Jessica Day-Parker

Essex and Suffolk Water says its Temporary Use Ban, introduced on August 3, remains necessary because continued dry weather is putting pressure on regional water supplies. The company is urging customers to reduce consumption, reporting more than 4,150 leak and burst repairs since January, and planning to invest £66 million in network resilience between 2025 and 2030. It warned that further water-use reductions may be needed if dry conditions continue into autumn.

Aldi is trialling 9pm closing times instead of 10pm at 97 UK stores, including six in Essex: branches in Southend, Grays, Loughton, Saffron Walden, Wickford and Witham. The trial targets stores with low customer numbers during the final trading hour, and shoppers are being asked for feedback before any permanent decision. Most of Aldi’s more than 1,080 UK stores continue to open until 10pm from Monday to Saturday. The change follows Aldi’s plans to invest £1.6 billion in expanding its UK store network and open 80 new locations.

Avon House Preparatory School in Woodford Green, near the Essex-London border, has closed with immediate effect and will not reopen after the summer break. The independent school, which educated children aged three to 11 and had 214 pupils enrolled, cited financial pressures including VAT on school fees and increased National Insurance and pension costs. The school said it had explored options to remain open but concluded closure was unavoidable, and advised families to seek places at other local schools.

A crash on the northbound M11 near Great Hallingbury and Stansted Airport left one person needing hospital treatment at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow. Two of three lanes remained closed near Junction 8, causing a seven-mile tailback and delays of more than an hour.

Hopefield Animal Sanctuary in Brentwood will close to visitors on July 29 because temperatures are forecast to reach 33°C. The closure is intended to protect nearly 700 sick, unwanted and mistreated animals, while visitors with bookings will be offered alternative dates or full refunds. The decision comes as the UK Health Security Agency issues an amber heat-health alert for the East of England and Met Office data shows July temperatures running around 3°C above average across the UK.

A fire that began in a garden on Saxmundham Way in Clacton spread rapidly in strong winds to four gardens and damaged two homes. Firefighters brought the blaze under control and prevented it from reaching neighboring properties, although one terraced home sustained significant damage and was left uninhabitable. Essex Fire and Rescue Service advised residents to avoid the area while crews dampened down hotspots and made the scene safe.

A kitchen fire in a Harlow mid-terrace home led to renewed safety warnings after a working smoke alarm alerted residents to the danger. Firefighters said the occupants correctly evacuated and called emergency services. The fire was caused by an accidental hob ignition, and officials stressed the importance of functioning smoke alarms for early warnings.

A 22-year-old Essex man, Alfie Douglas Coleman, received a 13-and-a-half-year prison sentence for plotting a right‑wing terrorist attack after being radicalised online from age 14. Undercover MI5 officers intercepted him as he attempted to purchase a firearm and ammunition. Investigators found extremist materials dating back to his early teens. Police urge parents to monitor children’s online activity and seek early help if they suspect radicalisation.

Bonfire embers ignited a field fire in Fryerning, burning ten acres of standing crop as dry and windy conditions helped spread the flames. Crews from Brentwood, Ongar and Wickford, working with a local farmer, created fire breaks to contain the incident. Watch manager Dan Hockley urged residents to avoid bonfires during hot, dry weather and to wait for rainfall to reduce fire risk.

A planning application proposes demolishing the long‑standing Grange Motors dealership in Brentwood to build an Aldi supermarket. The dealership’s lease ends in May 2026, and its buildings were deemed unsuitable for long‑term use. Aldi has identified the site as a key location to expand local access to affordable food and would create up to 40 new jobs. The plan awaits Brentwood Council’s approval, while a new Lidl is already under construction elsewhere in the town.