Star Wars portrait by Essex art student aims to raise money for Make-a-Wish
It looks like it's going to be another foggy one as we head into 2017.
.Copyright: .
Have a great weekend.
Car chase danger levels 'controlled' by driver being pursued
BBC Essex has been talking about car chases involving the police, following the deaths of two teenagers who were passengers in a Ford Escort which crashed while being followed in Leigh-on-Sea on Tuesday.
A 16-year-old from Great Wakering is facing charges of causing death by dangerous driving.
Kevin Delaney, a former policeman who is now the head of road safety at the Institute of Advanced Motorists, said: "The rules and guidance [for the police] are all devised to minimise the level of danger that might arise from a pursuit; not simply the danger to the police and those being pursued, but to other road-users.
"The level of danger is effectively controlled by the person driving the car that is being followed.
"The police protocols and training are geared to putting as little pressure as possible on the person being followed, but the one thing that nobody knows is what is going through the mind of that particular individual."
Firms fined after workers 'exposed to asbestos'
Two firms have been fined after asbestos was not properly contained at an industrial unit in Benfleet.
Basildon Crown Court heard that Connect Packaging moved into the building on the Manor Road Trading Estate and failed to act to control the risk of airborne asbestos fibres, which can cause lung disease when breathed in, as outlined on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website.
Creo Retail Marketing sub-let the unit in 2009, but both firms continued to fail to deal with the problem.
Both admitted offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
Connect has been fined £65,000 with £8,150 costs to pay.
Creo was fined £150,000 and ordered to pay £8,149 costs.
HSE inspector Nikki Hughes said: “After this asbestos was identified, both companies should have acted promptly and effectively to control the potentially lethal risk to which their workers were exposed.
"Asbestos-related disease has a long latency period, so we cannot predict the consequences this failure to manage asbestos may have on their workers’ health."
Overnight weather: Extensive low cloud, mist and fog
Dan Holley
BBC Look East weather
Mostly dry tonight but with extensive low cloud, mist and fog giving poor visibility and tricky driving conditions in places.
Chance of a patchy frost where any clear skies develop.
Light southwesterly winds with temperatures locally down to -2C (28F).
BBCCopyright: BBC
Rather grey for New Year’s Eve with mist and fog slowly lifting into low cloud, perhaps a few bright spells developing into the afternoon.
A freshening southwesterly breeze should allow temperatures to reach highs of 8C (46F).
Colchester United boss John McGreal is in positive mood as his team lies four points off the play-off places as the year comes to an end at Stevenage on Saturday.
Live Reporting
All times stated are UK
Get involved
Video caption: Colchester: Oldest recorded town photographed then and nowColchester: Oldest recorded town photographed then and now 
- Vigil by Thames for dead police pursuit teenagers attracts 300 people
- Benfleet firms fined over asbestos risks
- Star Wars portrait by Essex art student aims to raise money for Make-a-Wish
.Copyright: . 
BBCCopyright: BBC 
View more on twitterView more on twitter View more on twitterView more on twitter View more on twitterView more on twitter View more on twitterView more on twitter
Latest PostBreakingTributes paid to car crash death teens
Tributes are paid to two teenage boys who died in a car crash two days after Christmas.
Read moreOldest recorded town then and now
Video content
A photographer has merged snaps taken from the same spot, but decades apart, at various locations in Britain's oldest recorded town.
Barnet sign Santos, Tutonda & Akinola
Barnet sign Peterborough's Ricardo Almeida Santos, Simeon Akinola from Braintree and Cardiff's David Tutonda.
Read moreStevenage 2-4 Colchester United
Chris Porter scores one late goal before creating another to help Colchester United to victory over Stevenage.
Read moreSouthend United 1-1 Charlton Athletic
Andrew Crofts scores a last-minute equaliser as Charlton earn a point against Southend in League One.
Read moreOur live coverage closes until 2017
Andrew Woodger
BBC News
BBC Essex Live is closing down until 08:00 on Tuesday, 3 January so we'll wish you a happy New Year here and now...
A reminder of the top stories we've covered today:
It looks like it's going to be another foggy one as we head into 2017.
Have a great weekend.
Car chase danger levels 'controlled' by driver being pursued
BBC Essex has been talking about car chases involving the police, following the deaths of two teenagers who were passengers in a Ford Escort which crashed while being followed in Leigh-on-Sea on Tuesday.
A 16-year-old from Great Wakering is facing charges of causing death by dangerous driving.
Kevin Delaney, a former policeman who is now the head of road safety at the Institute of Advanced Motorists, said: "The rules and guidance [for the police] are all devised to minimise the level of danger that might arise from a pursuit; not simply the danger to the police and those being pursued, but to other road-users.
"The level of danger is effectively controlled by the person driving the car that is being followed.
"The police protocols and training are geared to putting as little pressure as possible on the person being followed, but the one thing that nobody knows is what is going through the mind of that particular individual."
Firms fined after workers 'exposed to asbestos'
Two firms have been fined after asbestos was not properly contained at an industrial unit in Benfleet.
Basildon Crown Court heard that Connect Packaging moved into the building on the Manor Road Trading Estate and failed to act to control the risk of airborne asbestos fibres, which can cause lung disease when breathed in, as outlined on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website.
Creo Retail Marketing sub-let the unit in 2009, but both firms continued to fail to deal with the problem.
Both admitted offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
Connect has been fined £65,000 with £8,150 costs to pay.
Creo was fined £150,000 and ordered to pay £8,149 costs.
HSE inspector Nikki Hughes said: “After this asbestos was identified, both companies should have acted promptly and effectively to control the potentially lethal risk to which their workers were exposed.
"Asbestos-related disease has a long latency period, so we cannot predict the consequences this failure to manage asbestos may have on their workers’ health."
Overnight weather: Extensive low cloud, mist and fog
Dan Holley
BBC Look East weather
Mostly dry tonight but with extensive low cloud, mist and fog giving poor visibility and tricky driving conditions in places.
Chance of a patchy frost where any clear skies develop.
Light southwesterly winds with temperatures locally down to -2C (28F).
Rather grey for New Year’s Eve with mist and fog slowly lifting into low cloud, perhaps a few bright spells developing into the afternoon.
A freshening southwesterly breeze should allow temperatures to reach highs of 8C (46F).
Get the full forecast where you live, from BBC Weather.
Colchester 'click' for promotion challenge
Ben Fryer
BBC Essex sport
Colchester United boss John McGreal is in positive mood as his team lies four points off the play-off places as the year comes to an end at Stevenage on Saturday.
Porter ready for trip to Stevenage
Some good news for Colchester United ahead of their League Two match at Stevenage on New Year's Eve:
Another foggy night and morning in store
Look East weather forecaster Dan Holley has tweeted:
Southend boss enjoying 'rare occasion' of a good run in league
Southend United are at home to Charlton tomorrow as they aim to extend their 15-game unbeaten run in League One.
Manager Phil Brown has been speaking to the BBC Essex sport team: