Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

A man has been found guilty of planning the murder of his stepfather in a row over inheritance.

Flash Day's grievance began when his childhood home in Colchester passed to his mother's second husband after she died.

And although his stepfather John Sales, 70, drew up a will including him, Day was resentful at not being the sole beneficiary, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

The jury was told that Day hired a hitman, Ryan Hynes, to kill his stepfather.

Hynes, 22, stabbed Mr Sales several times in the garden of the house in Hythe Hill on 10 November, 2015.

During the investigation, Day claimed he had lost his mobile but had deleted incriminating messages from it.

The police also discovered Day had made inquiries about the house deeds.

Day, 46, unemployed, of Rose Allen Avenue, Colchester, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder.

Hynes, a warehouseman, of Long Road, Lawford, admitted charges of attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder at a hearing in October last year.

A 17-year-old girl from Colchester, who had given Hynes an alibi, admitted perverting the course of justice at a hearing in May last year.

All will be sentenced at a later date.

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

Essex Police and Highways England say the collision on the A120 to Harwich this morning has been cleared.

The area's still a bit slow but the road has reopened.

Take your time if you're heading that way.

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

The weather's scorching at the moment - and the thought of a swim in the sea is very tempting.

But new figures from lifeboat charity the RNLI, external show a rise in the number of people drowning along the Essex coastline.

Last year, 162 people died off Britain's shores - including seven in Essex.

There were no deaths at all in 2015.

The RNLI's coastal safety manager, Ross Macleod, said half of people who lose their lives in the sea fall in accidentally - and staying calm in the first 60 to 90 seconds is crucial.

"The water is very cold at the moment, probably no more than 10 to 12 degrees and that can trigger cold water shock, which causes the heart rate to shoot up and the loss of breathing control.

"Staying calm in those first seconds is vital."

Elizabeth Rizzini
BBC Look East weather

A dry and very warm day, with lots of sunshine.

Becoming hot by the afternoon, with temperatures reaching 25C (26F).

The south easterly wind will keep it slightly cooler on the coast.

BBC Weather has a more localised forecast for where you live.

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

Suncream and sunglasses on - it's another lovely day out there. (Actually, it's a bit hot.)

Essex is looking particularly beautiful this morning.

We'll be here until 18:00 bringing you all the the latest news, sport, travel and weather from across the county.

We're all gearing up for a hot Bank Holiday weekend.

Stay right here for Elizabeth's Rizzini's forecast in just a minute.

Whatever you're up to - have a fabulous day.

The enduring image of 1980s Essex is at the heart of a new comedy by the writer of The Inbetweeners.

That's it for our live updates for today.

Our main stories today have been the launch of extra police patrols in Essex in response to Monday's bombing in Manchester and an emotional appeal by the family of missing man Chris May on the eve of the anniversary of his disappearance.

Scroll down to take a look at videos and updates of what has been happening.

We'll be back again from 08:00 on Thursday with all your news, sport, travel and weather.

Until then, have a great evening.

BBC Weather

This evening will stay fine and dry with sunny spells.

Image source, BBC Weather

A mild and muggy night with areas of cloud at times overnight. Lows of 12C (54F).

Tomorrow will see another warm and sunny day and it will feel humid. Highs of 24C (75F).

It will feel fresher on the coasts with temperatures of 17C (63F).

BBC Weather has more local forecasts.

The detective leading the murder inquiry into the case of missing man Chris May appealed to drug dealers for the "one piece of information" he needed to solve his disappearance.

Chris May, 28, of Kelvedon, was a drug dealer and had started selling class A drugs when he vanished on 25 May 2015.

Det Ch Insp Stuart Smith said Mr May had probably "fallen foul of other drug dealers" but appealed to them - and users - for clues.

"Give me that piece of information that tells me who killed Christopher - or perhaps, more importantly for the family, tell me where he has been hidden so I can recover Christopher’s body for his family," he said.

Two kittens were beaten before being dumped near a Shoeburyness car park, the RSPCA has said, external.

Image source, RSPCA

One of the eight-week-old pair needs to have its tail amputated after suffering an open fracture, while the other has a broken leg which may also need to be amputated.

A passer-by rescued the first kitten after spotting them both in undergrowth at Gunners Park yesterday, but couldn't catch its sibling so called the RSPCA.

Inspector Adam Jones said they were "cowering in the undergrowth” and thought they had been pets.

The mum of missing Kelvedon man Chris May said she was "scared" she would never get answers to solve his disappearance.

Image source, Essex Police

His mum Lorraine told BBC Essex at a press conference earlier today that despite him vanishing two years ago tomorrow, the family were no closer to finding out what had happened.

"I wouldn’t say any one of us is coping," she said.

"The longer it goes on the more angry we get - someone out there knows.

"I wouldn’t say I’m an angry person, but someone is putting us through it that knows something."

Essex Police announced last year that it would treat the case as a murder investigation rather than a missing persons inquiry.

The mother and sisters of a man who vanished two years ago tomorrow have told BBC Essex of their heartache.

Chris May, 28, was last seen at his home in Kelvedon, Essex, on 25 May 2015 and police believe he was trying to expand his drug-dealing operation at the time.

His mum Lorraine said the family were still in turmoil and convinced that someone knew what had happened to him.

She said: "You feel like you’re going insane. It still feels like the first week.

"If Chris is dead - and I don’t know how I’d cope with that - I need his body and to put him to rest.

"And if he’s not, I want to know what’s happened."

Soldiers from Colchester Garrison are patrolling in London, the BBC has been told.

Extra police patrols - both armed and unarmed - have been launched today in Essex in response to Monday's bombing in Manchester.

The Prime Minister announced last night that the army would be drafted in, but Essex Police's deputy chief constable has said there were no military patrols in the county yet.

Chelmsford City, external - who recently missed out on promotion in the National League South play-off final - have announced a string of pre-season friendlies.

Rod Stringer's side will play seven games - five of them against Essex teams - between 4 and 29 July.

Today's announcement of the friendlies comes after the club said yesterday that there will be no hike in season ticket prices.

The detective investigating the case of missing man Chris May has told BBC Essex that drug dealers or users could hold the keys to solve the mystery of his disappearance.

More than 100 constituencies across the UK have no female candidates standing, BBC research says.

Chris May was trying to expand his drug dealing operation when he went missing, police say.

The organisers of V Festival, external have said it will still go ahead as planned in Chelmsford this summer, despite Monday's terror attack in Manchester.

Thousands of festival-goers are expected to attend the event at Hylands Park on 19 and 20 August.

Earlier today, Essex Police's deputy chief constable said the force's plans for big events in the county - including V - would be "reviewed and reassessed" in light of the heightened terror alert.

Organisers said a further statement would be released on Thursday morning with updated plans but they will not be "defeated by such cowardice".

Gareth George
BBC Look East

I've been down to Stansted Airport, external this morning after last night's terror arrest.

There are no signs of extra security from outside of the terminal, but the airport has said there are still extra patrols carrying on inside.

It has said it will "continue to monitor the situation closely and update where necessary".

Here's a quick look at what's making the headlines across the county today:

• Essex Live, external reports that a former head teacher has appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court this morning on child sex offences.
• A man describes being showered in shattered glass after a car smashed through the front of an ice-cream parlour in Southend, the Echo reports, external.
• Two teenagers are arrested by police after a 17-year-old boy was stabbed on Sunday, according to the East Anglian Daily Times, external.