Echo news from Southend, Basildon, Castle Point,Rayleigh, Rochford, Wickford, Billericay, Thurrock

9:04am Tuesday 29th May 2012

The murder of a teenage mother who was stabbed and left to die in a canal by her 17-year-old boyfriend could not have been prevented, a safeguarding children's board has said.

8:36am Tuesday 29th May 2012

An 11-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with stealing a car which was later damaged in an accident.

4:53am Tuesday 29th May 2012

A British housewife could face the death penalty after being arrested over a £1.6 million cocaine haul on a tropical island.

4:22am Tuesday 29th May 2012

Urgent reform to the funding of the social care system is needed to meet the needs of an ageing population, health experts have said.

4:09am Tuesday 29th May 2012

The mini-heatwave which has swept Britain looks set to end after forecasters predicted cooler temperatures and unsettled weather for the week ahead.

3:40am Tuesday 29th May 2012

Conservatives Michael Gove and Theresa May are set to become the first serving Cabinet ministers to give evidence at the Leveson Inquiry into press ethics.

12:07am Tuesday 29th May 2012

Charities are axing jobs and services and some risk closing down because of Government cuts, new research has revealed.

12:07am Tuesday 29th May 2012

Employees start working for themselves rather than the Government on Tuesday - two days later than last year, according to low tax campaigners.

12:07am Tuesday 29th May 2012

Nick Clegg is expected to say two years in office have convinced him Britain's "broken establishment is past its sell by date".

12:07am Tuesday 29th May 2012

Dentists may be deliberately misleading their patients about their NHS entitlements to prompt them to pay for private care, a watchdog has said.