Andrew Sinclair
BBC Look East political correspondent

The MP for Chelmsford Vicky Ford fought back tears in Parliament this afternoon as she told MPs how her father died in an accident caused by faulty electrical goods.

Ms Ford had called a debate to appeal to the government to hold onto EU consumer law after we have left the European Union.

Talking about the benefits of EU consumer law she told MPs: "When I was a child I lost my father due to an accident involving electrical goods....that would not have happened today."

She then had to pause for a few seconds to fight back tears before pointing out that the Grenfell Tower fire in London is thought to have started in electrical goods.

"Now is not the time to drop safety legislation," she said.

A third person has been arrested in connection with a fight in Ipswich last week.

Police were called to Cardinal Park shortly after 03:10 on Friday, 6 October, to reports of two men fighting, with a group of people surrounding them.

Three people suffered stab wounds, and all were taken to hospital for treatment. None of their injuries were life-threatening.

A 21-year-old man from Ipswich was arrested yesterday, and remains in custody for questioning.

Last week a 21-year-old man from Colchester, and a 19-year-old man from Ipswich were arrested in connection with the incident. They've been released under investigation pending further inquiries.

Anyone with information about the incident, which happened between Cineworld and the Unit 17 nightclub, is asked to contact Suffolk Police.

A 16-year-old pleads not guilty to killing a man, 34, who was shot outside a petrol station

BAE Systems has confirmed 10 jobs will be lost at its site in Great Baddow as part of plans to cut almost 2,000 posts across the country.

The defence contractor announced the move earlier, saying it will help give them a "sharper" competitive edge.

Most of the job losses announced today will be in Lancashire.

It's not clear if the firm's second site in central Chelmsford is affected.

The shadow business secretary Jack Dromey has welcomed an investigation into a poultry processing plant in Basildon.

The Food Standards Agency, external is looking into practices at the site on Harvey Road, after a Guardian and ITV News undercover investigation at a factory in the West Midlands.

Image source, PA

Both plants are run by the 2 Sisters Food Group, external, which says it's committed to the highest standards of hygiene and food safety, and acts with honesty and integrity.

Mr Dromey, Labour MP for Erdington in Birmingham, said: "It's of the highest importance that when members of the public buy meat from a supermarket, in this case particularly chicken, they can be confident that the meat in question is in date and not out-of-date and therefore safe to eat."

A man who died after being found with serious injuries at a property in Maldon last month has been identified at 46-year-old Daniel Maher.

Mr Maher was declared dead at the scene in Mount Pleasant by ambulance staff.

Detectives are currently treating his death as unexplained and say they're still trying to establish what happened.

No arrests have been made.

A former acting and deputy governor at Chelmsford Prison is backing calls for inmates serving sentences of less than 12 months to be released, to ease the pressure on the prison system.

Image source, PA

The call came from the president of the Prison Governors' Association, Andrea Albutt.

Lindsay Whitehouse, ex-HMP Chelmsford governor, said: "The main thrust of what she's saying is sending people to prison for less than 12 months is pretty pointless in terms of rehabilitation.

"That's true, because you don't really get enough time to do anything with them.

"She's also making the point that a lot of people in prison are suffering from mental health issues."

The Ministry of Justice says it's modernising prisons and recruiting more staff.

An Essex county councillor is calling on local authorities to work together to clamp down on the number of illegal traveller encampments.

Conservative Sue Lissimore, cabinet member for housing, property and planning, said everyone within the settled and traveller communities needs to be treated fairly and equally: "When I took over this portfolio my first question was why do we have this number of unauthorised encampments in Essex?

"Their answer to me, which I found very disturbing, was that Essex is seen as a soft touch.

"We've got to stop that, we've got to make sure there is equality between local residents and gipsy travellers and we've got to make sure there's equality in the way illegal encampments are treated."

A debate is taking place on the issue at County Hall later today.

A man has been arrested, and several weapons, including a sword and an axe, have been recovered following reports of a fight between two groups of people near Basildon.

It happened in Pitsea on Sunday afternoon, police say.

The man, who was detained by officers using a taser, is being questioned on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon.

Georgina Burnett
BBC Weather

There'll be a fair bit of cloud around today.

There are some mist and fog patches around first thing, but these will clear and we'll see some brightness, and even some sunny spells.

It will be mainly dry, but there are a few showers coming through. Top temperature: 17C (63F).

Watch my full forecast for the BBC East region here:

The number of people who identify as LGBT in the region is the smallest in the country.

An animal sanctuary says the animal no longer trusts humans.

The family of an 82-year-old man who died after he was hit by a car in Harlow last week have paid tribute to him.

They say Dennis Piper, from Galleywood, will be dearly missed by all that knew him and loved him: "We have lost a loving husband father and grandfather.

"Dennis was a great Essex cricket fan and celebrated their victory!

"He also saw his grandson represent Essex in the under-13s last year - he was a very proud grandad! Dearly missed!"

Mr Piper died on 3 October following the crash on Cambridge Road.

Investigations are taking place into a blaze at a children’s play area in Harwich which destroyed a large piece of equipment.

A wooden pirate ship, worth about £10,000, went up in flames over the weekend at the site in Stour Road which is owned and maintained by Tendring District Council

Image source, Tendring District Council

Michael Talbot, who's responsible for environmental issues at the council, said it's likely the equipment which was affected by the fire will be taped off:

Bosses at Southend Airport, external have applied to Rochford District Council for permission to extend the terminal building.

If the proposals are approved, the multi-million pound project will see an extension to the southern end of the terminal building to house a new baggage sorting system and screening systems.

There'll also be an extension to the northern end of the terminal improving baggage reclaim facilities there.

The existing arrivals baggage area will be replaced with a new spacious area.

Southend United manager Phil Brown says defender Anton Ferdinand's red card against Doncaster was "very frustrating".

A 23-year-old man from Benfleet has been arrested on suspicion of rape and released under investigation, following an incident in Lucy Road in Southend in the early hours of Thursday morning.

The victim reported she was raped by a man in the vicinity of the public toilets between 03:30 and 04:30.

She is being supported by specialist officers.

Police carried out forensic examinations at the scene and are reviewing CCTV.

A motorist has died at the scene of a crash in Great Dunmow in the early hours of this morning.

Police believe his vehicle left the B184 Dunmow Road at about 01:30, and hit a tree close to the junction at Mountain's Farm Road.

The road was closed while forensic recovery took place, and is now open.

No other vehicles were involved.

A Colchester woman says she's at her wits' end and in excruciating pain, but can't get the surgery she needs because she's overweight.

Emma (not her real name) has problems with her knee, and says she can no longer walk without sticks.

She's been told because her BMI is above 30 she can't have the operation: "The knee problem has been for 15 years.

"I had an accident at work which wasn't my fault, and ever since then, my knee has deteriorated.

"Now my surgeon has said 'can't do anything, my hands are tied. I want to operate but I can't operate because of your BMI' and I just feel angry."

North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group says it takes its guidance from NHS England, and that guidance states patients must have a BMI of less than 30.

Indian restaurants could disappear across the UK if the government doesn't step in on immigration laws, according to a Essex restauranteur who works in the industry.

Owners currently have to pay non-EU workers high salaries to ensure they get a visa, and they're also responsible for checking all immigration paperwork.

Image source, Google

Abdul Choudhury from the Benfleet Tandoori said: "Curry houses will close down in rural areas.

"In Benfleet itself, there is a lot of choice, but if you were to interview those bosses you will find all of them want to throw in the towel.

"Nobody's making the same money as they did before."

There are more than 400 curry houses in Essex.