Brandon Penny

Firefighters rescued a man who became stuck waist-deep in mud at Wat Tyler Park in Pitsea after he entered the mud to save a trapped bird. Using inflatable paths, Essex County Fire and Rescue Service crews freed both the man and the bird within an hour. Group Manager Ben Turner warned people not to endanger themselves by entering mud or water.

Households across Tendring will receive an additional green recycling box ahead of an expanded kerbside collection scheme beginning in October. The changes will enable residents to recycle glass at home and include a wider range of plastics, such as pots, tubs and trays, plus juice cartons. Most collection schedules will remain unchanged, although some properties will swap collection weeks and residents in Point Clear will receive a different collection day. The scheme follows Tendring Council’s new contract with Veolia and is intended to improve services and meet legal requirements.

Essex Police are seeking information about the whereabouts of 52-year-old Robert Walker, who has links to Clacton and is wanted in connection with alleged breaches of court orders and notification requirements. Police described his appearance and asked anyone with information to contact them through the website, live chat or 101.

Two teenage boys, aged 15 and 17, were arrested on suspicion of false imprisonment after a girl was reportedly forced into a vehicle outside Tesco in Church Langley, Harlow, on August 3. The vehicle later travelled to Epping, where the girl got out. Both teenagers were released on bail while Essex Police continued investigating. Police said they do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the wider public and appealed for CCTV, dashcam footage and other information.

Essex Police responded to a serious motorbike collision at the Hartley Brook Road and Little Ravens Way roundabout in Clacton shortly after 4:15 p.m. on August 2. An air ambulance attended, and the A133 was closed in both directions, causing traffic queues. Police appealed for witnesses, CCTV, dashcam footage and other information, citing incident number 977.

Aerial images show the scale of a rapidly spreading fire at the Middlewick Ranges in Colchester, with smoke visible for miles. Around 50 firefighters are attending, while parts of Mersea Road and Abbots Road are closed and police have advised people to avoid the area and move back from the blaze. Residents have also been warned to close windows and doors because of the smoke.

Sir Bernard Jenkin has urged Essex County Council to urgently develop and fund improvements to the Manningtree railway underpass, which is constrained to single-lane traffic while the nearby level crossing closes regularly, causing congestion. He argues that planned housing growth will worsen the problem and wants Section 106 contributions and Garden Communities funding secured for an upgrade before new homes are occupied. Network Rail says it cannot fund the work but has offered a joint site meeting, while the council says its leader has not yet received Jenkin’s letter and will respond.

Vue Colchester will host a dinosaur-themed family event at Colchester Leisure Park on Sunday, July 26, featuring lifelike dinosaurs, crafts, ice cream samples and £1 screenings of family films including The Magic Faraway Tree, Wallace & Gromit and Bluey. Tickets cost £1 online or £2 at the venue, with advance booking recommended.

Footage shows a driver shouting abuse at Nigel Farage in Clacton before crashing into a stationary vehicle. Farage, campaigning ahead of the upcoming by‑election, commented on social media about the incident. The report notes the crowded field of independent candidates and the absence of major parties in the race.

A misconduct hearing found former Essex Police officer Shane Wills guilty of gross misconduct for failing to record and investigate a domestic assault case. Chief Constable Ben-Julian Harrington stated the officer breached multiple professional standards and undermined trust in the force, emphasizing the importance of supporting victims and handling domestic offences properly. Wills resigned before the hearing but would have been dismissed had he remained in service.

Colchester Zoo announced that its newborn cherry‑crowned mangabey, born on May 27, 2026 to first‑time parents Maja and Kanye, has been named Leon. The birth is the zoo’s first of this endangered species since 2017 and follows a recommendation from the European breeding programme. Cherry‑crowned mangabeys face major population declines, largely due to hunting for local consumption and the bushmeat trade. Visitors can see the new family in the Mangabey Mangrove habitat, and the zoo will provide ongoing updates online.