Two children who were fatally hit by a car were believed to have been riding a privately owned e-scooter at the time, police have said. The car was in collision with a boy, aged 16, and a nine-year-old girl in Ashlyns in Pitsea at around 6.25pm on February 1, Essex Police said.

The force said on Monday that two people arrested in connection with the incident have been released, with a woman bailed and a man released under investigation. Chief Superintendent Leighton Hammett said: “This has been a hugely emotive incident and I know the family, and wider community, want to know what happened.

“We are making good progress in our investigation which is focussing on a number of factors. I know there has been a lot of commentary online about the incident but I would ask that people please do not speculate.

“We will investigate and we will get the answers.”

Police are appealing for any witnesses or anyone with CCTV, dash cam or doorbell footage, or who have any information, to get in contact quoting incident 931 of February 1.