Nic Rigby
BBC News

Essex County Cricket Club has announced that it's increasing its security for this weekend's Championship match against Surrey - starting today in Chelmsford - following the Manchester terror attack.

Image source, Essex County Cricket Club

Extra stewarding is being put in place and bag searches will be carried out before spectators go into the ground.

Spectators are also requested to keep their belongings with them at all times.

Bags or belongings must not be left on seats unattended. Any unattended bags may be removed without warning, the club said.

A spokesman said: "Because of these adopted changes, Essex County Cricket Club are expecting short delays getting into the ground and ask that spectators arrive in good time to pass through the additional security checks.

"Security arrangements will now be reviewed on a game by game basis as part of a national response.

"Essex County Cricket Club would like to thank spectators for their co-operation and their patience during this time of heightened security."

Councillors in Basildon have voted to run the local authority using a "committee system" rather than having a leader and a cabinet.

They say it will lead Basildon Borough Council to making "sound decisions" after listening to local people.

Image source, Google

Nic Rigby
BBC News

Hello and welcome to a new day on Essex Live.

Fingers are poised above keyboards, and the team is getting ready to roll - keep with us for all the latest news updates for the county throughout the day.

We'll have the weather forecast shortly.

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

That's it for another day of live updates from across Essex - thanks for your company.

We'll be back from 08:00 tomorrow to do it all again.

Of course if anything breaks later or overnight - you'll still find it here. Just scroll down to see what you've missed today.

And we love to hear from you - click the Get Involved button at the top of the page for social media and email options.

In the meantime we'll leave you with another Weather Watcher beauty - this one from Burnham on Crouch. Have a lovely evening.

Image source, BBC Weather Watchers/NicSki

Alex Dolan
BBC Look East weather

A warm and humid night in store, with temperatures remaining in the mid-teens in many areas.

Friday will again be hot with long spells of sunshine, continuing to feel humid, although it'll be cooler on the coast with an onshore breeze.

Highs of 26C (79F).

Get the full forecast where you live, from BBC Weather.

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

A project to improve the care of mums having caesareans has been recognised at an awards ceremony.

The 'enhanced recovery pathway in obstetrics' - or ERPO - was launched in May 2015 at Southend Hospital.

The team consists of maternity and anaesthetic specialists and is led by Mr Venkat Raman.

The idea is to speed up recovery so mums can spend those precious early days in the comfort of their own home.

Mr Raman said: "The way we care has seen better management of pain relief, better prevention of nausea and vomiting following surgery, early mobilisation minimising complications such as DVT, shortened hospital stay and early discharge.

"All of this contributes to a better patient experience."

Image source, Southend Hospital

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

The police in Essex say there'll be an increased presence across the county over one of the busiest Bank Holiday weekends of the year.

Visitors and locals will see armed and specialist police officers patrolling ports, airports, railway stations as well as seaside towns - in a response to the national threat level being raised to critical.

Essex's Deputy Chief Constable BJ Harrington yesterday moved to reassure the county that although there is heightened security, there has been no specific threat to Essex.

Chief Supt Ewen Wilson said: "You may well see armed police officers and other specialist units this weekend. Please don’t be alarmed if you see them.

"Police officers with guns can look unusual, but please come and talk to us. Say hello, introduce yourself.

"We are asking officers to work long hours keeping Essex safe and a hello and a smile will top up our energy levels.”

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

This is Lavender, a Syrian hamster from Wickford.

She's had a bit of a mare.

Image source, Cherrydown Vets

Poor Lavender - who's only four months old and belongs to the Weeks family - disappeared from her cage one morning.

She was found late at night squeaking and trapped behind the family's oven.

The bad news is her back leg was so badly damaged it had to be amputated. Cherrydown Vets in Basildon said it's a very rare, but life-saving, operation.

Image source, Cherrydown Vets

The family said she's already coping with three legs - but they've had to close off the top tiers of her cage for a while.

Image source, Cherrydown Vets

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

The Metropolitan Police has confirmed it will assist Essex Police in connection with the death of Lee Balkwell, who was found dead in a concrete mixer.

Mr Balkwell, 33, died of multiple injuries at a farm in Upminster in July 2002.

An inquest in 2008 returned a verdict of unlawful killing through gross negligence.

His father, Les, has always believed his son was murdered.

This is what the Met Police told us today:

However, Essex Police would not be drawn on whether the case has reopened.

In 2015, Mr Balkwell's family received a payout from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, after Essex Police admitted it failed to investigate his death.

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

Southend kick starts its film festival, external today with a very special screening.

Reels of Laurel and Hardy's lost 1927 "Battle of the Century" were discovered just two years ago and now the black and white classic is to have its regional premiere.

The comedy duo came to Southend in 1952 and stayed in the Park Inn Palace hotel - where the film will be screened.

To complete the authentic 1920s cinema experience, local musician Adam Ramet will provide live piano accompaniment.

A reputed 3,000 custard pies were thrown in the final scene.

It's the ninth year of the film festival - and it'll screen more than 50 films and local archive footage.

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

Essex Police is investigating reports of a spate of dangerous driving along a south Essex highway.

Officers say drivers have been racing each other at speed along The Manor Way in Corringham, near Stanford-le-Hope.

The stretch is a popular route for lorries travelling north out of the London Gateway port.

Sgt Myles Hilbery said: "Dangerous driving and racing on any public road is unacceptable.

"Doing so on the Manor Way is particularly dangerous because of the number of HGVs travelling to and from the energy businesses which are situated here.

"The consequences of a collision involving a speeding car and an HGV laden with potentially flammable liquids are unthinkable and it could easily lead to someone being seriously injured or, even worse, killed".

Image source, Google

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

How the county marked the one minute's silence today in memory of the victims of the Manchester bomb attack:

John Sales was stabbed 11 times in an attack "born out of sheer greed".

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

Here's a quick look at the headlines making the front pages in Essex today:

• The manager of a Westcliff ice cream parlour has paid tribute to staff who rallied round to reopen after a car reversed through the window of Rossi’s on Tuesday, according to the Southend Echo, external.
• An off-duty firefighter has spoken of the dramatic moment he tried to save a moped rider who crashed after his heart stopped. Brendan Gibbs told the Colchester Gazette, external that his training instantly kicked in. The rider later died in hospital.
• And the Saffron Walden Reporter, external reveals that parents are to lead a campaign to save the private Walden School:

Image source, Saffron Walden Reporter

A man who went missing two years ago was trying to expand his drug dealing operation at the time, according to police. Chris May, 28, was last seen at his home in Kelvedon, Essex, on 25 May 2015.

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

A minute's silence has been observed across the county for the victims of Monday's bomb attack in Manchester:

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

The UK Independence Party has launched its general election manifesto today - with a promise to remove tolls from publicly-owned roads.

The party also made it clear it's not in favour of the proposed new Thames Crossing linking Essex and Kent.

Here's what the manifesto says:

At 11:00 the UK will fall silent to remember the victims of the Manchester terror attack.

As a mark of respect we’re pausing our live stream at that time.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Weather Watchers

Our merry band of Weather Watchers have been out and about capturing the sunlight across the county this morning.

And they didn't disappoint.

Image source, BBC Weather Watchers/jacks

Weather Watcher jacks caught the flowers turning to watch the mist lifting off at Great Horkesley near Colchester.

Image source, BBC Weather Watchers/PJ

Weather Watcher PJ nipped to the beach at Shoeburyness for this shot of the jetty this morning.

Image source, BBC Weather Watchers/Essex VDub girl

And Weather Watcher Essex VDub girl managed to spot some lucky passengers enjoying a hot air balloon ride over Marks Tey.

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

John Sales was stabbed 11 times in the attack - in the face, head, neck, chest, shoulder and back.

The pensioner managed to dial 999 and officers arrived within minutes to find him critically injured on his doorstep.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard that he was taken to hospital and placed in an induced coma.

He needed five operations and requires continuing medical treatment.

Det Insp Al Pitcher, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said Mr Sales had "shown immense courage and dignity".

"It was clear from the ferociousness of the attack that the aim was to kill," he said.

"Flash Day carefully planned the attack and went to great lengths to try and get rid of the evidence linking him to it.

"The victim is a gentleman who has endured not only the physical and emotional trauma of his injuries but the knowledge that a member of his family was ultimately responsible for them."