Jack Warren
BBC Local Live

Regular updates for Essex have now finished for the week - here are the top stories we've covered today:

• A man has been charged with causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal after 45 fish died when their tank was slashed open in Colchester's Castle Park
• Patrols have had to be stepped up in Harwich after a spate of burglaries
• Singer Gabrielle has had to cancel her show at the Southend Cliffs Pavillion tonight due to sickness

We'll be back on Monday from 08:00 with further updates for the county.

Have a great weekend.

Alex Dolan
BBC Look East weather

Rain clearing eastwards this evening will bring lengthy clear spells and temperatures low enough for a frost in places in parts of the eastern region as the temperature drops to a minimum of -1C (30F).

Patchy cloud will bring isolated showers across northern counties later in the night.

Saturday outlook: A chilly start with frost in places. Some dry and bright weather but also frequent showers across northern and eastern counties. Feeling cold in a brisk northerly breeze.

More details on BBC Weather:

Kate Scotter
BBC News

Lowestoft's loss is the region's gain, according to the project manager of a £1.5bn offshore windfarm.

Image source, RWE Innogy UK

As we've reported, the operational base of Galloper will be based at Harwich in Essex.

It was thought that Lowestoft was the first choice and would get the benefit from secure jobs for the next 25 years.

Harwich was chosen as it is closest to the windfarm.

Project manager Toby Edmonds said: "This does complete the hat-trick for Galloper because we are at Yarmouth at Siemens for the turbines, Lowestoft for the construction base and now we're at Harwich for the service and maintenance phase.

"I think it's been a really good example of how the whole region can benefit from a project like Galloper."

Kate Scotter
BBC News

A Suffolk town has lost out to Essex to become the onshore headquarters of a £1.5bn windfarm.

The operations and maintenance base for the Galloper offshore windfarm will be based at Harwich, it has been announced. 

It had been hoped the headquarters, expected to create 7,200 jobs, would be at Lowestoft, where the construction team is based.

Toby Edmonds, Galloper project developer, said: "Really it comes down to geography. 

"Harwich is the closest to the windfarm that we can use as an operational base. 

"Every minute and every gallon of diesel we can save is well worth having and makes the difference over the lifetime of the windfarm."

Bonfire weekend is usually a weekend you either hate or love.

But if it's the latter, and you're not quite sure where to see the whizzes and bangs, Essex Fire and Rescue has put together an interactive map of public displays happening around the county this weekend. 

You can view it here, external. 

Image source, EFRS

As BBC Essex celebrates 30 years of broadcasting this weekend, loyal listener June has shown her appreciation to the station by sending us the biggest cake ever!

BBC Weather Watchers

If this afternoon's miserable weather isn't whetting your appetite - then perhaps last night's sunset will warm your cockles.

Patrick Byrne
BBC News

A leading journalists' union has challenged the decision to axe 57 jobs by a newspaper publisher that sells titles in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire. 

The National Union of Journalists said it was "extremely concerned by the proposed job losses at Archant".

Image source, NUJ

"There is little in the reported statements from Jeff Henry, chief executive, or Matt Kelly, chief content officer, to indicate how moving to an 'audience first' approach can justify the loss of at least 17 jobs," Andy Smith, national executive member, said. 

"Putting 57 staff at risk of redundancy, particularly at this time of year, will be incredibly stressful for them all, and our first responsibility is to support our members through this process. 

"Though the consultation is at a very early stage, it is difficult to see how these proposals can have any other effect than to impose more work and more stress on an already overburdened staff."

The British man killed in the Paris attacks died after being shot in his stomach and chest, an inquest hears.

Andrew Woodger
BBC News

Killing Joke, external played a sold-out show at Colchester Arts Centre, external last night - billed as a "warm-up" for their show at Brixton Academy tonight.

If you can write a review within the next hour, email me - a few sentences is fine, it's not homework!

Image source, Pondweller

A woman has escaped unharmed after a slow cooker caused a fire in her kitchen, the fire service says. 

It happened in Chinook, Colchester at about 10:37.

The homeowner managed to get out of the property after being alerted by her smoke alarm. 

Image source, Google

Patrols have had to be stepped up in Harwich after a spate of burglaries.

Image source, Thinkstock

Essex Police, external said about 20 homes had been targeted in the last six weeks. 

A 41-year-old man and 31-year-old woman, both from Harwich, have been arrested in connection with two of the burglaries.

BBC Weather Watchers

Today, BBC Weather Watchers is celebrating its first birthday.

Here's a photo from a gloomy Friday:

Park rangers give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a number of fish after the tank they were in was slashed.

BBC Weather

Some heavy showers around this afternoon especially near the coast. Turning dry and clear overnight with some frost forming as the temperature peaks at 12C (54F).

Get the latest forecast from BBC Weather.

Jodie Halford
BBC News

Earlier we told you council workers performed mouth-to-mouth on some fish after their tank was slashed open in Castle Park, Colchester. 

Fish breathe by gulping water into their mouths and passing it through their gills, where oxygen is absorbed from the water and dissolved into the fish's blood.

Dr Rod Wilson, associate professor of Integrative Animal Physiology at the University of Exeter, said carp were "famously good at surviving in water with little oxygen, or even out of water for a fairly long time".

"I'm doubtful mouth-to-mouth resuscitation would be that useful in this case, but it would be unlikely to have a negative impact on the fish," he said.

"The fish might have survived anyway, especially in cold weather conditions like we have at the moment - it slows their metabolism right down and so they need less oxygen and will survive longer in air."

A singer-songwriter has joined the campaign to get "Essex girl" removed from the dictionary.

The current definition describes it as a derogatory term categorising Essex girls as "unintelligent, materialistic and sexually promiscuous".

Thousands of people have signed a petition, external to get it removed, and the campaign is showing no signs of slowing.

Angie A told BBC Essex: "I wanted to do a song that was uplifting, empowering and had a bit of fun to it as I know Essex girls love a bit of banter." 

The BBC Essex studios in Chelmsford have been wrapped up like a giant present in aid of this year's Children in Need appeal.

The multi-platinum selling singer Gabrielle has had to cancel her show in Southend tonight due to sickness.

Gabreille, best known for her hit singles Out Of Reach and Dreams to name a few, was due to play at the Cliffs Pavilion, external.

An elderly pair have been punched in their face, and two children forced from their beds during a violent burglary in Stanway near Colchester last night, police say.

Image source, Google

The man and woman, in their 70s, were attacked when four burglars broke into their home in Rambler Close at about 20:30. 

They demanded money, stole jewellery and other items.

You can read a description of the suspects on the Essex Police Facebook page, external.