Essexcounty

Essex firefighters rescued a man after his car left Little Clacton Road in Clacton and rolled onto its roof in a ditch on 4 November. The incident occurred at 5.30pm, closing the road between Progress Way and Britton Way. Crews made the scene safe by 5.54pm.

A fire has broken out behind a property on Colchester's Mile End Road and Nayland Road, beside an East of England Co-op. Essex County Fire and Rescue Service is attending the scene, with video showing plumes of smoke rising into the air as crews tackle the blaze.

Essex County Council, Southend-on-Sea City Council and Thurrock Council are preparing a 25-year Spatial Development Strategy (SDS) for Greater Essex to plan housing, jobs, transport and infrastructure across all three areas. The strategy will identify overall housing and employment needs and broad areas for growth, but individual councils will retain responsibility for selecting development sites and Green Belt decisions through their Local Plans. Cabinet meetings to approve the arrangements are scheduled for November.

Priceless artefacts dating back 1,000 years will be auctioned at Reeman Dansie from Tuesday, November 10, to Thursday, November 12. Highlights include a coronet worn at King George IV's 1820 coronation, a cotton handkerchief made for Princess Elizabeth in the late 1940s expected to fetch up to £500, and Wallis Simpson's Imperial Russian gold toothpick case. The sale also features signed photographs of Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher, informal photographs of the late Queen and a pack of playing cards made for the monarch.

Knead Food, a café in Great Bardfield, Essex, is closing on Christmas Eve after nearly 20 years. The owners described the announcement as 'one of the hardest posts we've ever had to write', saying the business and village had meant a great deal to them over the years.

Syed Ahmed, 38, a maths teacher from Redbridge working in Essex, has been jailed for 10 years at Southwark Crown Court for grooming and sexually abusing teenage girls. He targeted girls aged 13 to 16, none his students, on social media platforms including Snapchat, Wizz and Yubo, using false identities and highly-filtered images to deceive them. He was convicted of rape, sexual assault and other child sex offences, with a three-year extended licence period to follow.

An EuroMillions player from Thurrock has come forward to claim a £1 million Millionaire Maker prize after matching code JHDR 46235 in the draw on 13 October. The National Lottery had launched a public appeal to identify the ticket holder. Andy Carter, senior winner's advisor at Allwyn, the operator of The National Lottery, said the organisation was 'delighted to bring our search to a successful end'.

B&M will open a new store in Rayleigh town centre on 5 December in the former Poundland premises on Eastwood Road. The discount retailer will sell branded food, homeware, toys, DIY products, garden supplies and household essentials. Poundland had occupied the site since November 2021 but closed in May. The nearest existing B&M to Rayleigh is currently at Airport Retail Park in Rochford.

Bubbling Burkes, a licensed Harry Potter gift shop at 22 Bond Street in Chelmsford, draws visitors with themed merchandise, drinks and immersive experiences inspired by Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. The shop offers takeaway drinks including Chocolate Frog Hot Chocolate, Mermaid's Tail and butterscotch beer, alongside spell jars, potion bottles, dragons and Harry Potter stationery. It also stocks a small selection of decorations from Lord of the Rings, Wednesday and Stranger Things.

Fashion retailer Lefties, often compared to Primark for its affordable prices, has opened its second UK store and first in southern England at Lakeside Shopping Centre in Essex on 29 October. The store on Level 2 in the Central Atrium offers womenswear, menswear, childrenswear and homeware collections, alongside retail technology including assisted checkouts and smart fitting rooms. Robert Jewell, managing director of asset management at Pradera which manages Lakeside, said the opening marks 'the next chapter' in the shopping centre's evolution as a super-regional destination.

Two cars were seen driving erratically before colliding with a motorbike at the junction of Melbourne Avenue and Chignal Road in Chelmsford at about 5.30pm on Monday, 2 November. The rider was knocked off but escaped serious injury. Both vehicles left the scene. Essex Police have no description of the cars and are appealing for information, CCTV or dashcam footage.

Police are appealing for information after three hooded men were involved in a disturbance in Harwich on Monday evening. The incident occurred on Mill Lane just before 9pm, and the men fled in the direction of Marine Parade.

Essex Police have launched a CCTV appeal to find a man who allegedly exposed himself to members of the public on Shalford Road in Rayne between 3.50pm and 4pm on September 30. The man ran down Brunwin Road after a member of the public confronted him. Anyone with information, CCTV or dash cam footage is asked to contact Essex Police, quoting crime reference number 42/155924/26, or to make an anonymous report via Crimestoppers.

Colchester Zoo has announced the birth of an endangered chimpanzee infant born on Tuesday, November 3, to female chimpanzee Tara. The zoo said all three—mother, father and infant—are doing well and bonding. Kiera, another chimpanzee born in January, has shown curiosity about the arrival, with zoo staff reporting the group are getting along well.

A bomb threat forced a Ryanair flight from London Stansted bound for Sofia to divert to Plovdiv in Bulgaria on Thursday. Several other European flights were also targeted, including an Aer Lingus service from Dublin to Rome diverted to Evreux airbase in France, and a Wizz Air flight from Milan to Warsaw that landed in Vienna. A Finnair plane from Helsinki to Rome landed safely despite the threat. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the UK had 'robust aviation security systems' and described the threats as 'malicious hoax threats'. The incidents follow similar bomb threats affecting at least seven flights earlier in the week.

Weeley Parish Council has issued an urgent warning against setting off fireworks at Weeley Playing Field on November 5 because of a serious gas leak nearby. The council said that letting off fireworks could cause a serious incident. The warning was issued as residents prepared to celebrate Bonfire Night at the field next to Weeley Village Hall.

Essex Police are searching for Anthen Beveridge, 37, from Harlow, who is wanted for failing to answer bail. He has also been known to frequent the Bishop's Stortford area. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to come forward.

Essex Police are appealing for information after a series of thefts at the One Stop store on Sutton Road in Southend during September. Officers have released an image of a man they wish to speak to in connection with the incidents. The public are encouraged to contact the force with any information, CCTV, dash cam or other footage.

Biffa's Masons Materials Recovery Facility in Great Blakenham, Suffolk, has reopened following a £12m redevelopment. The upgraded site now processes glass bottles and jars and includes fire detection and suppression systems to tackle fires caused by discarded vapes and batteries. It supports Suffolk County Council's new Better Recycling kerbside scheme, which began in June 2026 and collects more types of recyclable items and food waste from residents in Suffolk and Braintree.

Essex Police are investigating a robbery in Braintree Market Place on 29 October at around 6.30pm. A man in his 50s was approached by two men wearing balaclavas, gloves and dark clothing, who assaulted him and stole a bag containing items worth a five-figure sum. CCTV footage shows a man walking into an alleyway during the robbery before leaving again, and detectives are keen to speak to this person.