Immigration, local healthcare and the prospect of sending primary school pupils to Southminster by bus were hot topics of debate at a heated hustings event.

Parliamentary candidates for the Maldon constituency met at St Mary’s Church, in Church Road, Burnham, on Friday in front of an audience of up to 100 members of the public to argue why they should be the next MP.

Fighting for the Conservatives was John Whittingdale, who had the advantage of having represented the constituency since 1992.

Joining him were Liberal Democrat Zoe O’Connell, Labour candidate Peter Edwards and Ukip’s Beverley Acevedo.

Read about what happened in Thursday's paper.