The sun hasn't yet set on Day 1 of the V Festival but some of the revellers have already made up their minds.

Among the festival-goers were these two friends, who travelled to the festival from Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire. They said the festival hasn't been as good as it was in previous years. 

Catrina Whyte, 26, came all the way from South Wales to the festival. She was also enjoying the festival and also agreed that Bastille were her favourite band so far. 

Investigations are ongoing over the discovery of a container of people at the Port of Tilbury this morning (August 16). 

Police are trying to establish who the deceased was and who the other people are and where they come from.

The most recent statement from Essex Police confirmed that 35 people, believed to be from the Indian sub-continent were found inside the container. 

The statement said: "Unfortunately one man was pronounced dead at the scene. "The others, who are men, women and children, were taken for treatment at Southend, Basildon and the Royal London Hospitals.

"They are not thought to be in a serious condition. Once they have been treated they will be taken to a reception centre.

"The container was on a P&O container ferry which docked at the port at 6.37am today (Saturday, August 16). The other 50 containers on board the vessel have been searched and no further people have been found.

"Once they have been treated in hospital they will be spoken to by officers from Essex Police before being referred to the UK Border Agencies.

"A casualty bureau has been set up for anybody who is concerned about a friend or relative to call. People living in the UK should call 0800 0560944 and people outside of the UK can call 0207 1580010."

AN IT PROJECT manager will jump through fire, lift twice his body weight, and face possible "hell on earth" in a 5k obstacle course to raise money for the Make a Wish Foundation.

Harry Sabbarton, 25, is taking on the Reebok Spartan Race in Cambridge – an event that sees competitors negotiating a number of terrifying obstacles all while running 5k.

"I thought doing the Spartan Race would be something a bit different," said Mr Sabbarton, from Great Baddow.

"Lots of people do marathons or bike rides, but not many people have to sign a death waiver to enter. I got involved because of the charity; they helped a friend of mine's little girl, so this is a belated thank you to them."

The obstacle course is designed to challenge even the most elite of athletes and no participants know exactly what obstacles they will face before they get there.

The website states: "Preparation for the unknown is a must. There are staple obstacles in our repertoire. There are also venue-specific and terrain-inspired obstacles.

"We will not, however, spell it out for you. There is fire, mud, barbed wire, and occasionally Hell on Earth. There WILL be obstacles to catch you off your guard. Curve balls, so to speak. Get over it."

The race will be held on September 7, and Mr Sabbarton said he is hoping to raise £500, adding: "Anything we manage to raise above or over that would be brilliant.

"The world-class competitors do it in less than one hour, so I'd like to do it in two."

To help Mr Sabbarton raise funds for Make a Wish Foundation, The Old Court Theatre in Chelmsford will be putting on a murder mystery night, and donating the money from ticket sales.

The show will take place on August 23 at 7.30pm, and tickets are available at www.echotheatre company.co.uk

HEALTH bosses want to shut the North Springfield NHS walk-in centre as they bid to slash more than £41 million from its budget over the next five years.

Despite more than 30,000 patients visiting the clinic in the past year – 82 people every day – the Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group suggests that closing it, and moving services to Broomfield Hospital, could save £1m a year.

Scrapping the centre, next door to Sainsbury's supermarket in Chelmsford, is one option mooted by health chiefs looking to save £41.6 million by the end of the 2018/19 financial year.

A new health hub based at Broomfield hospital would replace the walk-in centre.

At a Maldon District Council meeting on Wednesday, August 6, accountable officer at the MECCG, Caroline Rassell, revealed there is a possibility that the contract to provide services from the centre next to Sainsbury's may not be renewed in March 2015.

When asked about the closure of the centre by councillors, Ms Rassell said: "We are looking into changing the way we provide immediate care services based out of North Springfield .

"We want to work with patients and GPs to see how we can deliver more local care in the right places for patients but we have no plans in changing the care patients receive."

She expressed her concern at the growing Essex population, forecast to increase to 410,000 by 2021 from 383,600 in 2013.

Conservative Cllr Mark Durham, for Wickham Bishops and Woodham, said: "This comes as a bit of a bombshell. I know a lot of people that use the centre because my local GPs' surgery in Danbury is failing.

"People find the centre more accessible than local GPs, so people tend to go there instead of waiting up to three weeks for an appointment."

The MECCG, which manages the annual budget for doctors, dentists, pharmacists and opticians in the communities of Braintree, Chelmsford and Maldon, hopes to achieve a financial balance at the end of 2017/18 by saving £6m next year, £11.6m in 2015/16 and £8m in 2016/17.

On July 21 it unveiled its "The Way Ahead" consultation in which it invited the public to have a say on how to reduce costs, but protecting care.

Part of the proposed reforms include a redesigning of children and adolescent mental health services, an early identification of people at risk of stroke, a suicide prevention programme, extended GP hours, and a commitment to a more joined up health and social care sector.

At the end of 2013/14 the MECCG had overspent by £9.1 million on a budget of just under £400 million and later this year the MECCG will submit a five-year plan to the secretary of state for health.

Its plan looks at healthcare through every stage of life including children and young people.

But a new two-year Financial Recovery Plan has been devised detailing the "urgent" need to improve the MECCG's financial position including a focus on services that can be given in the community or through a GP rather than at hospital.

The MECCG wants people to get involved with the consultation which will include online feedback forms and public workshops.

All feedback from the consultation will be captured and summarised into a report for the CCG for its board meeting on September 25, when the CCG will decide on its plans.

A survey and feedback form can be accessed at www.midessexccg.nhs.uk

A wartime grenade has been washed up on an Essex beach for the fifth time in five weeks.

Police have urged people to be on their guard when visiting the beach, which is in Harwich.

The latest explosive device was found today (August 17) on the shoreline at Marine Parade, when an off-duty military explosives expert saw a person throwing it around for a dog to chase.

The explosives officer organised a 30-yard cordon around the grenade and called police and Coastguard officers.

The device was later taken away by Explosive Ordnance Disposal officers.

A similar grenade was found yesterday (August 16) on the beach near West End Lane and The Promenade and three were found near Lower Marine Parade on Saturday July 12.

All four were disposed of by EOD officers who carried out controlled explosions on the beach.

Insp Paul Butcher said: "It would appear that the grenades might have been in a crate that ended up in the sea during the Second World War.

"That crate might be breaking up or has been disturbed by dredging in the port and has resulted in these five devices being washed ashore along the same stretch of beach.

"We are asking people to be vigilant if visiting this beach and to dial 999 if they find any of these devices.

"Some of them have been covered in barnacles but the one yesterday looked almost as new despite being in the sea, possibly for many years.

"Anyone who finds a grenade should not touch it or move it but should call police immediately".

V Festival organisers have said their attempts to stop revellers fooling security guards with a well-known wristband trick have proved successful.

Earlier this week co-organiser Dawn Woodhouse said the team had introduced a technical addition which would stop visitors "turning wristbands".

The trick involves a ticketholder entering the festival grounds, collecting multiple entry wristbands from people already inside the gates, before smuggling extra people from outside with the collection.

V Festival press officer Bernard Doherty, chief executive and co-founder of LD Communications, said: "We have implemented measures to counteract the wristband scheme and the measures have seen a successful downturn in people getting in.

"If people try it they get turned away."

The wristband trick, also referred to as "walk-ins", was identified as a problem at Hylands Park last year and something organisers identified and said they acted upon by the Saturday night.

Revellers are known to offer people a wristband as part of a walk-in for £30, therefore shortcutting the full £190 cost of a ticket.

British singer-songwriter Dan Croll has urged V Festival organisers to cater for some heavier music as well as "the light".

Speaking to the Chronicle yesterday (August 17) the 24-year-old guitarist also praised the crowd in Chelmsford who cheered through his set.

The Staffordshire lad, the man behind song "From Nowhere" which has received plays on BBC Radio 1, performed a short slot on the Future Stage.

"I love my heavy music," he said.

"I always admire a festival that dares to put on the heavy with the light and that's a festival I would love to see but it's not easy just to put on a metal stage.

"Festivals these days are often catered towards pop and a certain age range and it's good that this festival caters for that but perhaps it's time breach out."

Indie rocker Dan, an alumni of the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, won the Songwriter of the Year award from the Musicians' Benevolent Fund as a student.

He performed a one-to-one with Sir Paul McCartney in 2012 as part of his prize.

"That was mental," he said. "He was a really lovely and humble guy and I didn't feel nervous and he put me at ease."

His performance yesterday formed part of his first ever visit to Chelmsford.

"I just played a few songs," he said.

"As one of the first ones on it's always a bit daunting and you wonder how many people will actually be there but it was packed and everyone was really up for starting the day."

Popstar Lily Allen dazzled the crowds at the V Festival in Chelmsford on Sunday.

But the Smile singer revealed a little more than she intended on the Virgin Media stage at Hylands Park this evening (August 17).

The star was wearing a metallic style top with the zip taken down just enough to show her cleavage.

Lily was on stage shortly before Paolo Nutini - with perennial V Festival favourites The Killers set to headline on Sunday.

Comedian and Channel 4 host Adam Hills took the name of his Channel 4 show rather literally at the V Festival comedy tent in Chelmsford today.

The Last Leg star sent his prosthetic leg into the crowds at The Glee Club comedy tent in Hylands Park, and did get another one back.

But the Australian comic ended up with the wrong one, according to witnesses in the front row. And it was only when he retrieved the correct leg that he discovered a quantity of Fosters inside.

Highlight of @vfestival this weekend was @adamhillscomedy drinking out of his leg �� pic.twitter.com/OgLP1J10bL

— Ollie (@oliver_green96) August 17, 2014

And he marked the moment by drinking alcohol from the implement - certainly one way of smuggling alcohol into a festival.

FAMILIES forced to put up with the stench of fly-infested sewage outside their homes can finally breathe easy after the problem was solved.

For more than three months families in Keene Way, Galleywood, had pleaded with the authorities to find the source of the foul smell coming from a stream behind their homes.

But the pong is now gone after Chelmsford City Council found the waste was coming from two nearby restaurants.

Grandfather Tony Harris, 63, said: "They wouldn't tell me where it was coming from or what the problem was but it was definitely sewage getting in there.

"What's important is it's now sweet-smelling and all the residents are happy.

"Everyone can go back into the gardens, you don't have to worry about the kids going out the back and playing anymore because it really was pungent before.

"There were a lot of flies – but it's all been flushed away now."

After Mr Harris reported the stink in April, Chelmsford City Council officers investigated the nearby Safa Indian restaurant in Watchouse Road a week later, suspecting it was tipping waste oil down the drain.

When staff failed to provide waste disposal documents, it was handed a £300 fixed penalty notice.

Fungus continued to grow in the stream, however, to the extent that the Environment Agency forbade residents from approaching the watercourse.

The problem was finally solved when officers found another restaurant was unintentionally contributing.

City council public health and protection services manager Paul Brookes said the case was closed on Tuesday, July 8, when the waste water was flushed away. Mr Brookes said: "The watercourse pollution at Galleywood was caused by waste from two food businesses discharging into the storm water sewer which feeds into the watercourse.

"One food business intentionally discharged waste oil and enforcement action including a fixed penalty notice was taken.

"The other food business was unintentionally discharging waste water into the sewer via a mis-connection. Once notified, the food business immediately took action to rectify the situation."

A HISTORIAN, author and former chairman of the Maldon Society and Maldon Museum has died after a heart attack at his home.

Patrick "Paddy" Lacey had lived in Market Hill and later in Purleigh, and was a GP at Greensward Lane, Hockley, from 1962 until his retirement about ten years ago.

He died peacefully, aged 78, in St Richard's Hospital, Chichester, on July 7 after a heart attack at his second home.

A memorial service was held on Wednesday, July 23, conducted by Elspeth Bland at All Saints' Church, Purleigh.

Catherine Dines, his eldest daughter, said: "He wanted to come to a place that had a lot of history, a family-friendly environment and somewhere where we as children could be safe to walk to school and play in the park."

Mr Lacey was drawn to Maldon in 1971 by the town's rich history and the facilities at Promenade Park for swimming and boating, the Thames sailing barges, and the High Street with its independent shops.

Mrs Dines said: "He loved living on Market Hill and very much enjoyed his work with the museum and the society. He wrote a thesis on the history of the old former workhouse.

"He was a real gentleman who will be remembered for his understated knowledge and intellect, his diplomacy, his organisational skills, his bedside manner and, most of all, his generous smile."

Born on September 14, 1935, in Chichester, Sussex, Paddy spent his childhood in Chichester. His early memories were of preparations for D-Day.

He went to King's College and Westminster Hospital to become a Doctor of Medicine.

The family home was in Rayleigh, where he married Muriel and had children Catherine, Fiona, Joanne and Robert, and stayed until 1971 when he moved to Maldon.

As well as developing a busy practice, Paddy and his partner Stan Spiers looked after the medical needs of the inmates of Bullwood Hall Women's Prison.

Part of his work with the museum involved moving the museum from its home above what is now Prezzo to its present location at Promenade Park.

Mr Lacey gained a history degree through the Friary Adult Education Centre in Maldon which led him to being commissioned to create two books – using his own large collection of local postcards, along with the museum's archive material.

Following the publication of the books, he was then asked to conduct several talks to various local history groups.

Mr Lacey leaves wife Pamela, four children, their spouses and six grandchildren, brother David and his family, and Muriel.

Some family members are taking part in a 5km sponsored walk in September in aid of the Royal Free Hospitals Charity Fund.

Visit www.justgiving.com/fiorinaelliott for more details.

A BLOGGER overcame his fears and skydived from 13,000ft all in the name of charity.

Photographic designer Kip Hakes, of Melbourne, leapt out of the plane above Nottinghamshire on Saturday, August 2.

"It was fantastic, possibly the best thing I've ever done, as soon as I landed I wanted to go up and do it all over again," said the 32-year-old father-of-two.

"It was very scary, although it wasn't so much the dive, it was the waiting around before and the training where I was told I'd have to tuck my feet under the plane."

Kip jumped with six other fellow bloggers from across the country in memory of his friend's baby Matilda Mae, who died from sudden infant death syndrome.

He has already raised more than £850 for the Lullaby Trust but is hoping to smash his £1,000 fundraising target.

To sponsor visit: www.justgiving.com/KipHakesSkyDive2014/ and to read Kip's blog about his terrifying experience, see www.kiphakes.com