Updates on Friday, 7 July 2017
Ambulance driver cleared of causing death 77-year-old pedestrian
Witham armed robber gets 15 year sentence
Squatters take over 'unlocked' former Job Centre building
Fire service staff visit high-rise block residents over safety concerns
'Care will continue' as provider pulls out, council leader says
MP vows to prevent 'diminishment' of hospital services in Southend
Colchester sign goalkeeper released by Premier League club
A man is in a critical condition in hospital after being found with serious head injuries in Harlow yesterday.
Police and paramedics were called to Tumbler Road at 23:30.
Officers think the man was assaulted as some people were seen running away from the scene.
Craig Lewis
BBC News
The family of a former non-league footballer who was stabbed to death on Saturday have launched a fundraising page to help raise money for his wife and disabled son.
Kevin Malthouse, 24, who played for Tilbury FC between 2011 and 2014, died after being stabbed in the chest in Blackshots Lane, Grays.
Image source, Matt McCarthyHis cousin, Matt McCarthy, has started a gofundme page, external for a "young man who had everything to live for".
On the page, Mr McCarthy said his cousin's death had left behind "so much heart break".
He is hoping to raise money for Mr Malthouse's wife, Jodie, and son, Ellis (pictured with Mr Malthouse above), who "needs 24/7 care with his disability".
"We would appreciate everyone's donation to help Jodie and Ellis financially through this saddest time," he told the BBC.
"He's left behind a disabled son who spent his first year of his life living in hospital and who needs help with breathing 24/7 on machines."
Jack Taylor, 18, from Oakley Close in Grays, has been charged with Mr Malthouse's murder.
Essex Police said its officers did attend an incident following reports of thousands of pounds blowing down a street at Buckhurst Hill in Epping Forest.
Officers were responding to reports of a motorcyclist "acting suspiciously" on Epping New Road on Saturday night.
They carried out a search, but no one was found.
It happened just four miles from the Bank of England printing works - which has declined to comment.
BBC Essex is reporting many drivers stopped to try and grab the cash.
Lawyer Coral Fitzgerald, from Brentwood, said anyone who took the money technically stole it.
She said people can even be prosecuted for picking up a tenner they find on the street.
There are delays on trains heading to Ipswich, Greater Anglia, external has tweeted:
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A man has been charged with murder after a former footballer was stabbed in the chest in Grays.
Police were called to Blackshots Lane in the early hours of Saturday morning following reports of a group of men fighting.
Image source, Elliot MercerOfficers said one man - 24-year-old Kevin Malthouse - had been stabbed in the chest.
Paramedics tried to save the former Tilbury FC player, but he died at the scene.
Jack Taylor, 18, from Oakley Close, has been charged with his murder and is due to appear at Basildon Magistrates' Court later.
A 22-year-old man, who was also arrested, has been bailed pending further investigations.
Two women have died following a crash on Lower Dunton Road in Stanford-le-Hope yesterday afternoon.
Emergency services were called to a collision involving a car and a van.
Essex Police say two women in the car died at the scene, while a third woman was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.
Her condition is described as critical.
Two men, in the van, were treated in hospital in Basildon for minor injuries.
There's a lot of cloud about in the BBC Look East region this morning especially the further north you are, and where it it thickest we may get a light shower.
As we get into the afternoon the cloud will thin and break bringing spells of sunshine.
Temperatures reaching 23C (73F), although it will be cooler on the coast.
BBC Weather has more local forecasts.
Craig Lewis
BBC News
Good morning and welcome back to Local Live across Essex.
We'll be here until 18:00 with the latest news, sport, weather and travel from across the county.
The full weather forecast will be with you shortly on what should be a mostly dry and bright day.
Listen to BBC Radio 5 live sports extra and local radio commentary as Essex host Surrey in the T20 Blast.
Read MoreA 20-year-old man received fatal head injuries in an attack on the petrol station forecourt.
Read More
Mariam Issimdar
BBC News
...has drawn to a close.
The team is back with regular updates from 08:00 tomorrow, but any breaking news will drop into the stream overnight.
Do take a look back and see what's happened across the county, some of it may be negative news but there's some joy there too.
Have a good evening.
Julie Reinger
BBC Look East weather
The last of any showers should quickly clear to leave a mainly dry night across the BBC East region with variable amounts of cloud and light winds.
Most places staying in double figures overnight with temperatures no lower than 11C (52F).
Tuesday will be largely fine and dry, although cloud is likely to thicken from the south during the day.
Any showers will be very isolated and mainly in the north of the region accompanied by light winds.
Maximum temperature: 22C (72F)
More details for where you are from BBC Weather.
Fire crews say a house has been left uninhabitable following a fire in Chelmsford, which was caused by a faulty fridge-freezer.
It broke out in a lean-to in Evelyn Place at around 12:00, before spreading to the roof and first floor of the house.
Essex Fire and Rescue say no-one was injured.
The service's website, external says "incidents like this show how important it is to make sure your kitchen appliances are kept in good working order".
Unexploded bombs have been found on Southend beach and police are expected to confirm more details shortly.
A spokesman for Dover Coastguard said: "We are aware of a couple of unexploded ordnances on Southend Beach."
The public are asked to keep away form the area.
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Mariam Issimdar
BBC News
Police say they're worried about the welfare of a family from Canvey, who have gone missing.
Image source, Essex Police
Image source, Essex Police
Image source, Essex PoliceCheryl Wilkins disappeared on Wednesday with sons, Dylan, who's four-years-old, and two-year-old Leo.
It's thought they all may be in the company of their father Damien Barnes.
Det Insp Anna Grainger says: "We need to find Cheryl and the two boys to make sure they are safe.
"Obviously their welfare and well-being is our main priority and in order to make sure that is okay, we need to find them."
Cheryl and her children were seen on a train travelling from Benfleet to Barking on the day they were reported missing and both Cheryl and Damien have links to St Albans and South Ockendon.
The BBC understands Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford will be told this afternoon that its cladding is fire-safe.
We're also expecting Southend and Basildon hospitals to be told they have no cause for concern either.
A number of buildings are being tested following the Grenfell Tower fire in London.
We'll bring you more details when we get them.
Darren Black, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease, said he wanted to get out in his garden.
Read MoreMariam Issimdar
BBC News
A male driver who helped an injured woman he came across in Harlow on Thursday night is being sought by police... along with the woman he picked up.
It's thought the driver of a white van took the victim to hospital after picking her up near Wedhey at about 23:00.
The Good Samaritan dropped the woman off at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, but the patient has since left.
Police say she has information relevant to an on-going investigation and they need to speak to her urgently.
They're also also appealing for the driver to come forward.
Mariam Issimdar
BBC News
A 300-year-old private school which was set to close next week will now be staying open after a charitable foundation stepped in to take it over.
Image source, Walden SchoolWalden School in Saffron Walden, which takes boarders, had said "extremely challenging conditions over recent years due to a highly competitive local market" was behind its decision to shut.
But a deal with the Diagrama Foundation charity now means the school will remain open.
Susan Garratt, chair of governors, said: "Following a series of discussions, we are delighted to confirm that we have reached this agreement which should enable the school to remain open and supports the trust’s original aim of providing education in Saffron Walden."
Diagrama’s chief executive David McGuire says: “Diagrama is dedicated to realising Walden School’s vision of creating the best school in the region with an environment in which students can become mindful, rounded individuals, who are an asset to society."
The Diagrama Foundation, external runs a centre in London providing an "alternative education" for children who have social problems and cannot manage mainstream school.
Mariam Issimdar
BBC News
Work has started on phase one of a plan to refurbish Clacton Pier, external and make it an all-weather attraction.
Image source, Clacton PierPier director Billy Ball said: "We have already removed an old workshop on the east side and re-concreted it ready for new attractions later this year.
The east side has been relatively untouched from the 1930s.
"We have six acres of real estate sticking out into the sea and when we took over nothing was being done with about four acres - and that had to change," he added.
Clacton Pier, which is privately owned by the Ball family, was built in 1871 and up to 500,000 people visit each year.
Mr Ball says so far they've spent in excess of £225,000 on the refurbishments, but expect the final costs to be a seven-figure sum.
Image source, Clacton Pier
Image source, Clacton Pier