In news sure to delight long suffering A12 motorists, the government this week announced proposals to spend up to £1.6 billion on widening the carriageway between the M25 and Colchester.

But dozens of you reacted with both delight and scepticism to the announcement on the Essex Chronicle Facebook page, with one labelling it a general election 'trick'.

Will these improvements, such as widening the A12 to three lanes all the way between the M25 and Colchester, ever happen?

See below for a selection of your comments:

• Carl David Robinson: "Can't believe no one is mentioning how a lot of traffic and accidents on the A12 are caused by, or involving, lorries. By giving an extra lane it allows the traffic to move more freely as the outside lane isn't being constantly slowed down by lorries overtaking."
• Chris Butcher: "Building it will mean 50mph speed limit and months if not years of delays to build it."
• Corinna Plum: "Ha Ha...you fools, this is a General Election trick! Don't hold you breath for when it "might" actually happen!"
• Steve Thomas: "Would've preferred a motorway from the M25 to Ipswich with junctions at Chelmsford and Colchester, but seeing as we're bankrupt there's not much chance of that happening..."
• Marie Findlay: "I think people just need to learn how to drive on roads, making an extra lane won't stop accidents in my opinion."
• Alun Jenkins: "Needs to be four lanes, at least to Chelmsford. Yes there are idiot drivers out there, you get them on any road, but the reason there are so many accidents on the A12 is because it is carrying far more traffic than it was designed to carry."
• Royal Pardon: "It's a pre election bribe, open your eyes, everything that they cut back on the Government is now promising extra funding for, and Essex just so happens to be the backyard of the Conservatives."
• Sidney Moore: "More lanes may help the accidents at each junction. I've lost count of the number of times I've tried or seen others try to pull out of the slip road into the main road and no-one slows down to let them or moves over. However, I am not looking forward to the many months of upheaval this will cause!"

A MYSTERY man's body has been discovered floating in the mouth of the River Crouch near Burnham, sparking a police investigation to discover his identity.

The man was first spotted on Thursday, November 27, by yachtsmen, who reported seeing a body floating in the river, prompting Thames Coastguard to contact the police.

When rescue services arrived, they became aware that the body had been in the water for some time, although it is not currently known who the man is, how he came to be in the water, or how he died.

"We were launched by the coastguard after reports of there being a possible person in the water, and we made our way towards the mouth of the Crouch, located the person and assisted the RAF Rescue 125 helicopter, which then took the body to Colchester General Hospital," explained Lucy Ward, press officer for Burnham on Crouch Lifeboat Station.

"The only report we got was of a person in the water and we responded, we don't know before we get there what the situation will be."

The man was wearing a wetsuit and had long ginger hair and a ginger beard, although he has still not been identified by police, who are urging anyone with information about his identity to come forward.

The man's body has been taken to Colchester General Hospital, the Coroner's office has been informed and a post mortem examination is still to be held.

The death is currently being treated as unexplained.

Detective Sergeant Lydia George, of Colchester CID, said: "We do not know who this man is and would urge anyone who has any information to make contact with us.

"He was a well-built man with a short ginger beard and long ginger hair. He was wearing a full-length black wetsuit which had a blue Mystic logo on the right arm of the sleeve."

Anyone with any information should call Essex Police on 101.

It's time to check that all important National Lottery ticket - the Lotto draw has been completed for another Wednesday - with a £2.1million jackpot at stake.

Remember - there are two things to check. Your lottery numbers AND the raffle numbers.

The Lotto draw numbers were 4, 17, 19, 25, 35 and 37 and the bonus ball was 7.

Find out here if you've won!

Meanwhile the Thunderball numbers were 22, 26, 30, 32, 37, 06.

Don't worry if you're not a winner this time. Sales for the draw on Saturday, December 6 will open tonight 

A VAN driver has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after a pedestrian was killed walking on a 60mph country lane in the pitch dark.

The collision took place at about 6am on Monday on the A1060 Roxwell Road, in between Roxwell and Chelmsford, when a man was walking along the side of the road where there is no footpath.

Is it thought that the pedestrian, who witnesses say was wearing a white shirt, was walking towards Chelmsford. He was pronounced dead at the scene, and his relatives have been informed, police said.

The driver of the white van stopped at the scene of the accident, along with another car driver who pulled over to help.

Jay Glennie, 45, who was three cars behind the incident, said: "The cars in front of me had stopped, and there was a man in a white shirt lying in the road, it didn't look good.

"I asked if they had called an ambulance, and one was already on its way. The road was silent afterwards, it looked like an apocalypse had happened as there were no cars on there at all. I was only allowed back on the road because I live there."

Another resident, who did not want to be named, said that the road had been pitch black at that time in the morning, and added that it was viewed as too dangerous to walk along by most people living in the area due to the lack of a footpath.

The road was closed for around five hours, and police would like to speak to any witnesses or anyone who may have seen a man in a white shirt walking along the A1060 early that morning.

A PENSIONER returned home from an evening out to find that a car had smashed into the front of her Chelmsford house, leaving loose bricks and a crack in the ceiling.

Edah Lijodi, 73, arrived at her home on Rainsford Lane on Sunday evening at around 11.45pm to discover a car in her front garden and police in the street, after two cars collided and one ran off the road into her house.

The accident happened opposite Chelmsford Fire Station at around 10.30pm, when a driver became unwell at the wheel, before colliding with another car, whose male driver had to be cut free by firefighters. Mrs Lijodi said: "It was shocking. I got home at around 11.45 pm to find a car lying in my front garden and one in the road.

"Police told me the accident happened an hour or so before so you can imagine how serious it was that they were all still there.

"There is a crack in the ceiling and on the window sill, so the police told me to be careful. I am still waiting to find out whether or not it is safe for me to be in there, I'm also really worried because someone could just pull a brick out – that's how loose they are at the front."

The man cut free from the car was treated at the scene. The two patients were then taken to Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, in a stable condition for further medical attention.

A structural engineer is due to assess the safety of the house.

THE county's notorious A12 – once dubbed Britain's worst road – is to get a £1.6 billion upgrade that will make it almost entirely motorway standard.

Following decades of campaigning, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin announced on Monday, as part of a £15 billion national roads project included in the Government's Autumn Statement, that the busy stretch will be widened to six lanes between the M25 junction at Brentwood and Colchester.

It follows repeated calls by Essex County Council highways boss Rodney Bass, Chelmsford MP Simon Burns and Witham MP Priti Patel for widening, including a 2008 county council and Chronicle campaign for improvements.

The Department for Transport says work on the A12 in Essex could cost up to £1.6 billion.

Commuters have embraced the news but also greeted it with some scepticism, concerned the plan is merely a "General Election trick".

"This is something we have been campaigning for ever since I was elected on to the county council in 1997," said cabinet member for Highways and Transportation, Cllr Rodney Bass on Monday, who recently pledged £100,000 a year of taxpayers' money to reintroduce A12 police patrols.

"Nothing could be more important for Essex than triple-laning the A12 – the transportation backbone of Essex.

"I am delighted that the campaign which I have led from ECC has been so strongly supported by Priti Patel MP and Simon Burns MP and has now led to this announcement."

The plans state the A12 will be widened to six lanes entirely between the M25 and Chelmsford, tackling such areas as the four-lane section at Ingatestone where traffic bottlenecks as the lanes merge from three into two on either side.

The road would also be widened to six lanes between junction 19 at the Boreham interchange in Chelmsford to the A120 at Marks Tey, and also along the Colchester bypass.

It also includes upgrading the Brook Street roundabout at Brentwood, where the M25 meets the A12, by adding dedicated left-turn lanes from the A12 which means traffic does not have to stop to continue onto the motorway, bypassing the roundabout completely.

Chelmsford MP Simon Burns, who met with the Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin in April this year to discuss the proposals, said: "This is fantastic news.

"The A12 is frequently troubled by congestion and road safety issues and I'm delighted that the government is putting in measures to enhance road safety on the road."

Conservative Witham MP Priti Patel said: "The investment package the Government has committed to will mean better transport links through greater road capacity and will help support the creation of more local jobs."

No time scale has been given for a completion date, but the Government has promised to start spending money on all the nationwide projects, which includes building a tunnel at Stonehenge, by the end of the decade.

After the announcement, Green Party leader at Essex County Council and Braintree local highways panel member James Abbott raised fears homes and businesses would be demolished to make way for the widening. He also attacked the Government for not hosting a consultation on the subject.

The Rivenhall resident said: "There is no clear timetable for the work that we have yet seen and the costing sounds optimistic."

In response, Mr Burns added: "In the bit of the road I'm really familiar with, from the M25 to Boreham, the only houses are a few by a bridge by Brentwood. I don't think any houses are under threat.

"They're entitled to their view but we need to get Essex moving."

BRAINTREE hailed the start of Advent with a dramatic Christmas lights switch-on amid flurries of manmade snow, singing and dancing.

On Sunday, the streets of Braintree town centre were lined with festive stalls and marquees broadcasting entertainment to Christmas shoppers and merry-makers alike.

At 4.30pm, on November 30, Tigger of Winne the Pooh fame pressed the button to turn on the Christmas lights to roars and cheers from the crowd.

One local rising star who sung in the lead-up to the switch-on, Jessica Alice, who recorded her new music video in a Braintree car park last month, said: "I got to stand right next to Tigger, which was fun."

Another local starlet, Jazz Blaack, from Maldon, performed for her third year running on the Heart Radio Stage just before the button was pushed. She said: "I love performing at the Braintree Christmas lights switch-on as it is my favourite one in Essex."

Jazz Blaack, who a played a part in new film, The Beat Beneath My Feet, added: "I enjoyed performing for the crowd and it has been a wonderful night."

Many of the town's businesses and charities set up their stalls before 8am in anticipation of the Christmas shoppers who would visit for the main event.

The designer for one local flower and craft business, Ellie Rose, said: "There has been a great atmosphere here today, although the weather has tended to be a bit on the cold side.

"It has been good to see such a large turnout, which really shows the importance of this event in the community."

The annual Christmas fayre included stalls in the Town Hall and High Street, plus Braintree Museum hosted a storytelling event with a nativity scene.

Activities during the day included a classic cars display, craft workshops, a Santa's grotto, a Christmas word hunt, a Punch and Judy show, free face-painting for children, cheerleading, and torch-lit tours at Braintree Museum. There were also children's rides, including a bungee trampoline and a snow globe.

Acts, including the Funky Voices choir, Becker's Green School choir, Braintree College teachers and students, Rascal Theatre School, the Daniel Ribbits Rock Choir and other individuals, also performed on the Heart FM stage throughout the day.

Essex is set to benefit from the £2.3 billion pot for flood defences outlined in Chancellor George Osborne's Autumn Statement yesterday.

The Government says the funding will be pumped into two main projects in Essex which includes sea defences at Holland-on-Sea and defences to protect 8,219 properties in the Thames Estuary.

Canvey Island in the estuary is repeatedly hit by flooding, including this year and in 1953 when freak floods killed 58 people.

The money is designed for 121 schemes in the East of England to protect more than 17,000 homes and businesses from flooding.

Conservative-led Essex County Council has welcomed the news.

Cllr Roger Hirst, Essex County Council cabinet member for customer services, planning and the environment, said: "We welcome the Government's proposals for flood prevention and defence schemes and look forward to more detail about the proposals and how this will benefit the residents of Essex.

"Flooding is a devastating event for homes and businesses. We are doing all we can, in partnership with other authorities, to protect Essex from the sea and from the effects of heavy rainfall."

Schemes to receive money were chosen in collaboration with local authorities, internal drainage boards and the Environment Agency, in liaison with communities and the Regional Flood and Coastal Committees.

HEYBRIDGE Swifts will be looking for their fourth manager in just over a year after parting company with manager Keith Wilson.

The former Burnham Ramblers boss took over at Scraley Road in the summer following Jody Brown's decision to join Ryman Premier Grays Athletic, after taking Swifts to the Ryman North play-offs.

Brown, had replaced Mark Hawkes, who left to become manager of Chelmsford City at the end of November last year.

However, Wilson's spell with Swifts struggled to get going and it took him five games before the secured his first win.

Swifts suffered an early exit in the FA Cup preliminary round to Essex Senior League side FC Romania, but results did briefly pick up after that, with three wins in the next five games, including a fine 2-1 victory at Needham Market.

But aside from a good run in the FA Trophy, where they got through to the third round qualifying before losing 3-2 at home to Lewes, further wins in the league were hard to come by.

Tuesday night's 3-0 defeat at Wroxham left the club 20th in the table just one point and two places above the relegation zone.

A court has charged two Burmese migrants with murdering two British tourists on a Thai island.

Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, both 21, were today charged in their absence with murdering University of Essex student Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24.

The pair, who worked in a bar on the island, are alleged to have killed the two on Koh Tao in September before their bodies were found on the beach.

The duo were arrested by police about two weeks later and reportedly signed confessions, before re-enacting the murder on the beach surrounded by police and media.

They later retracted their confessions in October.

The investigation has been marred by criticism and allegations of police incompetence and of the confessions having been extracted by torture.

The public prosecutor has also sent the police dossier back three times asking for better evidence.

Rumours circulate on the island, and in Britain, that the attack was orchestrated by a Thai man associated with the Thai families who own much of the tourism on the island.

The BBC today report that today's indictment was unexpectedly brought forward by three hours meaning the suspects did not have time to be brought from prison to hear the charges.

If proved guilty they could be killed via a lethal injection.

The two have written an open letter to the victims' friends and family asking anyone who has more information, corroborating with a case for their innocence, to come forward.

Miss Witheridge, from Hemsby in Norfolk, studied an undergraduate at the University of East Anglia before studying a postgraduate at the University of Essex.

Post-mortem examinations found Mr Miller, from Jersey, died from drowning and a blow to the head while Miss Witheridge died from head wounds.

A court has charged two Burmese migrants with murdering two British tourists on a Thai island.

Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, both 21, were today charged in their absence with murdering University of Essex student Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24.

The pair, who worked in a bar on the island, are alleged to have killed the two on Koh Tao in September before their bodies were found on the beach.

The duo were arrested by police about two weeks later and reportedly signed confessions, before re-enacting the murder on the beach surrounded by police and media.

They later retracted their confessions in October.

The investigation has been marred by criticism and allegations of police incompetence and of the confessions having been extracted by torture.

The public prosecutor has also sent the police dossier back three times asking for better evidence.

Rumours circulate on the island, and in Britain, that the attack was orchestrated by a Thai man associated with the Thai families who own much of the tourism on the island.

The BBC today report that today's indictment was unexpectedly brought forward by three hours meaning the suspects did not have time to be brought from prison to hear the charges.

If proved guilty they could be killed via a lethal injection.

The two have written an open letter to the victims' friends and family asking anyone who has more information, corroborating with a case for their innocence, to come forward.

Miss Witheridge, from Hemsby in Norfolk, studied an undergraduate at the University of East Anglia before studying a postgraduate at the University of Essex.

Post-mortem examinations found Mr Miller, from Jersey, died from drowning and a blow to the head while Miss Witheridge died from head wounds.

A word defining middle-aged men in Lycra – MAMILs – "duck face" and "mahoosive" are among the 1,000 new words to make it into the online Oxford dictionary.

A MAMIL, in OxfordDictionaries.com, is defined as a "a middle-aged man who is a very keen road cyclist, typically one who rides an expensive bike and wears the type of clothing associated with professional cyclists."

The word has apparently been in use since at least 2010 since the number of amateur cyclists surged following British success in the Tour de France and in the Olympics in 2012.

Chelmsford's own Alex Dowsett, pictured, who won the individual time trial at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this year, may not be middle aged but sports the appropriate clothing.

Words such as "fone", meaning phone, "hawt", meaning hot, and tomoz, an informal version of tomorrow, have also been included today (Thursday, December 4).

"Duck face" is defined as "an exaggerated pouting expression in which the lips are thrust outwards, typically made by a person posing for a photograph".

Judy Pearsall, editorial director for Oxford Dictionaries, said: "One of the benefits of our unique language monitoring programme is that it enables us to track in detail how English language evolves over relatively short periods of time.

"For instance, in this age of the selfie perhaps it's no surprise that average monthly usage of the term duck face is 35 per cent higher in 2014 than it was last year."

A 16-year-old boy from Chelmsford was rushed to hospital with serious facial injuries after he was attacked while lights were switched on in Ongar.

The victim was set upon by a group of boys in Ongar High Street during the event at around 8.20pm last Friday (November 28), which was led by TOWIE star Georgia Kousoulou.

Police said his girlfriend was also assaulted while she tried to step in and defend him.

Investigating officer Dc Nicola Hudson from Loughton CID said: "This happened on the night of the Christmas Lights event so the High Street was very busy. 

"I would ask anyone who witnesses the incident to contact me."

Any witnesses to the incident or anyone who has information about the assault is asked to contact Dc Hudson on 101 ext 313401.

People can also give information to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org

The countdown to Christmas is on, and you'd have to go some way to avoiding it!

Households in Essex are getting the boxes out of storage, dusting off their decorations and creating their very own Santa's grottos as the festive season gets into full swing.

Christmas trees, flashing lights and Santa are in constant evidence reminding us that the day draws near.

Why not show us your Christmas creations? Have you seen any mini Essex grottos?

Send in any seasonal snaps to photographic@essexchronicle.co.uk, post on our Facebook page or tweet us @EssexChronicle

"At the moment, we have an investment of about £3 million in the station, that will change things like the stairwell and the interchange with buses, so things are getting better," said Chelmsford City Council's cabinet member for planning and economic development, Cllr Neil Gulliver.

"Also in 2020 we will have a new station in north Chelmsford, which will be interesting as people will have a choice about which location to use."

Essex Police has released details of the first people to be charged as part of its Christmas anti-drink drive campaign. 

Since the campaign launched on Monday (December 1), a total of 123 drivers have been breathalysed, with five either testing positive or refusing to provide a sample of breath.

Tommy Bishop, 24, from Buckhurst Hill has been charged with drink driving and bailed to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on December 16.

Pavels Popovs, 37, of Dudley Close, Chafford Hundred, is due to appear at Basildon Magistrates' Court charged with drink driving on December 18.

And Asadollah Zare, 38, from Cowpar Mews, Braintree has also been charged with failing to provide a specimen of breath and is due to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on December 18.

Two more men have also been arrested on suspicion of drink driving offences.

A 26-year-old man from Billericay was arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving following the fatal collision on Roxwell Road, Chelmsford on Monday (December 1).

The man was also arrested on suspicion of drink driving. He has since been released on bail pending further investigation until April 10 next year.

A 20-year-old man from Clacton was arrested on suspicion of being unfit to drive through drink or drugs after a collision in North Road, Great Clacton on Tuesday (December 2).

He has been released on bail pending further investigation until February 19, 2015.

Essex gained a multi-million pound economic boost from the Tour de France, according to a report published today.

The report, which examined the economic and social impact of hosting the Tour de France, showed that the race generated a £130 million economic boost to the UK, with Essex and Cambridgeshire sharing £10.5 million, although no statistics for Essex alone have been released yet.

Gary Sullivan, Chairman of Active Essex, said: "We have known for some time now that sport has a significant impact on the economy and Essex sees sport as a major driver for economic growth. What is particularly pleasing is that major sporting events are inspiring young and old to get active and, in the case of the Tour de France, get active through cycling".

And cycling and fitness clubs around Essex have reported a boost in their numbers, with Braintree District Council noting an increase in visitors in the Council's leisure centres by 28,000 this summer, compared to last, which is believed to be a knock-on effect of the Tour de France, while a survey carried out by Uttlesford District Council found that residents believed the race had benefitted businesses in the local area, increased tourism, increased cycling and exercise and had been positive for Uttlesford district and Essex county.

Following the race's popularity, Uttlesford District Council has also pledged to look at various cycle path initiatives, and is supporting the Wenden Road scheme by agreeing to underwrite £200,000 to help fund the project.

Cllr Ray Gooding, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Education and Lifelong Learning, with responsibility for sport, said: "The Tour de France was a definite highlight of the past year in Essex and I am pleased that it has given our economy such a big boost.

"The boost will continue in years to come as we were able to showcase our beautiful county and show the world how much it has to offer.

"Tourism makes a multi-million pound contribution to the economy in Essex, supporting hotels, pubs, restaurants and attractions." 

A 26-year-old man from Billericay has been arrested on suspicion of drink driving, following a fatal accident on Roxwell Road on Monday.

The man was also arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving following the incident in which a pedestrian was knocked down and killed at around 6am.

He has since been released on bail pending further investigation until April 10 next year.

Is it thought that the pedestrian, who witnesses say was wearing a white shirt, was walking towards Chelmsford. He was pronounced dead at the scene, and his relatives have been informed, police said.

A resident, who did not want to be named, said that the road had been pitch black at that time in the morning, and added that it was viewed as too dangerous to walk along by most people living in the area due to the lack of a footpath.

The road was closed for around five hours, and police would like to speak to any witnesses or anyone who may have seen a man in a white shirt walking along the A1060 early that morning.

KEITH WILSON believes he could have turned Heybridge Swifts around if he had been given the chance.

Swifts sacked Wilson this morning following Tuesday night's 3-0 defeat at Wroxham, a result that stretched their winless run in the Ryman North to eight matches.

However, Wilson believes he would have won this Saturday's game at home to Tilbury, but understands why he was dismissed by the club's board.

"We weren't that far off," he told the Chronicle. "I think if we would have beaten Tilbury on Saturday and I still think they will do without me.

"We would have won that and that could have started a run for us that would have taken us up the table but that won't happen now.

"I noticed I had a missed call from the chairman on Wednesday night so I had an inkling.

"He said the board had a meeting that night and decided to relieve me of my duties. I've been sacked.

"I understand why they've done it. The pressure has been mounting as I've not been winning games. It's a results business and I've not been getting the results. They've decided to go for a change, that's their prerogative

"I'm just disappointed I didn't get the chance to do what I set out to do.

"If I'm being honest some of the people didn't come up to scratch. I've been let down by some poor performances and by some silly individual mistakes.

"Maybe I gave people too many chances, maybe I wasn't ruthless enough. I didn't have much luck but then you make your own luck, so that's not an excuse.

"The league table does not lie, it's not been good enough. I was desperate to do well, but getting beat and not doing well, with the pressure of the club being successful last season, I took it personally. There's a little bit of relief and a weight off my back."

A body discovered in fields in Newport yesterday (December 2) has been formally identified as a man reported missing over the weekend.

Matthew Vernon, 23, from Dunmow, vanished after he was last seen at a party in Bury Water Lane, Newport, on Saturday night (November 28).

His family raised the alarm after he failed to get in contact

An Essex Police spokesman said there were no suspicious circumstances, and a report has been prepared for the coroner.