Sam Pile, who took the pictures of the smoke from the end of Southend Pier around 1.20pm, was shocked to see the situation. He said: "I have never seen smoke that thick, it was black smoke which ...

The trio had driven from Staffordshire to Southend-on-Sea before attempting to cross the estuary to reach the Red Sands Sea Fort near Whitstable. Kent Police said the men had breached lockdown ...