The North Essex Economic Board’s Link programme is helping Colchester firms develop, innovate and grow.

AI-powered robots developed by a University of Essex spin-out company have been shortlisted for major national awards.

Madness headlines Lazydays Festival in Southend on July 22, with Peter Hook, The Selecter, The Undertones, David Rodigan and more at Priory Park.

Campaigners are honouring library workers as Essex Library Service marks its 100th anniversary.

Environment Agency issues two flood warnings for Essex and Suffolk coast, including Clacton, Jaywick and Maldon, amid high tides and coastal flooding risks.

Four incidents are causing serious disruption accross the M25 including in Essex and near Heathrow Airport.

National Grid’s Sea Link project has been approved, paving the way for construction planning, community funding and new jobs.

Russell Brand posts “stay tuned” on X after Meta deletes his accounts following his 10-and-a-half-year sentence on November 9 for rape and sexual assaults.

A lorry fire is causing major delays for drivers this morning on the A14 in Suffolk near Ipswich.

M25 traffic: crashes near junctions 27 and 30 cause lane closures, queues and anti-clockwise delays of up to 75 minutes. No injuries reported, police confirm.

American Candy Shop in St Botolph’s Street and Chill Zone in Long Wyre Street were hit with closure notices on Tuesday.

Jay Gaffney, a former chef and businessman, has died aged 46

A cat named after the god of thunder stunned his owners with his recovery after suffering horrific injuries in a freak kitchen accident.

A Colchester junior school needs further improvement after inspectors found too many pupils were leaving without the skills needed for secondary school.

Hopefield Animal Sanctuary in Brentwood says bird flu restrictions will force rescued birds indoors from November 13, creating urgent challenges for staff.

A musician's UK tour has been cancelled after defending Essex-born disgraced comedian Russell Brand - claiming the convicted rapist was ''stitched up''.

Colchester's Rim Jhim Spice Indian Restaurant wins Restaurant of the Year at the National Curry Awards ceremony, held at the House of Lords on October 19.

Greater Anglia trains between London Liverpool Street and Stansted Airport face cancellations after a points failure near Stansted on November 11.

Colchester Institute is in the running for a national sustainability award at the 2026 Association of Colleges Beacon Awards.

Essex Police appeal for help to find wanted man Christopher Davies, 40, linked to Colchester’s Mile End and Highwoods, over a prison recall. Contact police.

Essex Police appeal for witnesses after a small white or silver car hit two pedestrians in Harlow on October 31 and failed to stop.

East Bergholt café Oranges & Lemons is on the market for £95,000 as owners retire, after earning Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards from 2023 to 2025.

Essex county councillor Sara Naylor is urging witnesses to share footage after a man died following a crash in Mount Bures.

Christmas is set to arrive in Colchester this weekend as the city prepares for its annual festive lights switch-on.

A Colchester centenarian who was part of the Bevin Boys scheme during the second world was has reflected on his remarkable life.

Darryl Bright, 42, appeared before Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday to be sentenced for three separate sets of offences.

Umami World Kitchen plans to open an all-you-can-eat buffet at Minerva House, Colchester, as Cosmo Restaurants seeks advertising consent for its proposed opening.

Santa’s Grotto returns to Cherry Lane garden centres in Hockley and Stisted, Essex, in 2026, with online booking, festive trails and gifts for children.

Essex Police appeal to find Colchester man John Cook, 38, wanted for recall to prison. Officers seek information, CCTV or dashcam footage to help enquiries.

Essex car workshop Premier Panels fined £16,192 on October 29 for ignoring Thurrock planning notices over unauthorised repairs, tyre fitting and fencing.

Russell Brand’s management donated £3,000 to Essex rape crisis charity SERICC in 2010, a year before his attack.

Epping Ongar Railway in Essex unveils its Lights Party Express, a neon Christmas train with music and entertainment, plus Santa Specials from November 28.

Colchester nurse Caroline Elizabeth Harding will be struck off by the NMC after dishonestly retaining a patient’s £100 and bank card.

Suffolk Police seek Billy Smith and John Loveridge after they absconded from HMP Hollesley Bay on November 11, with links to Essex and Bedford areas.

Essex could see its first frost as temperatures fall below freezing on Friday, November 13, with Chelmsford, Colchester and Basildon forecast to reach -1C.

The Playhouse in Colchester responds after Gazette tests found cocaine traces in its men’s toilet, prompting Wetherspoon staff to increase checks and vigilance.

Registered sex offender Jetfire Allen jailed for 13 months after viewing indecent images of children on X; Essex Police monitoring software exposed abuse.

A120 crash near Marks Tey partially blocks both directions by Poplar Nurseries Garden Centre, causing delays. Drivers should allow extra time for their journeys.

Colchester Council approves Emily Home, a parent-and-baby safehouse on Greenstead Road supporting vulnerable parents and babies with care and assessments.

Loughton shoplifter Sergiu Marin Dobre jailed for four months after stealing £80 of goods from Morrisons and carrying a knife on November 6.

Essex motorway services ranked: Moto Thurrock on the M25 scores 96% and Welcome Break Birchanger on the M11 95% in Transport Focus customer satisfaction survey.

Tendring District Council reports missed bin collections in Walton, Frinton, Kirby and Thorpe-le-Soken after technical issues; Veolia will return November 11.

A man has died after a four-vehicle crash in Stone Lodge Lane, Ipswich, Suffolk.

Colchester Council is inviting the public to offer feedback on services at the Residents' Panel Marketplace in Moot Hall.

Residents, businesses, community groups and people who work or travel in Essex are encouraged to complete the PFCC Precept Survey, which runs until November 11, 2026.

St Helena Hospice charity shops in Colchester and Tendring are preparing for Christmas with special events and sustainable shopping ideas.

Headway Essex received a £500 donation from the Palmer and Partners 500 Club.

Essex Police's Operation Limit uncovers thousands of suspected counterfeit cigarettes and leads to 19 arrests for drink-driving, drugs and immigration offences.

Residents have been told to stay off the popular playing field in Dedham during essential maintenance work where grass is being reseeded.

A person has died at Hanwell railway station on November 11, causing severe Elizabeth Line delays between Paddington, Reading, Heathrow and Shenfield.