Braintree and Witham Times

Andy Burnham backs two weeks’ bereavement leave for pregnancy loss before 24 weeks from April, Essex organisations speak out.

Essex Police appeal for information to find missing 16-year-old Enkeled Plaku, last seen in Harlow on September 18. Contact police via 101.

Essex country home Pettits House, near Brentwood, is on the market for £1.4 million, offering four bedrooms, a private pool, one acre and countryside views.

Lorry drivers could be forced into residential streets if the Lower Thames Crossing is built without a service station, leaders have been warned.

Five popular Essex garden centres with festive displays, Christmas markets and winter wonderlands, from Billericay and Tiptree to Marks Tey and Battlesbridge.

Daniel Fox, 39, charged with murder after a man died following an alleged assault at Valley Farm Holiday Park in Clacton. He faces further charges too.

Las Iguanas has closed permanently at Lakeside Shopping Centre in West Thurrock after almost 20 years, amid financial challenges.

Marsh Farm in South Woodham Ferrers seto to unveil Lumina, a mile-long winter light trail with glowing displays, funfair rides, food and tickets for 2026.

A property maintenance worker charged through Braintree town centre with a Samurai sword to take revenge on a man who accused him of being a paedophile, a court heard.

Colchester campaigner Mark Garrad backs legal migration while opposing illegal migration, as weekly protests target asylum seekers from Wethersfield centre.

A GLOBETROTTING tattooist is celebrating 30 years as one of Maldon’s longest-serving independent businesses

Basildon man Gift Osondu jailed after police found a knife and cannabis linked to drug dealing during an illegal e-scooter stop on October 9.

Chelmsford traffic delays follow a collision partially blocking Parkway at the Army and Navy Roundabout, with congestion expected into the city centre.

M25 crash near Brentwood causes clockwise disruption between Junction 28 and Junction 29, with delays reported near the A12 and A127.

Stansted Airport passengers face Greater Anglia delays after a police incident, with no direct Stansted Express trains on October 17-18 for planned works.

Matalan will open its first Clacton store at Brook Retail Park in November, creating more than 30 jobs and adding affordable clothing, footwear and homeware.

West Mersea couple’s pink ‘Unicorn Tesla’ goes viral with bubble-blowing exhausts, attracting more than 600,000 online views.

Colchester’s Taste of Italy, at Northern Gateway Leisure Park, is now a finalist for the 2026 PAPA Industry Awards’ Independent Italian Restaurant Award.

Southend police seize nearly £17,000 of illegal cigarettes and tobacco from a red Nissan Micra during a Warrior Square operation after a public tip-off.

Essex Police seize suspected Class A and B drugs in Burnham-on-Crouch after residents raise concerns over alleged drug activity during a warrant.