Elizabeth Rizzini
BBC Look East weather

A mostly dry day, with sunny spells across the BBC East region.

The best of the brightness will be in the morning, with cloud building later bringing the chance of light showers.

Feeling pleasantly warm, with temperatures reaching 18C (64F).

There's a more detailed forecast for where you are at BBC Weather.

Caroline Kingdon
BBC Local Live

Hello and welcome to a new day on Essex Live.

People in Laindon are being warned to keep their windows and doors closed after a fire at an industrial unit.

And Tendring plays host to some of the world's top cyclists as Stage 5 of The Tour of Britain comes to the town.

More on those stories shortly, along with our regular news updates.

Thanks to BBC Weather Watcher Jools of The Basin for sharing this beautiful picture of this morning's sunrise - we'll have the day's weather forecast for you soon.

A prison officer admits smuggling mobile phones after an inmate threatened to attack his family.

The man from Southend was assaulted while at work, police said.

A gritty 85 not out by Lancashire's Haseeb Hameed limits the damage of an impressive bowling display by Essex at Old Trafford.

That's it for another day of live updates from across the county. Thanks for your company.

We'll be back to do it all again from 08:00 tomorrow.

Don't forget you can still get in touch - just click on the "Get Involved" button at the top of the feed to send us your pictures or drop us a line.

Have a lovely evening.

Andrew Sinclair
BBC Look East political correspondent

The MP for Colchester has made an appeal in the House of Commons for one of the Navy's new frigates to be named after the town.

Will Quince told Defence Secretary Michael Fallon: "We've waited patiently since 1746."

The government has announced plans to build five new type 31 e- class frigates and there is a long tradition of naming Royal Navy ships after towns and counties.

The last HMS Colchester sank in the North Sea almost 300 years ago and there have been various campaigns over the years to have another ship named after the town.

Mr Quince said when he recently asked if one of the new type 26 frigates could be named HMS Colchester, "I got a very polite and pleasant response from the undersecretary of state saying 'no', but I am nothing but persistent."

Mr Fallon said he would bear in mind his request.

"If he's waited since 1746 perhaps he can wait a little longer."

Image source, Dedham Vale Vineyard

An Essex vineyard has started its grape harvest - believed to be the first in the country this year.

The first grapes at Mersea Island Vineyard were picked on Tuesday.

The harvest was brought forward several weeks because of the unpredictable weather throughout the spring and summer.

Winemaker Ben Bunting said: "We were expecting the harvest to be advanced, but with grapes ready at Mersea Island Vineyard in the first week of September, this marks our earliest harvest ever and we believe picking at the Mersea vineyard heralds the start of the UK harvest.

"The sugar levels are holding well and it looks like it should be a good year for Essex wine."

Dedham Vale Vineyard has planted over 20 new acres of vines to meet future demand for their English Sparkling Wine.

Could English wine conquer the world?

A cigarette accidentally ignited a "build-up of air freshener gases" in the car, the fire crew says.

Sarah Jenkins
BBC Local Live

It's thought badger setts living near a bridge in South Woodham Ferrers may have caused it to subside.

One side of the bridge on Ferrers Road has started to collapse, Essex County Council said.

Image source, PA

Badgers are living nearby and Chris Teeder, chairman of the Essex Badger Protection Group, external, says it's not unusual for the animals to cause damage.

"We do have occasional incidents of that sort of thing happening, badgers undermining roads and causing damage to property, it's not too uncommon," he said.

Image source, Google

"Badgers are being forced out of their normal habitats by all the development going on, so they have to find other places to live."

A spokesperson from Essex Highways said: "We believe the soil is subsiding on the embankment supporting the bridge.

"We will remove sections of the road surface next week to investigate in detail and plan how extensive a re-build needs to be done.

"There appear to be badger setts nearby, so we are working with the Ecology team at Essex County Council to ensure that any wildlife are properly protected."

Today's the day that the BBC launches the annual search for local volunteers who help in grass-roots activity and sports.

Now in its 15th year, Unsung Hero is spreading its net wider in 2017 to include not only sporting volunteers but those in other fitness activities.

Here's last year's winner on why you should nominate someone....

...and you read more about Marcellus's experience since winning the award here.

Find out all about the award and how you can nominate someone at bbc.co.uk/unsunghero

Send in your nominations today!, external

A man with a serious head injury in a Shoeburyness street has died in hospital, police say.

Image source, Google

The victim was discovered on Ness Road last Wednesday night.

Officers say the death is being treated as "unexplained" and an investigation is under way.

Three teenage girls were arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm.

Orla Moore
BBC Local Live

Image source, @unslugged

We've literally just heard that a car explosion in a Southend car park was caused by an air freshener - according to the county's fire service.

Firefighters and ambulance crews were called to the car park of the B&Q store on Fossett's Drive just after midday.

The fire service says the car had significant damage but was not on fire.

"The cause of the explosion has been confirmed as accidental," the service confirmed.

"The explosion happened after a build-up of gases from an air freshener was accidentally ignited by a cigarette."

One person is being treated at Southend Hospital for minor injuries.

Sarah Jenkins
BBC Local Live

Emergency services are currently at the car park of a B&Q store in Southend after reports of a vehicle exploding.

A witness has told BBC Essex he heard a "loud bang" and then saw a Ford Focus with a blown out windscreen, roof and doors.

The East of England Ambulance Service says it has treated one patient for minor injuries.

The patient was taken to Southend University Hospital.

A murderer is told he must serve a minimum of 18 years for a "brutal and senseless killing".

BBC Weather Watchers

It may feel as though summer is a distant memory, but it hasn't stopped our BBC Weather Watchers getting out and about and taking some marvellous photos.

Here's just a few for you to admire...

A 22-year-old man was taken to hospital with minor injuries after the crash in Clacton.

Essex Fire and Rescue Service will be told it has made positive changes since a damning report criticised it as "toxic, with a pervasive culture of bullying".

It's two years since a study by senior civil servant Irene Lucas (below) found serious failings and made 35 recommendations for improvement.

Since then the service has been monitored by an Expert Advisory Panel, at a cost of nearly £350,000.

The panel's final report, which will be presented to the Fire Authority this morning, will say there's been improvements to industrial relations and workplace culture, but more needs to be done to improve the diversity of the workforce.

BBC Weather

A north-westerly wind today will bring a cooler, fresher feel to things.

After a bright start there are due to be some good spells of sunshine during the morning. In the afternoon, a little bit more cloud will come in bringing the possibility of an isolated shower, but it will be mostly dry.

Maximum temperature: 18C (64F).

The Southend United captain is caught speeding for the fourth time in three years.