, who defected from the Conservatives to become Ukip's only MP, before quitting the party to be an independent in March.

He described Carswell as a "terrible individual who has done his best to destroy UKIP".  

Patrick Byrne
BBC News

Local MPs have been reacting to the decision by Prime Minister Theresa May to seek a snap general election.

Colchester Conservative MP Will Quince is surprised by the timing of the announcement but is "determined to fight it" and said Labour welcoming a general election was "bizarre" as all oppositions wanted a chance to get into power.

Former long standing Colchester Lib Dem MP Bob Russell is considering whether to stand against Mr Quince to regain his seat.

UKIP senior donor Arron Banks has pledged to stand against party defector and now Independent Clacton MP Douglas Carswell.

Conservative Sir Simon Burns confirms he will not stand in the Chelmsford constituency at the election despite originally saying he would serve until 2020.

More comment is expected later.

Patrick Byrne
BBC News

A council has warned companies and drivers who assist in delivering building materials to Hoveland Avenue in Wickford they could face legal action. 

Injunctions are currently in place banning any further development at Silva Lodge Kennels and land west of the avenue. 

In a letter, the council has reminded contractors of the existence of the High Court ruling and warned that it will consider legal action against any individuals or organisations who breach the order. 

The site is two miles away from Dale Farm, Europe's largest illegal traveller site until the council spent more than £4m closing it down. Basildon Council is desperate to stop another Dale Farm situation developing. 

Thomas Anderson, Eileen Anderson, Winnie Anderson, Margaret Anderson and Arran Jones developed the land at Silva Lodge Kennels and allowed mobile homes to use the site. 

They have apologised for breaching the injunction on the site, near Basildon, as they did not realise they were doing anything wrong, their barrister told the High Court in London. 

The afternoon will be dry with plenty of long sunny spells.

The breeze on the coast should gradually drop, giving a top temperature across the county of 11C (52F).

Thanks to BBC Weather Watcher "Bangalore Babe" for this sunny shot taken in Long Melford earlier: