BBC Local Live: Essex

An old bus depot is set to be transformed into a space of sound and vision as it becomes an art venue for three evenings.  

Anthony RobertsCopyright: Anthony Roberts

Kate BradburyCopyright: Kate Bradbury

Colchester's old bus depot, which became redundant last year, will host Klanghaus from 23 September.

Organisers have described the show, which has been at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and London's Southbank Centre, as "part gig, part live art installation and totally theatre".

Anthony Roberts, director of Colchester Arts Centre which is promoting the show, said it was fitting to bring art back to the council-owned bus depot which was once a theatre and once saw Charles Dickens perform.

He said: "The bus depot is rich in history and its architectural idiosyncrasies make it fun to work with." 

Rather cloudy overnight with rain becoming lighter and more patchy. It will be breezy in places, with temperatures falling to 13C (55F).

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Saturday could see further light rain or drizzle, but it will become brighter during the afternoon.

Top temperature: 20C (68F).

Get the full forecast where you live from BBC Weather.

The Lakeside Hammers have one of their biggest speedway meetings of the year at the Thurrock Raceway this evening. 

Lakeside HammersCopyright: Lakeside Hammers

A convincing victory over Swindon would book them a place in the Elite League play-offs. 

Team manager Jon Cook said it will be a "tense" night.

He said: "Swindon need to get within six points of us but we would hope to beat them by more than that. 

"It's going to come down to last three of four heats regardless. It's going to be a nerve-wracking night."

We've been reporting on the visit by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Stewards Academy in Harlow today.

Here are some more photographs :

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met pupils at Stewards Academy in Harlow today:

A man has been charged with endangering an aircraft and assaulting two police officers after a passenger was removed from a plane at London Southend Airport earlier this week.

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Police were called to help remove a man from the Ibiza-bound EasyJet plane after the crew alleged that a passenger was too drunk to fly on Wednesday evening.

Officers attended and two were assaulted, one receiving a bite to his hand which required hospital treatment.  

The 24-year-old man from Laindon was bailed to appear at Southend Magistrates' Court on 30 September.

The Rio Paralympics have been a massive success for ParalympicsGB - but what has it meant to children with disabilities in the UK?

Well, who better to ask than the children themselves?

If you want to find out more about disability sport click here - or find inclusive options on our full list of guides.

Rail services which run through Essex will not operate for eight weekends as part of a major improvement scheme.

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Trains will not operate on the Great Eastern Main Line between Witham/Billericay and London Liverpool Street on weekends from tomorrow until 6 November.

Rail replacement bus services will be operating between Witham/Billericay and Newbury Park for access to the Central Line during these weekend works.

The improvement works will see "complete remodelling" of a key junction at Shenfield which Abellio Greater Anglia said will help deliver more reliable journeys for passengers travelling to London from Colchester and Chelmsford.

This work will affect services in early 2017.

Richard Schofield, Network Rail's route managing director for Anglia, said: "While I understand the inconvenience and disruption that closing the railway causes, the initial and long-term benefits for passengers are huge."

Prince William was one of several people to help the Queen's representative in Essex when he appeared to slip and fall on a wet pavement.  

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were visiting Stewards Academy in Harlow in the company of Jonathan Douglas-Hughes - the vice lord lieutenant of Essex whose office represents the royals in the county.A gasp went up from around 30 well-wishers as he landed on his back and he washelped to his feet by William and others.Mr Douglas-Hughes turned to William and said "Sorry about that", and the Dukereplied "No, it's all right".      

A man who robbed a betting shop armed with a knife, and attempted to rob two banks, in Braintree has been jailed for seven years.

Essex PoliceCopyright: Essex Police

Tomasz Wegiel, 25, of Railway Street, Braintree, went into the Ladbrokes on Bank Street on 20 October 2015, threatened staff with a knife, and made off with a four-figure sum of cash.

He was later arrested on suspicion of attempted robberies at the Lloyds TSB and Barclays banks between 26 September and 3 October 2015. 

Wegiel was later charged with these offences and with fraud by false representation.  

He was convicted of all offences and sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Det Con Michael Pannell, from Essex Police, said: "I hope this sentence will show the people of Braintree that Essex Police takes this kind of crime very seriously.

"Those who threaten others with violence will face the consequences of their actions.”

An elderly woman was left with a broken arm after she was targeted in a robbery.

The woman, who is in her 80s, was pushed over from behind on Elizabeth Road, Southend, just before 13:00 yesterday.

The attacker then grabbed her handbag and ran off. 

The pensioner also had a dislocated shoulder plus cuts and bruises to her face. She was taken to Southend Hospital for treatment. 

"Insufficient information" has been given to mothers-to-be about an under-threat birthing unit in Essex, according to a childbirth charity.

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Nick Hulme, the chief executive of the NHS trust which runs hospital services in north east Essex, has announced proposals to stop the delivery of babies at the maternity unit in Harwich from April next year.

He blamed a lack of demand and financial pressures.

Rosie Dodds, who represents the National Childbirth Trust in Harwich, said: "They say they've encouraged women to give birth in Harwich, but actually I was at the last liaison meeting and I was told there was no leaflet.

"Both the national policy and the evidence recommend more free-standing midwife-led units like the one in Harwich."

There will be a full consultation before a final decision is made, the chief executive said.

Proposals to close a birthing unit in Harwich have been met with disappointment.

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Nick Hulme, the chief executive of Colchester Hospital, said the service at Harwich Hospital may close due to a lack of demand and financial pressures.

The unit was reopened two years ago on an "on-demand" basis, four months after it closed.

Rosie Dodds, who represents the National Childbirth Trust in Harwich, said news it could close next April was "very sad".

"If women were given accurate information about the advantages of being at home or being in a local unit like Harwich, many more women would choose it," she said.

Here is today's front page of the Essex edition of the East Anglian Daily Times:

East Anglian Daily TimesCopyright: East Anglian Daily Times

The Vice Lord Lieutenant of Essex, the man who represents the royal family in the county, needed royal help after a stumble in Harlow this morning:

He confirmed to Prince William and Kate that he was OK after the fall.

Earlier we told you that Essex Police were becoming concerned about the welfare of a 24-year-old missing man.

Xuefeng Hong, from Colchester, has now been found.