Essex social services is back online after being hit by a computer virus.

The Homepage Virus is thought to have entered the Essex County Council system through an e-mail. The virus spreads through a user's e-mail address book.

Computers used by social services staff in Braintree were among those affected.

Essex county's head of information and technology, Claire Dimitros, told the Evening Gazette in Colchester that virus flooded the system with messages.

"We use a lot of protection, but on this occasion the Homepage Virus did get through to our social service directorate and it caused, consequently, a significant number of problems and for a number of days many staff were without their full e-mail service."

It took council technicians a week to clear up the system.