Updates on Friday, 28 July 2017
Man jailed for driving car into pregnant woman
Pitsea tower blocks fail fire safety tests
Staff shortages blamed for Chelmsford Prison violence
Knife crime crackdown sees 40 arrests in a week
Road flooded after burst water main
Kate Kinsella
BBC Weather
It may be a dry and bright start this morning but it is all about to change.
The cloud is going to thicken and some heavy bursts of rain are going to come from the west.
Temperatures are going to struggle.
Highs of 19C (66F).
Stuart Bailey
BBC News
Hello and welcome to Wednesday's live updates for the county on 26 July.
We'll be here until 18:00 with the latest news, sport, travel and weather.
Don't be fooled by this BBC Weather Watchers picture - you will need an umbrella today.
A full forecast is coming up shortly.
You can get in touch with us by email, Facebook, external or Twitter, external.
Southend United midfielders Stephen McLaughlin and Dru Yearwood both sign new contracts with the League One club.
Read More
Patrick Byrne
BBC News
That's it from the Essex Live team on Tuesday, so goodbye and have a good evening.
We'll be back tomorrow from 08:00 to bring you the news, sport, travel and weather updates as they happen.
Today we've seen the police and crime commissioner take over responsibility for the fire service.
Also a young cyclist was filmed "playing chicken" with oncoming drivers near Thorpe-le-Soken.
And we've reported the death of popular bishop John Wraw, who backed same sex marriages.
For more on these and other stories just scroll down the page.
If there's anything you wish to share with us overnight you can contact us via the "Get involved" button at the top of the page.
Patrick Byrne
BBC News
An amateur artist who is being treated for cancer has donated a picture of David Bowie to the hospital team in Colchester that has been looking after him for seven months.
Clive Phillips, 57, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma two days before Christmas.
Image source, Colchester General HospitalMr Phillips, of St Osyth, is an outpatient receiving chemotherapy and said the drawing had taken between 25 and 30 hours to complete.
"I've been drawing since I was five but now that I'm no longer working I've got more time to devote to it," he said.
"I wanted to do a drawing for the staff on the unit and Dr Ellen Gokkel to thank them and for being there for me."
His picture will go on permanent display in the Haematology Day Unit at Colchester General Hospital, external.
Patrick Byrne
BBC News
The Fire Brigades Union, external in Essex is taking a cautious approach to the police and crime commissioner (PCC) taking on an overseeing role for the county's fire service.
Roger Hirst, who proposed the innovation endorsed by the Home Office, is aiming to save between £20m and £23m over the next 10 years.
The union's chairman in Essex, Alan Chinn-Shaw, said firefighter budget cuts in the county had been particularly deep - 5% by 2020 and 30% to the front-line.
The PCC says he's going to reinvest in the front-line, but the firefighters' union is remaining cautious.
The union is also concerned about "democratic process" because one individual, Mr Hirst, will now be making decisions.
The fire service must not be seen as playing a junior role, despite the police having a much higher profile and budget, Mr Chinn-Shaw said.
Rules prevent money being moved between the budgets, but the union is concerned that it might be done in more subtle ways such as the police having free access to fire service property.
The union also wants a reassurance there'll be no changes to their terms and conditions.
A 16-year-old boy denies the manslaughter of Arkadiusz Jozwik, who was attacked in Harlow in August.
Read MoreEssex's police and crime commissioner is the first in the UK to oversee the fire service too.
Read MorePatrick Byrne
BBC News
A bishop who in February called on the Church of England to "immediately affirm" same sex marriages has died.
The then terminally-ill Right Reverand John Wraw, Bishop of Bradwell in Essex, said the Church had got "the debate wrong" about sexuality.
Bishop Wraw was diagnosed three years ago with multiple myeloma, a form of cancer. It has been announced he died in his sleep earlier this morning.
On Facebook today thanks were offered for "the excellent care provided by The Royal Marsden and local health services".
His wife, Gillian, and children, Emily, Caroline, Lydia and Michael also thanked the people of the Diocese of Chelmsford for their support and prayers over the past few years.
They ask that they be given some space to remember and celebrate the bishop's life.
Details of his funeral would be announced in due course, the statement said.
Stephen Cottrell, the Bishop of Chelmsford, said, external: "Bishop John was a wonderful servant of the gospel and a fantastic colleague."
Patrick Byrne
BBC News
The new police, fire and crime commissioner for Essex will not get an increased salary for taking on a new "collaborative" role heading two emergency services.
Roger Hirst takes on his new overseeing role for police and firefighters in October in a step welcomed by the government as helping to encourage greater collaboration between the two emergency services, including the sharing of back office functions and premises.
Mr Hirst told BBC Essex he won't be getting paid any more and the move could save money but no details were given about any job losses in the two services.
Mr Hirst said: "By ensuring a more joined-up response to incidents, providing crime and fire prevention advice, creating community safety hubs, and sharing buildings we can improve how we work and generate significant savings which can then be reinvested back into front line services."
Patrick Byrne
BBC News
Essex Police and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst is to take on responsibility for the county's fire and rescue service, in the hope of it resulting in better collaboration between the two services.
Mr Hirst proposed the step to the Home Office following a public consultation and endorsement from all three local authorities in the county.
He is now set to become the UK's first police, fire and crime commissioner in October.
Nick Hurd, the minister responsible for police and fire services, said: "I want to see our emergency services continue to drive closer collaboration to encourage joint working, the sharing of best practice and more innovative thinking.
"Having a directly-accountable leader overseeing policing and fire will help both services enhance their effectiveness, maximise available resources, boost local resilience and improve the services delivered to the public."
Pictured are Essex Chief Constable Steve Kavanagh, Roger Hirst, Nick Hurd and Adam Eckley of Essex County Fire and Rescue Service.
Essex Police and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst will now also oversee Essex County Fire Service, in a development believed to be the first time in the UK the joint responsibilities have been taken on by one official.
Mr Hirst (left) met with Nick Hurd, the minister responsible for police and fire services, this morning.
Image source, Essex PoliceThe Kent teenager was arrested at Stansted Airport as he prepared to board an international flight.
Read MoreThe chairman of the Essex Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, has come to the aid of special constable Rosie Finnis, who was criticised for eating in public while on duty.
Steve Taylor said the criticism was "bizarre" but added it was an occupational hazard.
"Modern policing means officers have to eat on the beat, rather that than waste time finding the nearest station," he told BBC Essex.
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"A quick refuel and they can be straight back on the beat in their location."
Patrick Byrne
BBC News
A 16-year-old boy who was arrested on suspicion of terror offences at Stansted Airport at the weekend has been released pending further investigation.
The teenager, from Kent, was held by counter terrorism officers on Sunday as he prepared to board an international flight.
Investigators say he was arrested on suspicion of "collection of information which is likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism" and was released yesterday afternoon.
Patrick Byrne
BBC News
A deputy chief constable has come to the defence of a special constable who was abused on social media for eating in public on duty.
Special constable Rosie Finnis posted on Twitter, external: "Having a bit of food with my colleague and we got photographed and abuse for eating. We are humans and we get hungry believe it or not."
Image source, Essex PoliceEssex deputy chief constable Ben-Julian Harrington said the abuse was unjustified, as she was "just doing her job".
"I want my officers to be visble, engaging with the public and ready to respond to calls," he told BBC Essex.
"If they are taking a break in public while out there that's what I want them to do - they're just doing their job."
Essex Police said in a statement: "Police officers need to eat while at work just like every member of society and are encouraged to take breaks and enjoy refreshments out in the community or within commercial establishments to continue to remain visible to the public.
"Like many occupations, the job of a police officer can be very demanding and we fully support our officers in taking a break during their shifts.
"When taking a break, their radios remain on and they remain contactable for immediate deployment."
A driver was horrified at the behaviour of a young cyclist who was veering into the path of oncoming traffic on a main road near Thorpe-le-Soken at the weekend.
Mandi Wilson said things could have been very much worse as the boy rode alongside two girls, making it difficult for vehicles to pass.
"They didn't realise the impact of what they were doing," she said. "It just seemed so silly."
Dashcam shows young cyclist playing chicken with car
Fidgety Fingers is one of many nurseries which say they cannot make government funding rates stretch.
Read MoreKate Kinsella
BBC Weather
We may have quite a cloudy start this morning, but we should see some decent spells of sunshine as we head through the course of the day.
We could also see a little bit of rain, the cloud thick enough to produce that the further east you are.
Top temperature: 21C (70F).
Watch my full forecast for the BBC East region:
Patrick Byrne
BBC News
Hello and welcome to Tuesday's Essex Live page.
Between now and 18:00, the team here will bring you the news, sport, travel and weather updates as we get them.
Here are some of the stories we'll be looking at today.
If there's anything else you wish to share with us you can contact us via the "Get involved" button at the top of the page.