A devastated family have increased their reward to £500 for information on their dog that has been missing for four weeks.

The Bigg family, of Fernside Close, Corringham, have also spent more than £250 on advertising in a desperate bid to get back Aimee, the West Highland terrier, who was chased along the A13 during a walk at One Tree Hill, Corringham, on July 8. Anyone who's seen Aimee should call Margaret on 01375 677805.

Cars torched in double blaze

Basildon firefighters were called out to two car fires in the early hours of Sunday. At midnight they dealt with a blazing

vehicle in Broadmayne and just four-and-a-half hours later they were called out to another fire in a car in Mayflower retail park.

Bell's new role

Martin Bell, the former BBC war correspondent and independent MP, who failed to win the Brentwood and Ongar seat in the last election, is to become an ambassador for Unicef, the United Nations Children's Fund.

The unpaid job will involve flying to disaster-hit areas at a moment's notice.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.