Housing estates could be plunged into darkness as plans to turn off the majority of street lights are rolled out to Braintree.

Essex County Council is expected to begin a consultation in June with councils and emergency services in the district about turning some lights off between midnight and 5am.

Town centres, road junctions and accident hot spots will remain lit under the plans which are expected to save tens of thousands of pounds and cut carbon emissions by 8,000 tonnes per year.

The scheme has been trialled in Maldon and Uttlesford since 2007 and in June last year county councillors decided it should become a countywide policy.

See this week's Gazette for the full story.