Updates on Friday, 11 August 2017
Deep fat frying of chips returns to fire-hit pier
Pygmy hedgehog found wandering and taken into care
Essex Police makes 'progress' with custody facilities
That's it from the Local Live team for this week, so goodbye and enjoy the weekend whatever the weather brings us.
We'll be back from 08:00 on Monday, bringing you the news, sport, travel and weather updates as they happen.
Chris Bell
BBC Look East weather
The weather for this evening and tonight will be mainly dry at first across the BBC East region, but cloud thickening from the west will bring the chance of some patchy light rain.
There will be light to moderate southwesterly winds, which will turn more westerly later.
The temperature will dip to 13-15C (upper 50sF).
Tomorrow it will mainly dry with a mixture of sunny spells and patchy cloud, but thicker cloud could bring one or two isolated showers, mainly across Norfolk.
Highs around 20-22C (near 70F).
Nile Ranger was eligible for early release due to "his consistently excellent custodial behaviour".
Read MoreNew ambulance hub in Essex opened:
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Essex Police has published a CCTV image of a man they want to speak to after a woman was sexually assaulted following a night out in Chelmsford.
Image source, Essex PolicePolice said she had become "poorly" and was accosted while sitting on a bench in Moulsham Street in the early hours of 10 July.
The suspect left the scene after being challenged by the victim's friend.
Nic Rigby
BBC News
A chip hut's opened on Southend Pier - it's the first time since the 2005 fire that deep fat frying the potato delicacy has been allowed on the pier.
Image source, N Chadwick/GeographBorough Councillor Ann Holland's told the BBC why it is now safe to do.
"Safety precautions were put in place after the fire including a £2m sprinkler and we've co-ordinated with the emergency services," she said.
"It will be nice to have a chip shop back on the pier."
The council said cooking and smoking on the pier has been tightly regulated since 2005, and, although cooking does take place at the end of the pier, chips have been off the menu.
No-one could remember whether Jamie Oliver cooked chips during his Channel 4 show Jamie & Jimmy's Friday Night Feast, external, which was set in a pop-up cafe at the end of the pier.
An estate agent's press release detailed top spots for property outside nuclear impact zones.
Read More
Lucy Martin
BBC Weather
Sunshine this morning will give way to cloud and rain this evening across the BBC East region.
The weekend will be cloudy, but dry with temperatures peaking at 20C (68F).
Nic Rigby
BBC News
The RSPCA is appealing for help in finding the owner of an African pygmy hedgehog, which was found wandering along a road in Chelmsford.
Image source, RSPCAThe animal was discovered in Baddow Road last week and is now being cared for by the South Essex Wildlife Hospital, external.
The hedgehog is said to be in good health, although overweight.
An ex-gang member says he can't sleep at night at the thought of anyone else dying.
Read MoreNic Rigby
BBC News
A new report has found that Essex Police is making progress in dealing with problems in handling people in custody.
However, it says issues are still being seen in the number of children who are being held overnight.
Image source, GoogleThe Inspectorate of Prisons and the Inspectorate of Constabulary have published a joint report, external which has been looking into police custody.
It's found that "progress was evident" after a critical study in 2013.
The latest findings highlight several newer custody suites in the county, although the older sites "remain poor".
It's also found that staff are continuing to treat detainees well and with sensitivity.
However, concerns were raised about the force's IT system and that too many children were being held overnight when alternative accommodation should have been provided.
BBC Sport
Southend United will include Anthony Wordsworth in their squad to travel north ahead of the League One match at Rotherham tomorrow.
Colchester United will check on the fitness of Tom Eastman before confirming their squad to face Stevenage in League Two tomorrow.
It's due to be dry and sunny for most of the day, but there's a chance of it becoming cloudier later this afternoon with some patchy rain coming in from the west.
Maximum temperature: 22C (72F).
For a full forecast where you are, visit BBC Weather.
Image source, Wesley StankiewiczNic Rigby
BBC News
Welcome back to Local Live across Essex.
We'll be here until 18:00 with the latest news, sport, weather and travel updates for your area.
The full weather forecast will be with you shortly, but it's another grey start to the day.
As always, if you want to get in touch you can by email, Facebook, external or Twitter, external.
A "brick-sized" lump of concrete hit the windscreen of a van which then crashed into a tree, killing the driver.
Read MoreThe mother of a man shot dead at a petrol station in Essex makes an emotional appeal for information.
Read MoreThat's it for our live updates today, thank you for your company.
Scroll down to catch up on the stories we've been covering.
We'll be back again from 08:00 tomorrow.
Meanwhile, any breaking news will still appear here overnight.
Have a great evening.
Alex Dolan
BBC Look East weather
Staying dry this evening - any cloud in the BBC East region will thin and break to bring clear spells and some chilly temperatures overnight as it dips to 8C (46F) in light westerly or south westerly winds.
There will be a chilly start to Friday, with sunny spells and highs of 22C (72F).
It will gradually turn cloudier during the afternoon with patchy rain by the evening, spreading across the region overnight in light to moderate south westerly winds.
For a more detailed forecast of where you are, visit BBC Weather.
Follow BBC local radio commentary as Essex host Kent in the T20 Blast.
Read MoreA dispersal order has been put in place in Clacton for an area which includes the street where a woman police officer was attacked with garden shears this week.
Essex Police now has enhanced powers to tackle anti-social behaviour in an area covering:
It means officers can ask people to leave the area for 48 hours, they can confiscate any item they believe could be used to commit crime or anti-social behaviour and they can remove under-16s from the area or take them home.
Insp Pete Gerard said it was a "proportionate response" following concerns from residents.
"I am confident the order and increased policing over the next two days will quell some of the anti-social behaviour and we can build on the activity with some longer term action against identified offenders."
