Mason Lewsey

Arriva bus drivers in Essex have joined strike action over dangerously high temperatures inside bus cabs, with some reporting readings above 40°C and symptoms including heatstroke and drowsiness. More than 1,500 drivers across Essex and north and east London are involved in a wider dispute organized by Unite the Union. Drivers want proper air conditioning, while Arriva says it is introducing additional breaks and welfare checks, upgrading air-conditioning systems and purchasing new buses. The company has urged Unite to return to negotiations and warned that extreme heat is creating challenges across the bus network.

Greater Anglia services across Essex were disrupted after a person was hit by a train between Stratford and Shenfield. Two of four railway lines were closed, causing delays, cancellations and route changes between London Liverpool Street and destinations including Colchester, Braintree, Clacton-on-Sea and Southend Victoria. Passengers were advised to check journeys, use alternative routes and claim compensation for delays of 15 minutes or more, while Greater Anglia, Network Rail and emergency services worked to restore normal operations.

Former The Only Way Is Essex star Megan McKenna said three masked, machete- and baseball-bat-wielding intruders broke into her home shortly after she returned from her honeymoon in Montenegro. She was alone while her husband, footballer Oliver Burke, had returned to Germany, and said the attack left her too frightened to continue living alone in England. The intruders broke through a wall into her dressing room and stole jewellery in what she believed was a targeted robbery. McKenna has since relocated to Germany to live with Burke.

Essex Police appealed for information about 46-year-old Richard Munns, who was reported missing from the Harlow area. The force provided his description and asked the public to contact police with information. An update confirmed that Munns had been found.

A motorcyclist in his 50s suffered life‑threatening injuries in a crash involving a car on the A120 at Galley’s Corner in Braintree, prompting the temporary closure of the road. Essex Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage as they investigate, with reports accepted via their website, live chat, or anonymously through Crimestoppers. The road later reopened after causing local disruption.