BBC Sport

Colchester United have added goalkeeper Rene Gilmartin to their squad for the new League Two campaign.

He's signed after being released by Watford at the end of last season.

Image source, Getty Images

The 30-year-old signed twice for Watford in his career and also played for Walsall, Yeovil Town, Crawley Town and Plymouth Argyle.

Dublin-born Gilmartin made his debut in international football for the Republic of Ireland at under-19 and under-21 levels and also played for League of Ireland side St Patrick's Athletic.

His deal at Colchester is for an undisclosed length of time.

Patrick Byrne
BBC News

The Conservative MP for Southend West says he will fight for the future of the town's hospital accident and emergency department.

NHS bosses want to turn Basildon into an emergency "super-hub", but are rejecting claims that it will mean downgrades at Southend and Broomfield in Chelmsford.

David Amess MP, external put forward an adjournment debate in the House of Commons yesterday, so the issue could eventually be discussed in Parliament.

"This hospital is in the heart of the constituency I represent and just like several years ago similar moves were made at Basildon Hospital I stopped those," he told the House of Commons.

"I am not going to stand by to allow any changes that diminish the capability of Southend Hospital to provide the very best possible health care to the residents of the borough."

The Department of Health , externalsaid an assurance had been given that Southend's accident and emergency department would continue to provide "substantial services" 24-hours-a-day, but it was proposed to transfer specialist cases to Basildon.

Health minister Steve Brine said he understood the MP's concerns, but there would still be a significant role for Southend A&E.

Sonia Watson
BBC Essex

We've been following the news that Mears Group, which provides home care for 260 people, has announced it will not be taking up a new contract with Essex County Council.

Mears says the council's new offer is short of the minimum hourly rate of £16.70 per customer which is recommended by the United Kingdom Homecare Association (UKHCA), which represents the care industry.

Conservative council leader David Finch has told BBC Essex the firm's trying to pressure them into offering more money and the service provider needs to look at its own cost base as other organisations are able to provide a quality service based on the money being offered.

Mears Group, external claims the proposed deal is worth 10% less than they're currently being paid, and isn't viable or safe, so it'll pull out when it expires in November.

Lucy Martin
BBC Weather

Bright or sunny spells will dominate and it will become very warm in a light breeze although cloud cover will increase in places.

Some rain showers are expected during a very muggy night.

Maximum Temperature: 27C (81F)

More details from BBC Weather:

Patrick Byrne
BBC News

Hello and welcome to BBC Local Live for Essex.

We'll be providing the latest news, sport and travel for the county from now until 18:00.

Here are some of the stories we'll be covering:

• After care provider Mears announces it is pulling out of a contract because of proposed cuts to its payments, the council replies.
• The Southend MP says he'll fight for the future of the town's hospital which is being threatened with downgrading.

But first we'll have the weather coming up shortly from Lucy Martin and one of our BBC Weather Watchers has caught an early glimpse of the prospects.

Image source, ebb&flow

That's all from Local Live for Essex today - but, of course, we will update this feed with any breaking news overnight.

Take a scroll down the timeline to see the stories that have been hitting the headlines across the county today.

We will be back reporting news from 08:00 tomorrow - join us then.

Have a great evening.

Here are some pictures we hope might inspire you:

Image source, Phoenix House Recovery Centre

Today is the final day of a competition being held in North Yorkshire for wounded, injured and sick servicemen, women and veterans at the Phoenix Summer Games.

It's an annual event and this is the fourth year they've taken place.

The teams are from the four Help for Heroes Recovery Centres in Catterick in North Yorkshire, Plymouth, Colchester and Tidworth.

The games are being held at Phoenix House Recovery Centre in Catterick.

Seventy years ago this month, a photographer took a picture of British holiday camp promoter Billy Butlin (centre) joining in with a sing along at one of his holiday camps in Clacton.

Image source, Getty Images

Seventy seven ago this month, the British liner Arandora Star, pictured at Tilbury docks, Essex, was sunk by a German U-boat off the west coast of Ireland, while carrying Italian nationals from Britain to internment camps in Canada.

Image source, Getty Images

The sinking in the second year of the war saw the loss 682 people including 200 soldiers.

The surviving Italians were shipped back to Liverpool where they were transported to prison camps in Australia the following week.

To this day the remaining survivors of the Arandora Star gather at a small Italian church in London in remembrance of all those who died on the 1 July 1940.

The ship was photographed two years earlier at the docks.

Nic Rigby
BBC News

We reported earlier that a series of public consultation events start today about growth at Stansted Airport from 25m to 44m passengers a year by 2030.

The consultation events, between today and 19 July, are listed on a special Have Your Say website., external

It will include events in Great Dunmow, Braintree, Thaxted, Stansted Mountfitchet, Hatfield Heath, Takeley, Thaxted, and Saffron Walden.

London Stansted Airport CEO Andrew Cowan said: "Stansted will be critical in supporting the UK's economic growth and increasing our global competitiveness.

"Making the most of existing capacity at Stansted over the next 10-15 years is a strategic priority and we want to hear what people across our region think."

Plans to widen the A12 to three lanes, as part of a £6.1bn government road improvements plan, will help “unlock Essex’s economic potential” says Essex County Council.

The council welcomed the funding pledge from Transport Minister Jesse Norman.

It means work to widen the A12 between Chelmsford and the M25 at Brentwood, plus work along the Colchester Northern bypass, is making sufficient progress for proposals to be developed before they go out to public consultation.

Upgrades to these sections of the A12 were originally announced in the 2014 road investment strategy as areas which required initial design work to be done, before work could begin in 2020.

Kevin Bentley, deputy leader of the council, said: "The A12 is the transportation backbone of Essex, so widening it to three lanes will have a huge impact that will help unlock the county’s true economic potential."

Essex Spartans spread interest in American football:

One person being treated after crash in Essex.

Celebrity minder Ricky Hayden was stabbed outside his east London home.

Detectives say a double stabbing in Chelmsford this morning was a targeted attack - and there's no risk to the wider public.

A man's been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, after a man and a woman were attacked in Rookes Crescent.

Image source, Google

BBC Sport

Essex bowler Simon Harmer (pictured) - who took 28 wickets in matches against Warwickshire and Middlesex - has been named the Cricketer of the Month for June.

Image source, Getty Images

A 20-year-old was attacked at Cobham Services and died of his injuries two days later.

Nic Rigby
BBC News

Essex County Council has called for government action to find a "long term solution to the care crisis" after Mears Group, which looks after 260 elderly people in Colchester and Laindon, announced it is withdrawing its services to county.

Image source, Getty Images

David Finch, leader of county council, said in a statement: "Mears made a commercial decision not to continue with their contract with Essex County Council, in line with their national strategy.

"Providers across Essex are engaged with the adoption of our proposed new commercial arrangements, which have received and passed rigorous scrutiny tests in terms of quality and safety standards.

"The sector is under pressure which is why we have been lobbying so hard for government action and a sustainable, long term solution to the care crisis."

He added that "80% of the providers in Essex are rated as good or outstanding by the CQC which is above the national average".

"We are proud of the high quality services our residents receive," he said.

Nic Rigby
BBC News

We've been following the news that Mears Group has announced it is withdrawing its services to Essex County Council.

Mears says the council’s new home care contract is short of the minimum hourly rate of £16.70 per customer recommended by the United Kingdom Homecare Association (UKHCA), which represents the care industry.

Image source, Getty Images

Alan Long, Mears Group executive director, added: "Essex County Council has asked Mears to reduce our charge for homecare when our rate is already below the absolute minimum recommended by UKHCA.

"We held extensive talks with Essex County Council, including proposals to make savings for the council without impacting care worker pay or the quality of the service.

"We have been told it is too late to do anything different, despite the current contract not ending until the middle of November.

"We will continue to provide our service until then and will co-operate as best we can to facilitate customers and staff being transferred to a number of as yet unknown providers, however we remain concerned that any provider could deliver a safe and lawful service at the new rate."

Essex County Council said it would be commenting later.

Nic Rigby
BBC News

A care firm that employs 202 workers and looks after 260 elderly people in Colchester and Laindon has announced it is withdrawing its services to Essex County Council.

Image source, Getty Images

Mears Group, which has provided care in Essex for 15 years, said the decision was made over "concerns for safety and pay conditions".

A spokesman for Mears said Essex County Council’s new homecare contract proposed a rate that was considerably lower than the current rate, despite increases in the national living wage, pensions and other areas.

Alan Long, Mears Group executive director, said: "It is with great reluctance and disappointment that we take this decision.

"We have worked successfully with Essex County Council for 15 years, however we are left with no choice but not to renew any homecare contracts with them.

"We are sympathetic to the financial pressures facing the council, however they are unrealistic in the level of pricing required to recruit good quality carers, conform to employment legislation and provide a good, safe and compliant level of service."

We've asked Essex County Council for a comment.