Parking bays along part of Southend seafront will be suspended from tonight until tomorrow afternoon as world champion cyclists race through the streets of the city.

Stage six of the Tour of Britain race will start tomorrow (September 8) between Robertos and The Three Shells on Western Esplanade at 11.45am and weave through areas of Southend, Rochford, South Woodham Ferrers, Burnham and Ingatestone before finishing at about 3.30pm in Harlow.

All parking bays on Western Esplanade will be suspended from Shorefield Road to Pier Hill/Marine Parade - excluding the Gentings Casino area - from 10pm today (September 7) to 3pm tomorrow (September 8).

Parking bays will also be suspended in Ness Road from its junction with Warerford Road to its junction with the roundabout which serves Elm Road, Delaware Road, Caulfield Road and North Shoebury Road.

This will be in place from 12.01am on Friday (September 8) to about 1pm that same day.

Alongside the parking suspensions in place, there will also be temporary road closures and rolling roadblocks along the route.

Exemptions are provided for emergency vehicles and official event vehicles.

A Southend Council spokesman said: "We hope that lots of people will come along to experience this event and line the roads to cheer on the cyclists as they come through the town."

Motorists are warned, excluding the exemptions, any vehicle in contravention of the restrictions may be issued with a penalty charge notice and removed or relocated.

Relocations will be placed in the cul-de-sac of Chalkwell Esplanade, and Thorpe Esplanade car park.