BBC Local Live: Essex

If you are just logging on to catch up with the headlines from across the day, here are today's top stories: 

• Harwich marks the 100th anniversary of the execution of a ferry captain who tried to ram a u-boat 
• Treasured items to remind couple of son who died from cancer "trashed" in a break-in at storage unit 
• Police lie test forces convicted sex offender to admit further indecent exposures after behavioural concerns

Take a scroll down the page to see our other Wednesday stories.

A painting of Miami Beach in Florida by Sir Winston Churchill has been sold at auction in Epping for £192,000.

BonningtonsCopyright: Bonningtons

The picture was painted in January 1946 when the former Epping MP and his wife Clementine were in Florida for a six-week visit. "We expected it to go for about that [price] as there was some flaking," Shaban Munir, director at fine art auctioners Boningtons, said. 

"Had it been perfect, it would have gone for more. Brexit probably hasn't helped. I think people in the art market are nervous and cautious." 

A second painting, of the Giza Pyramids in Cairo, is waiting for a bid tomorrow.

Dry with clear spells overnight, but cloudy with outbreaks of rain tomorrow.

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It'll turn heavy at times, but will quickly clear eastwards to leave a brighter end to the day but still with the risk of some showers in light winds.

Maximum temperature: 21C (72F)

Get the latest local forecast where you live from BBC Weather.

Justin Bieber is set to make a huge splash at V Festival after the Love Yourself singer requested 800 gallons of purified water, warmed to 40C, for his show at Chelmsford's Hylands Park on 20 August.

Dominic Lipinski/PA WireCopyright: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

The star is to be soaked on stage in one of the most challenging stunts in the 21-year history of the festival, organisers have said. V takes place across two sites - in Hylands Park, Chelmsford, and Weston Park, Staffordshire. 

Canadian star Bieber, 22, is making his V debut and will headline the Virgin Media Stage in Hylands Park.

An Essex man accused of being involved in a scam in which West Ham United players and staff were allegedly cheated out of thousands of pounds is facing a re-trial after a jury in his original case was dismissed. 

AFP WiresCopyright: AFP Wires

The former West Ham United manager, and now England boss, Sam Allardyce was one of 13 people said to have paid out a total of over £70,000 each to Stephen Ackerman from Loughton in December 2014. It was with the promise of goods which, it's claimed, were not delivered. 

The 48-year-old accused had pleaded not guilty. The trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court was halted earlier this week when three of the 12 jurors were absent. 

A 29-year-old woman from Chelmsford has been arrested in connection with the death of another woman from a heroin overdose after she was found by paramedics at an address in Forest Drive. 

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Deborah Nuttell, 48, from Epping died last month and a post-mortem examination found the cause of her death was a heroin overdose. 

DI Danny Stoten said: "We are currently treating Deborah's death as suspicious and officers are attempting to build a picture of the events leading up to her death. I'm keen to speak to anyone who saw Deborah on June 10 or anyone who is able to provide us with information on her lifestyle."

A convicted sex offender has been given a lie detector test after police became concerned about his behaviour.

Essex PoliceCopyright: Essex Police

Two Essex officers, who had completed a course to become trained polygraph examiners, were asked by detectives to test a man with previous convictions for indecent exposure after monitoring visits and intelligence gathered gave rise to concerns. 

He consented to the test and when quizzed about the results he admitted he had reoffended and a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) was obtained through the courts with a condition that he must submit to a polygraph test when requested by police.

Cloud and patchy rain, as shown in our picture taken at Tollesbury, will clear to the southeast allowing brighter skies to develop this afternoon. 

PepperpotCopyright: Pepperpot

However, these brighter skies may trigger the odd heavy shower. 

Maximum Temperature: 22C (72F)

The draw for next season's English Football League Trophy, open to the 48 clubs in the the Football League One and Two, has put Southend United in a group with Leyton Orient, Stevenage and Brighton's academy side.

EFLCopyright: EFL

Meanwhile, Colchester will play Charlton, Crawley and Southampton's academy in the first round. 

The organisers asked 16 category one academies to join the competition this year but five declined and were replaced.

Patient care improvements will be the focus of the annual general meeting of the East of England Ambulance Service, taking place this afternoon at Great Notley, near Braintree, Essex.

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The trust's board members have already met this morning to discuss its performance and working with other agencies - and the service has been live tweeting from the meeting.

The latest annual accounts, clinical priorities and future plans are due to be unveiled during the public meeting.

If you have just joined us here are a few of the headlines to stories we have been covering so far. You can scroll down to read them. 

• Harwich marks the centenary of the execution by the Germans of a courageous ferry captain who tried to ram a U-boat 
• Parents of a seven-year-old boy who died from cancer shocked when his treasured possessions are vandalised in storage 
• Colchester defender Matt Briggs may be out of action for months if hip surgery is found to be necessary

The parents of a seven-year-old boy who died from cancer decided to move from Burnham-on-Crouch to Norfolk and put their belongings and items with treasured memories of their son into storage for six weeks.

John WhiteleyCopyright: John Whiteley

They found that many of their possessions had been "trashed" and items that would remind them throughout their lives of the fight their son Laughlin had put up for his life had been broken, destroyed or stolen, Mr Whiteley said.

The parents of a seven-year-old boy who died after a tumour was found in his brain were totally shocked that a store where many treasures from his life were kept was broken into, vandalised and items stolen.

John WhiteleyCopyright: John Whiteley

Less than a month before he died Laughlin Whiteley, of Burnham-on-Crouch, received an award from Prince Harry. 

WellChild named Laughlin as its Most Inspirational Child of the Year after receiving hundreds of nominations for the title. 

Its patron, Prince Harry, gave Laughlin, who was also known as Lockey, his award at a London hotel.

A couple from Burnham-on-Crouch, who moved to Norfolk to start a new life, are devastated after treasured possessions linked to their son who died from cancer were stolen and vandalised while in storage.

John WhiteleyCopyright: John Whiteley

Many of the items brought back memories of Andrea and John Whiteley's seven-year-old son Laughlin who died in October last year. 

Essex Police is investigating and says a 47-year-old man has been arrested and released on bail as part of the inquiry.

Fourteen-year-old David Castleman, from Epping, and his father John were involved in the rescue of three of four people who got into difficulty while swimming at Sea Palling, Norfolk, at the weekend. 

David says he was "in the right place at the right time".

Sadly one man, Leszek Puchala, 52, died, despite attempts at the beach to resuscitate him.

More on BBC Look East tonight.

An armed robber with what police believe may have been a gunthreatened staff at a post office in Canvey on Tuesday evening.

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He was one of two raiders who went into the store in Central Avenue at about 17:30 and demanded money from the cashier. 

The cashier challenged the men who made off empty-handed. One of the men left the scene on a black Honda motorcycle towards Benfleet, police said. 

A car and a van have crashed on the anti-clockwise M25 just after the A121 to Waltham Abbey causing delays to traffic.

More details on BBC Travel:

Colchester United defender Matt Briggs could miss "months rather than weeks" if he requires surgery on a hip injury, the club has said.

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A scan has revealed the 25-year-old has damage that may require surgery, U's Physio Tony Flynn said.

"Unfortunately, it looks very likely that Matt will have to go under the knife to rectify the problem with his hip," he said. "Not only does the cartilage in his hip need repairing, the head of the joint needs reshaping."

The death of a 48-year-old woman from Epping last month is now being treated as "suspicious" by Essex Police.

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Police were contacted by the ambulance service at 13:00 BST on 10 June over the sudden death of a woman at an address in Forest Drive in Chelmsford. She has now been identified as Deborah Nuttall of Woburn House in Woburn Avenue in Epping. 

A post-mortem examination has established the cause of death as a heroin overdose adn further tests are to be made as part of a new investigation, police said.