BBC Local Live: Essex

More than 40 cases of drivers "deliberately" ignoring road closures on the A13 have been recorded by Highways England.

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The interchange between the A13 and the M25 at J30 is currently undergoing works which include lane widening. 

Highways England is urging motorists to "take more care", adding "drivers are putting their safety and the safety of others at risk".

There may be the odd shower this evening and overnight, but these will mostly die out to leave fairly cloudy skies and light winds. 

Minimum temperature: 7C (45F).

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Tomorrow there will be patchy cloud with scattered showers developing. These may be heavy and thundery during the afternoon, but mixed with some pleasant sunny spells. 

You can stay up-to-date with the latest weather forecast here.

A Colchester man has been arrested after a 22-year-old woman was stabbed to death at her home in Sheffield. 

South Yorkshire PoliceCopyright: South Yorkshire Police

Leigh-Annie Mahachi was discovered at a property in Gleadless Valley yesterday, but died later in hospital. 

The 37-year-old man, arrested on suspicion of murder, remains in police custody.

Here are the top stories for Essex: 

• A group of youths was seen hiding in a park moments before a man was killed in the mistaken belief he was a paedophile, a court has heard
• Jurors have been told that a teenager accused of two murders told police he was hunting a third victim when he was caught
• c2c says it's introducing 13,000 new seats each week later this year, after hundreds of complaints about overcrowded trains

Community radio station bosses fear they are being targeted by someone with a grudge after their studio suffered three attacks in less than two weeks.

Thanks to BBC Weather Watcher Telboy for this picture of a sailing barge in Harwich.

BBC Weather Watchers/TelboyCopyright: BBC Weather Watchers/Telboy

They reported temperatures at about 14C (57.2F).

Feel free to share any great photos you take from the county via email, Twitter, or Facebook. 

c2c customers will see the "most significant" increase in capacity for over a decade when 24 extra carriages are brought into action later this year, according to the company's managing director. 

Julian Drury said the extra carriages were "absolutely vital" for the south Essex rail operator to "meet the surge in demand from passengers". 

"This agreement is hugely important, as we will now get new carriages on c2c within six months when they normally take years to be delivered," he said. 

A woman has been left seriously injured after her Audi collided with a horsebox in Elmstead Market earlier today.

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Essex Police says the woman was removed from her vehicle by the fire service following the crash in School Road. She was taken to Addenbroke's Hospital in Cambridge. 

A nine-year-old girl who was also in the vehicle was unharmed. The lorry driver, who was not transporting any horses at the time, was also uninjured. 

The credibility of culture secretary and Maldon MP John Whittingdale "has been damaged", according to a campaign group which wants tougher press regulation.

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Four newspapers - the People, the Mail on Sunday, The Sun and the Independent - had investigated claims that Mr Whittingdale had a relationship with an escort, but concluded the story was not in the public interest.

However, Brian Cathcart, co-founder of Hacked Off said: "The public cannot have faith in his judgement, in his independence in making decisions about the media."

Lots of you have been getting in touch after Essex Police told us a large rock had been thrown on to a car from a bridge on the A12 in Ingatestone.

Email Message: "I use the A12 everyday to and from work and drive lorries on it. Makes me feel physically sick when I hear about this sort of thing going on".

from Matthew Monk

"I use the A12 everyday to and from work and drive lorries on it. Makes me feel physically sick when I hear about this sort of thing going on".

Email Message: "It's terrible but the only way now is to cage all the fly overs".

from Lottie Perry

"It's terrible but the only way now is to cage all the fly overs".

If you'd like to get involved in the conversation you can email us, tweet us, or visit our Facebook page.

It will turn cloudier through this afternoon with scattered showers developing, perhaps turning heavy and thundery. 

Feeling pleasantly warm in the light winds and spring sunshine. Maximum temperature: 17C (63F).

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Stay up-to-date with the latest weather forecast here.

Here are the top stories from Essex this afternoon: 

• A teenage killer accused of two murders in Colchester told police he was "getting rid of the sinners"
• A girl who was swept away on a bouncy castle died from multiple injuries, an inquest has heard
• Essex have won their first County Championship match of the season after beating Gloucestershire by 10 wickets

A group of youths were seen hiding in a park moments before Basildon lorry driver Darren Kelly was killed in the mistaken belief he was a paedophile, a court has heard. 

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The 42-year-old was stabbed to death in Pitsea on 20 October. Four people are on trial at Chelmsford Crown Court after pleading not guilty to murder. 

Off-duty police community support officer Emma Spurr told jurors she was walking home when she saw what appeared to be youths concealing themselves behind trees and bushes. "It made me feel nervous and I wanted to get home as quickly as possible," she said.

A new fleet of 24 carriages will be rolled out on to the c2c line this year, the south Essex rail operator has announced.

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The company has come under pressure since introducing timetable changes at the start of the year, which some commuters said led to overcrowding at peak times. 

As of October an extra 13,000 seats will be available during the commuter rush-hour per week, three years earlier than previously planned. You can read full details here.

What a cracking morning it was in Essex today - captured perfectly by BBC Weather Watcher snowflake.

BBC Weather Watchers/snowflakeCopyright: BBC Weather Watchers/snowflake

They took this photo from Mayland, reporting sunny spells and a temperature of 5C (41F).

If you've got a picture you want to show off you can email us, tweet us, or visit our Facebook page. 

A teenager suffering from the potentially deadly MRSA bug and septicaemia was told by doctors to go home because he had a 48-hour bug, it has been claimed.  

A 16-year-old boy from Wickford who was arrested in connection with the death of Vilson Meshi (pictured) in Pitsea has now been released from his bail without charge. 

Anthony ChooahCopyright: Anthony Chooah

Essex Police launched a murder investigation after the victim's body was found in a fire-damaged Audio in February. 

Three other teenagers remain on police bail.  

Almost 50 dogs suspected of being banned breeds have been seized by police in Essex over the past three years, new figures reveal.

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The RSPCA wants the Dangerous Dogs Act to be changed so dogs are banned on the basis of behaviour not breed. 

Nationally, almost 5,000 dogs suspected of being banned breeds have been seized by police in England and Wales in the same period.