A TEAM of TV ghost hunters will be summoning up the spirits of a 15th Century pub believed to be haunted.

The Green Man pub, in Gosfield, caught the attention of clairvoyants after the new landlord decided to hold a psychic night six weeks ago.

"As soon as the medium came in she said the hairs went up on the back of her neck," said landlord Dean Hatton.

"When we got to a certain room in the house she went all funny – we didn't believe much of it and thought she was having a funny turn or something.

"So we asked another medium to visit us a couple of weeks later and she said exactly the same things as the first lady in exactly the same room."

Word spread about the 'haunted pub' and now the TV Ghost Hunters team, aired on Syfy, are visiting the pub with cameras to 'catch' the ghost.

Andy, from the Ghost Hunter team, will stay alone in the 'haunted' room upstairs all night and attempt to coax the spirits to show themselves, whilst punters watch from a monitor set up behind the bar downstairs on June 8.

"The old landlords would not allow any mediums to come into the pub in case they found something and it would frighten people off," said Dean. "When we took over we thought 'why not'. I really didn't expect to have this much excitement in the first few weeks of owning a pub.

"Since this all happened two staff have moved out of the upstairs of the pub because they wouldn't stay with the ghost.

"Even the non-believers have said that perhaps there is something there, but no-one knows what it is.

"Some people think it is the old landlord, or victualler as they used to be called.

"Pub manager Graham Carbis only stayed in the room upstairs for one night before he asked to move to our apartment next door – before he even knew about the ghost.

"He has seen a large mirror fly off the wall and hit the pool table, and a glass fly out from the top shelf."

Graham and Dean also found an old photograph in the attic of a woman and her daughter who used to live in the pub, and think there is a chance they may be the ghosts.

Dean said: "When I first got here the pumps kept switching off, and I told the staff to stop mucking around with them.

"I changed the lock on the cellar door but the same thing happened the next week – the switches were all pushed down – how can you explain that?

"We just lived with these silly little things until we only found out now that there is possibly something in here.

"I have been in the industry for 11 years and never have I come across something like this."

Head down to The Green Man tonight, to watch the live action from 10pm onwards.

A ROYAL welcome was the order of the day when a charity volunteer met the Queen in recognition of two dedicated decades of service to Victim Support.

Shelley Deutsch, 54, who lives in Ongar, was joined by the charity's chief executive Javed Khan at St James' Palace on May 29 for the launch of the tenth annual Queen's Award for Voluntary Service.

Ms Deutsch said: "It was an absolute honour to meet Her Majesty in the week of her own coronation celebrations and at a time when I was celebrating my own anniversary with Victim Support.

"I realise I was very lucky to have been chosen to represent so many other volunteers who like me, are committed to helping people recover from the effects of crime."

Sheelagh Jarrett, Victim Support manager for Redbridge, said: "Shelley is a more than deserving volunteer.

"She is always giving of her time and because of her vast experience, is always very supportive of newer volunteers.

"She and others like her play a crucial role in our community. She is an inspiration to us all."

PRISONERS and "young people who don't have many options" in Wickford can now get support to turn their lives around.

Staff from Beyond Youth, based in Station Court, Station Approach, will now be helping to cut re-offending in the Basildon district after securing £80,000 from the National Lottery.

The community interest company has to date worked with more than 400 people across Essex and London and it claims a 77 per cent non re-offending rate, more than three times the national average.

Louise Voyce, 31, is director of delivery at Beyond Youth, and lives in Wickford.

She said: "We hope to work with police on community-based intervention in Wickford and Billericay.

"Individuals learn their behaviour from people around them and often those that go on to offend have been subject to negative influences – we want to replace these with positive influences."

The team works with those who have less than six months until they are released from prison.

At present, they work in three prisons, namely HM Prison Portland, in Dorset, HM Prison Ashfield, near Bristol, and HM Prison Send in Surrey.

Mrs Voyce said: "We show prisoners what they can do to bring their life forward and we work with them for 12 months giving a complete package of support.

"We also help young people doing badly at school – we will try to make sure that they are not progressing onto more serious crimes."

Peer mentors work with 14 to 18-year-olds through schools, pupil referral units, police and youth clubs as well as other groups.

Mrs Voyce said: "They are there on a voluntary basis – they are not made to do it.

"It's not about us saying what's right, it's about us showing them the other options.

"At the end of the day they're just young people and lots have something missing in their lives."

She pointed out that their courses have a 95 per cent completion rate.

Curtis Watson, 24, now works with the group as a mentor deliverer, working in the community with young people and former offenders since coming out of prison himself in December 2010.

"When I was in prison I got offered to join the group – none of the others had helped me," he said.

"I gave this group a chance and I liked it as they helped me a lot from the outset.

"I think it dealt with issues that I never wanted to deal with."

Mr Watson, who lives in south London, said of his work: "I think it helps having me giving advice now as I've been through the system that a lot of young people go through.

"It is a lot easier to listen to someone that has been there, as they know you are not lecturing."

He added: "I think it's good that the service is coming to Wickford where there are a lot of young people who don't have many options.

"It will be good to get them involved in the group – our support and connections will help them."

PROVING she is far more than just a pretty face, a beauty queen from Little Totham is determined to use the title to fight low-self esteem in girls her age.

Teenager Sarah Hope was crowned Face of the South-East at an international beauty pageant last weekend beating stiff competition from girls from across the UK.

But the 16-year-old believes that it was her forthright views on the struggle of young teenage girls to feel confident that won her the top prize.

"The problem today is that young girls are so insecure and I told the judges if I was given the opportunity I would show them that it's not all about being perfect or having the best figure," said Sarah, a pupil at the Plume School in Maldon.

"I think having that view made me stand out from the other girls who talked more about themselves, and their achievements.

"I really want to start helping other girls as soon as possible. I see them right now going on silly diets, or trying to look like the girls in the magazines but there's more to life than that."

Sarah, who is currently studying for her GCSEs, travelled with family down to Hastings for the Face of the Globe pageant on May 26 where she impressed in a cocktail gown, and then in a question round before the judges.

Placed among the final five contestants, the ex-Maldon Carnival Queen then fought successfully for the top spot with an impassioned speech, despite taking a tumble on her way up to the podium.

"I didn't run away crying when I fell down. I just got back up again and smiled and I think they liked that," said Sarah, the oldest of two sisters.

"I actually said to the judges that – as my fall had proven – you're not always going to get it right first time. You have to work hard for things and not give up.

"I couldn't believe it though when they said I'd won. It was so surprising as I'd only really entered to have a new experience."

Although now focused on revision for her imminent GCSE exams, Sarah, who hopes to run her own business one day, is already planning to volunteer at Great Ormond Street Hospital, and support Maldon Carnival in its programme of events to begin getting her message across.

The teenager has won herself an all-expenses paid trip to the Grand Finals at Disneyland Paris in October to fight for the title of Face of the Globe.

"I've got so many ideas in my head and I'm hoping to get started on them so I can show the work I've done when I get to Paris," said Sarah.

"They'll be looking for someone who is a great role model and I hope I could be that, you never know.

"I've decided to concentrate on my exams until June but then I'll put in as much work as possible for the competition."

A TRIBUTE triathlon will be taking place in memory of a dedicated triathlete who died from cancer.

Triathletes will be swimming, cycling and running to raise money for St Clare Hospice, when they compete in the Jenny Clark Try a Tri triathlon event being held in Ongar on Sunday, June 23.

The member and former secretary of Tri Sport Epping sadly lost her battle with cancer in August 2002.

Danny Ward, who is organising the event, said: "Jenny was one of our strongest supporters. It was undoubtedly the saddest time in the club's history and left Tri Sport Epping with a void that could never be filled."

"Jenny was an infectious bubbly character who loved a good laugh. She competed in triathlons despite having asthma, and worked tirelessly on the Tri Sport Epping club committee.

"She also undertook event organisation, received postal entries and did timekeeping despite having a time-consuming hobby, participating in dog agility competitions.

"In recognition of her contribution to the club we now hold an annual event in her memory, with proceeds going to St Clare Hospice, which provided care to Jenny and was a great comfort to her husband, Roger, son, Lewis, and family."

Competitors will swim 12 lengths of the 25m pool at Ongar Leisure Centre before setting off on a 21km cycle ride and finishing with a 4km run.

St Clare Hospice is a charity providing specialist care for people living with life-limiting illnesses in the west Essex and east Herts border area. It cares for patients and their families, providing physical, social, psychological and spiritual support.

St Clare Hospice's annual running costs total £2.8million, 70 per cent of which comes from voluntary income.

A MOTHER has shown her appreciation for the "amazing" care given to her son by a children's hospital by taking part in a 100km sponsored walk.

Lu Cummins, from Mayland, walked from London to Brighton to raise cash for Great Ormond Street Hospital after doctors performed lifesaving surgery on her son Fraser when he was 18 months old.

It was not the first time the 45-year-old has stepped out for charity. Ms Cummins has covered more than 700 miles over the past eight years in sponsored walks, raising £15,000 for worthwhile causes including breast cancer and Alzheimer's charities.

She said: "This was my greatest walking challenge yet, both mentally and physically, but I'm so proud to have completed the challenge, and I've managed to raise around £2,000 for Great Ormond Street."

Fraser, who is now 14, underwent emergency surgery to correct fluid building up on his brain – a condition that could have proven fatal without treatment, and later returned to the London hospital to undergo treatment for a double squint.

Ms Cummins, who works at Fullbridge Tesco, said: "Towards the end of the walk I got very emotional, but was motivated by the thought of Fraser and the help he received from Great Ormond Street."

Organised by a group called Action Challenge, the London2Brighton walk was the largest event ever held by the organisation, with 1,751 people taking part on May 25 – of whom Lu came 379th.

The participants departed from the City of London at 7am, continuing until the early hours of the following morning, when they arrived at the seaside town in less than 24 hours.

"I'm thrilled to have completed the walk for a cause so close to my family's hearts," said Ms Cummins, who is also aiming to take part in the Great North run in September and train for a half-marathon by the end of the year.

FROM humble beginnings to drawing huge crowds, the Brentwood Festival has retained its original values of being a community event which everyone can enjoy.

Jason Jopson, 45, has been running the festival since 2006 when he took over the White Horse pub in Coxtie Green Road.

The Pilgrims Hatch resident, who owns the pub and also runs the Brentwood Brewing Company, is looking forward to this year's festival on July 5, 6 and 7 and spoke to go! about his experiences organising the popular weekend of music.

Mr Jopson said: "The festival itself has been running for over 20 years.

"It wasn't going to run when I took the pub over which I thought was a shame so I decided to hold it myself – I only had a few weeks to organise it."

Since then the festival has grown and grown, to the extent that in 2010 it moved venue from the pub to the Brentwood Centre to house the growing demand.

Mr Jopson explained that the pub itself still holds its own smaller festivals, one in May over the bank holiday weekend and one in September.

He told go! how organising the festival has changed since it moved to the larger venue in Doddinghurst Road: "In many ways it's become easier because we have so much space – before we had problems with security, space and parking.

"In fact, one year we had to close off the pub on the Saturday night of the festival at 6pm because it had got so busy – that shows just how successful it became."

Talking about organising the festival over the years, he said: "It's fantastic, I get a great deal of satisfaction seeing everyone enjoying themselves and giving money to great causes."

This year the festival supports Help for Heroes and at least £10,000 will be donated to the charity.

Over the years the event has seen mixed weather and there have been some wet weekends.

"But the weather hasn't stopped people – they were dancing in the rain and sliding in the mud so it didn't bother them," Mr Jopson added.

"The festival costs just £10 a day and we want to keep it at a reasonable price so that all of Brentwood can come together. The fact that children under 10 are free of charge keeps it a family event."

"I love the atmosphere of a festival and wanted to keep the feel of a big reunion."

The hard work for each festival starts even before the previous event has happened. Mr Jopson explained that the work can take its toll so he tries to go away for a few days before the festival and this year he is heading up to Scotland to go salmon fishing.

He is part of an eight-strong team who put together the weekend event and said: "We do an amazing job considering the amount of people we do have coming.

"I work alongside my best friend Martin Dansey and my friends and family as well as Laurie Edmonds and Robert Dicker. Robert has been a great help."

Chas & Dave, From The Jam and Loveable Rogues are headlining this year's Brentwood Festival.

For tickets and more information on the festival visit www.brentwoodfestival.co.uk

A BENEFIT cheat from Rainham who owned a speedboat and dubbed himself "well dodgy" has been ordered to pay nearly £70,000 – or face jail.

Dave Richards, 54, of Abberton Walk, claimed both housing and council tax benefit despite running a business and having substantial assets.

Richards, who emblazoned his caravan and speedboat with the slogan "well dodgy" must now pay Havering Council back the benefits he defrauded, plus court costs.

At the end of a five-day Proceeds of Crime hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court last Thursday, Richards was ordered to pay back the council the £33,757.87 he fraudulently claimed in benefits.

He was also told to pay £7,792.92 back to the Department for Work and Pensions plus the council's costs of £27,614.99.

Richards enjoyed a lavish lifestyle with a caravan, worth more than £28,000 and a speedboat, as well as a number of vehicles.

He was also a driver for the Formula 1 British water-skiing organisation yet he claimed he could not afford to pay costs.

Recorder Rex Bryan said: "There's a large slab of money somewhere that supports all these sporting activities.

"You are in regular employment earning about £10-an-hour but that may not be the whole story.

"I struggle to see why council taxpayers in Havering should pay when it's you who has incurred these costs."

Richards now has six months to repay the amount he defrauded or he will face a prison sentence of 15 months.

He has 18 months to pay the costs.

The court heard how he had attempted to hide his assets from the authorities to prevent any public money being taken back.

After a secret unit he was renting was discovered with a number of expensive items inside he claimed these items had been sold to family and friends.

Recorder Bryan said: "When he realised he might have to pay compensation, he entered into various sham transactions to dispose of assets that belonged to him.

"He attempted to conceal what he owned from the authorities so that this application would effectively fail."

He was convicted of two counts of failing to tell the authorities of a change in his circumstances in January 2012 at Basildon Crown Court and sentenced to an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, 200 hours community service and a three-month curfew of 9pm until 6am.

Havering Council's deputy leader Steven Kelly said: "It is almost unbelievable that, after ripping off the public purse, this defendant then tried to hide his assets when it came to facing up to his crime and paying back his debt.

"This hearing showed how he lied and lied again and I hope this spreads a strong message that if you try to defraud us, not only will we find and prosecute you, we will come after you for every penny which you were not entitled to."

BRENTWOOD'S recent good form came to an abrupt end with a three-wicket defeat by Shenfield.

Despite scoring more than 450 runs for the loss of just three wickets in their past two games, Brentwood's poor batting performance this time meant they struggled to just 160 runs in their 50 overs – about 100 runs light of a par score.

Jon Walford and Aaron West got off to a quick start, as they punished some short bowling, but as soon as Shenfield's opening bowlers found their lengths, the runs dried up and wickets started to fall, with Matt Salisbury particularly impressing in his ten straight overs, which included the crucial wickets of the in-form David Hammond and West.

Brentwood plummeted rapidly from 25-0 to 45-5, with Joe Buttleman and 17-year-old Harry Levy forced to lead a recovery. Their sensible and restrained batting led Brentwood to a position of vague respectability, but the position they found themselves in meant they could take no risks, and had to dig in against Shenfield's accurate spinners, with Arshad Ali's ten overs going for a solitary run per over.

Just as Buttleman was looking to start an acceleration, he received a beauty of a delivery from Mike Hindley to be caught behind and halt Brentwood's progress once again.

Tom Moore joined Levy to help lead another recovery, but the going was still tough. Once Levy was out to a brilliant diving catch by wicketkeeper Jack Kliber, and Anthony Giles had a brief cameo, Brentwood were 139-9 with two overs remaining.

Tom Moore and Ian Belchamber put on 21 in the last 14 balls to provide something for Brentwood to have a bowl to.

Opening bowlers Max Osborne and Moore, along with first-change Buttleman, picked up wickets at regular intervals to leave Shenfield at 97-5, with Buttleman's spell of ten overs particularly impressive as he picked up three wickets for just 22 runs. Moore, meanwhile, was unlucky not to add to his three wickets.

However, Kliber mixed aggression with some stout defence to move Shenfield towards the winning line.

Although Brentwood picked up two further wickets it was not enough as Kliber's excellent unbeaten 41 saw Shenfield home.

Other results meant Brentwood missed out on the opportunity to move to the top of the table, but at the same time it means they are very much in contention as they move into the longer, all-day format for the next nine games.

ESSEX Spartans returned to winning ways with a 66-0 destruction of the Maidstone Pumas for the team's first win of 2013.

The Billericay-based Spartans, jumped to an early lead when defensive captain Lawrence Reid scooped up a Pumas fumble for a touchdown.

Craig Willis scored his first of four touchdowns shortly after, with a long rushing play to give the home team a 12-0 advantage.

Koby Williams returned another Pumas fumble for a score, and with Osi Nzeako taking the ball in for a Spartans touchdown, Essex went in at half-time leading 25-0.

Willis scored his second touchdown of the day in the third quarter, mesmerising the Pumas defence for another long run. With Norris Owusu's touchdown increasing the advantage to 38-0, the Pumas were a beaten team.

The Spartans were not finished though. Nzeako scored his second of the day as the game entered its final quarter, before Brandon Slieker connected with Joe Parsons for an aerial strike that put the game beyond doubt.

However, there was still time for Willis to score his fourth touchdown of the game, to complete a 66-0 victory.

Spartans head coach Marc Saunders said: "This was a much-needed win for our team, but also a well-deserved one.

"Some great play from both sides of the ball contributed to a ten-touchdown game."

The Spartans now have two weeks of training before taking on the Colchester Gladiators on June 29 in their Saturday Night Lights game. Kick-off is scheduled for 7pm.

For more details, visit www.essexspartans.co.uk

ALL-ROUNDER Ryan ten Doeschate is pleased to be part of a team challenging on all fronts this season.

After a shaky start, Essex have found form in both the four-day and YB40 formats and are well-placed in both competitions.

And with the T20 – ten Doeschate's forte – set to begin in just over a fortnight, things are looking up for the Dutchman.

A swashbuckling 180 from 98 balls against Scotland aside, he has found runs hard to come by since returning from the IPL, but the 32-year-old is sure he will soon be in the runs again.

"I took a week where I was a bit slow out of the blocks," he said. "But I worked really hard and I felt fantastic.

"I am disappointed that I haven't got any runs really.

"I'm feeling good and it feels like runs are just around the corner."

There was, however, the blitz against the Scots last week, where he smashed 15 sixes, and it was an innings he enjoyed.

He added: "It's good that I'm hitting sixes again which is obviously my strong point in one-day cricket.

"But I'm keen to do it in matches which are going to be more closely-fought battles where the points are going to mean a lot more than they did in that game – without being disrespectful to Scotland.

"I'm doing all the right things and I feel like runs are around the corner so it's just a case of going out there and getting the runs.

"You just feel like you can hit every ball for six. I know it's a bizarre thing to say but you've got confidence in being able to clear the boundary.

"It's hard to explain, but you feel like you can get a boundary off every ball unless it's a very good ball."

Ten Doeschate made just six in the unsuccessful run chase as the Eagles were beaten by Derbyshire on Sunday, and he admits the performance led to a frustrated away dressing room at Leek.

"We didn't put on our best performance with the ball or the bat," he admitted. "Although it was a very good pitch and a smallish ground, we probably gave away 20 runs too many and despite being up with the rate pretty much throughout the innings, we lost wickets all the time and couldn't chase the score down.

"We were very frustrated afterwards, because it was an opportunity to win another game."

Derbyshire rattled up 321-5 in their 40 overs, and even though Essex scored at almost eight an over themselves, they fell 63 runs short.

And ten Doeschate believes the high scores in recent games – the Eagles themselves scored more than 300 against Scotland and Surrey – are indicative of the changing nature of one-day cricket.

"I think the game has changed a hell of a lot with the fielding regulations," he said. "I think the days of 260 being a good score are out of the window.

"We scored probably at seven an over for most of the innings, we needed to be closer to eight but as was the way with their innings, it was easily gettable, but it was the fact we lost wickets at regular intervals."

The Friends Life t20 campaign starts when Hampshire visit Chelmsford for a sold-out fixture on June 28, and ten Doeschate revealed work has already begun in training towards a successful campaign – but that it remains at the back of the mind for the time being.

"We're all looking forward to the Twenty20," he added. "We've had a good start in the four-dayers and the one-dayers.

"Because we're so heavily involved in the points race in those competitions you push the Twenty20 back a little bit, but that's a good thing I think.

"We have already started working for Twenty20 in training, death bowling and that sort of stuff, but for the next two weeks we're focused on the two County Championship games and the one-day game against Lancs."

BRENTWOOD Cricket Club captain Jon Walford admits his side came up short with the bat as they were beaten by Shenfield on Saturday.

The home side were bowled out for 160 and then lost by three wickets – much to the frustration of their skipper and opening bat.

"We didn't bat very well at all," he said. "Shenfield bowled very well, we lost a lot of early wickets and were 60-5.

"We dug out a score of 160, but it was probably a 250-plus wicket, so it was always going to be hard work.

"We bowled pretty well but a couple of their lads got stuck in and they won it seven down.

"I think even 190 looking at it might have done the job. We had them 125-7, so it was very disappointing.

"We've been batting very well in the last two league games. We got 280-2 and then chased 170-1 so it's very disappointing to lose early wickets when we've got batsmen in form."

The fixture was the last of the games in the 50-over format as the Essex Premier League now switches to an all-day format, and Walford admits there is slight disappointment at his side's return from their first five games.

He added: "We aimed to win four of the first five 50-over games, that's what we've done in the past.

"It's not disastrous to only win three, but it's not where we wanted to be.

"We've had a couple of bad performances, but we've had some very good performances and we just need to be more consistent."

The change in game brings new challenges for the skipper, but he believes his side can thrive in the longer version of the game.

"I think we're pretty good at both formats really," he added. "It's harder to win the all-day games.

"Hopefully we can win a few tosses, because the toss is very important. Ideally you want to be chasing as it's a lot easier to win that way.

"You get more batting points if you bat first, but to bowl a team out second is obviously harder – it's easier to win chasing.

"But saying that, our attack is doing very well so if anyone is going to bowl a team out second, it's us.

"It's a little bit less frantic for me, I can set different fields especially if you're trying to bowl them out in the second innings and they're going for a draw."

A DREAM of studying at one of America's top universities is a big step closer for one Chelmsford woman who has won a place on a special tuition programme.

Katherine Baker sat the first of two admission tests for US universities last weekend, and in August she will spend a week on campus in Yale getting a taste of college life Stateside.

The 18-year-old from Galleywood is one of only 150 young people to be selected from 1,200 applicants for the US Sutton Trust Programme, a no fee scheme which helps UK students win places at famous American universities such as Yale, Harvard and Princeton, and aids them in landing large scholarships to greatly subsidise the costs.

"I applied for this scheme because it is an opportunity that is one of a kind – there are no other organisations that offer such amazing support and guidance for free," explained Katherine, who went to Great Baddow High until she was 16 and is now taking five A levels at Colchester Royal Grammar School.

On August 3 Katherine flies out to the US for a week staying on campus at Yale University. She said: "I will be able to attend lectures there and look at so many more universities, such as Harvard, Princeton and Columbia in New York.

"I would like to major in history but with the liberal arts curriculum out there, I can virtually study whatever I want and that is what inspired me to choose the US. I will be able to study a language, as well as a science and maths. This breadth really appeals to me."

With the help of an online tutor and regular residential learning sessions, Katherine is being coached to sit the ACT exam which she takes on Saturday, and the SAT which she will sit in the autumn.

These exams, which last for up to five hours, test a student's knowledge of English, grammar, science and maths.

The results of these and her A-level grades will determine whether she lands a place – but the US universities also look at her hobbies and interests.

Katherine said: "The US places much more emphasis on extra-curricular activities than the UK universities, so it's important you show you have outside interests.

"I have been dancing since I was very young, am doing the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme and I run a suicide prevention blog online, offering advice to depressed young people."

"NOW LET'S shimmy!"

To the sounds of Cliff Richard and Lulu, teacher Debbie Richardson, who is clad in a luminous green mini dress, teemed with knee high white boots and white Baker Boy cap demonstrates the dance move to 15 enthralled five-year-olds who diligently copy.

Upstairs at West Horndon Primary School, Afghan coat-wearing teacher Julia Bolton gives pupils the lowdown on the emergence of the London fashion scene using pictures of Mary Quant, Twiggy, Mods and rockers, to demonstrate the styles of the day.

"The aim is to give them a brief talk about the fashion of the decade and how music and current events such as the space race influenced the clothes people wore, and then give them a chance to design their own 60s clothing item," she said.

This was 1960s day at the Thorndon Avenue school, which kicked off a week of learning about the decade. All staff dressed in 1960s costumes and lined up to greet pupils as they returned from their half term break.

The youngsters then took part in a range of activities to ensure they had a good grasp of the decade, which they will learn more about in the coming days.

It kicks off an entire half term of celebrations for the school's 50th anniversary, each week of which will be devoted to a different decade.

Head teacher Matt O'Grady, who is dressed as though he has just stepped out of Woodstock, explained: "At the start of each week staff will dress in the clothes of the decade so pupils can see the fashions of the time first hand. Every teacher has planned a programme of work for the week, related to the age of their pupils, which will ensure they learn about important events of that decade, and compare life then with how it is today. Alongside this they will be looking at the development of West Horndon as a community based on hundreds of old photos we have, and the history of the school."

If the 60s day is anything to go by, pupils will, by the start of their summer holidays, have a depth of knowledge about the second half of the 20th century.

"I think the teachers look really cool, said Brody Moroney, nine. "It's been really fun today and I've learnt so much about what happened in the 60s."

Connie Oughton, 10, said: "This has been my favourite activity as I've found it the most interesting. We had to consider what we thought to be the most important event, and for me that was Neil Armstrong being the first man to walk on the Moon."

Pupils had the chance to create their own pop art during a session based on the paintings of Andy Warhol. Designing their own covers for The Beatles' albums was another task, conducted of course while listening to the sounds of the Fab Four.

Harry Driscoll, 10, said: "I loved the pop art session the most as we could use fantastic bright colours. I think the 60s were fun because everyone wore really bright clothes."

Another session saw pupils follow a trail around the school bumping into life-size cardboard cut-outs of various Doctor Whos and his female accomplices.

The cut-outs have been appearing gradually around the school as a warm- up to the up-coming time-travel themed school play, which Mr O'Grady wrote himself, and includes a role for every child.

He explained: "Dr Who also has its 50th anniversary this year, so I thought we should tie it in. Our end of term production is going to be based on time travel, and will look at life at the school through the ages."

A 1960s-style buffet followed at the end of the day, complete with cheese and pineapple on sticks and prawn cocktails.

HISTORY came alive for dozens of children in Brentwood when a famous illustrator visited the town.

Horrible Histories artist Martin Brown has helped make history more fun for two decades and on Friday he visited Chicken and Frog bookshop in Ongar Road, to give children some top drawing tips.

"Drawing is definitely teachable," he told the Gazette.

"Everyone likes to draw when they are young, but then people get older and tell themselves 'my horse doesn't look like a horse, I'm lousy at drawing' but it's a skill, you have to work at."

Mr Brown said he thought the secret to the famous book series was the way the cartoonists and writers were not afraid to mock "more ridiculous" aspects of history.

"One of my favourites was about the Normans," he added. "They used to use their own personal seal to sign their letters.

"So in the book I drew a Norman with a great big seal, the mammal type, slouched over a writing desk."

Harry Cooper, seven, from St Thomas of Canterbury School in Brentwood, joined the queue to get the illustrator's autograph.

The youngster said of the Horrible Histories books: "I like the fun jokes and I learn a bit as well."

Another fan, Ellea Evans-Hayden, nine, put it simply: "They've got blood and guts and gore."

B OTH originally small rural communities, today Shenfield and Hutton effectively comprise one extended commuter suburb of Brentwood. As such, they share with their larger and more urbanised neighbour its many advantages as a place to live – advantages which typify the traditional strengths of the Essex property market.

Basically, this is an area which has just about everything going for it. Location-wise, Shenfield and Hutton can hardly be bettered. Being just a handful of miles beyond the boundaries of Greater London makes it a popular choice for people looking to migrate from the suburbs in search of a more congenial lifestyle. The first class rail links with London Liverpool Street, with journey times of less than half an hour, make it ideal commuting territory – particularly for those travelling to the City and Docklands. And those rail links are set to get even better, with Shenfield the designated eastern terminus of the new flagship Crossrail project. Meanwhile, the important A12/M25 junction is just a few minutes away by car, offering superb road connections with East Anglia, London Stansted and the rest of the motorway network. Yet at the same time, neither Shenfield nor Hutton are far from rolling Essex countryside, dotted with quiet villages.

Of course, location isn't everything. But the area scores on other counts too, with exceptionally good schools, both state and private, and great sports and leisure facilities nearby, including Weald Country Park and Thorndon Park – not to mention all the shopping, entertainment, bars and restaurants to be found in and around Brentwood's vibrant town centre.

The final piece of the jigsaw is the wide range of properties available, from first-time buyer apartments and neat three-bed semis to – in the case of the Hutton Mount area – some of the region's most expensive and exclusive properties, commanding prices up to and even exceeding £3 million.

When you take all this into account, it's no surprise that the property market hereabouts has traditionally been strong, nor that it remains particularly buoyant today.

"Shenfield & Hutton has always been a popular area to live," says Stephen White of Savills (and he should know, since he lives there himself). "The area commands higher property prices than surrounding areas, with mid-range housing actually rising in value during the recent downturn – compared to a national reduction of 15-20 per cent." All in all, he adds, Shenfield and Hutton "tick the boxes for most would-be buyers!"

Says Terry Holmes of agents Beresfords: "Considering that the existing rail connections from Essex to the City are already the quickest from any of the Home Counties, the arrival of Crossrail will make the surrounding property look great value for money. When you factor in the ability to travel direct into the West End and beyond into Berkshire – the UK's very own "Silicon Valley" – which this new link will bring, property prices should react very favourably indeed."

It is not therefore surprising, says Terry, that Beresfords' Shenfield office has seen almost a 10 per cent increase in the number of potential purchasers registering during the first four months of the year, compared to the same period in 2012. Significantly, within that overall increase, the number of first time buyers registering has increased by nearly 25 per cent, and investors by more than per cent.

It's a view echoed by Andrew Spicer of Hilbery Chaplin. "Over the last three months we have been experiencing excellent sales levels – most notably at the lower end of the market," he says. "It would seem that whenever we hear any news of prolonged low interest rates, investors come back in to the buy-to-let market, which in turn prompts the first time buyers to react. This is an area of the market which now seems to be breaking new territory in terms of prices achieved." He quotes the example of a post war three-bedroom semi detached house in Tennyson Road, Hutton, priced at £285,000, which was sold on the first day of marketing.

New builds in the area, Andrew adds, are also still proving to be popular. "As an example, we have just released a pair of new executive homes on Longaford Way, Hutton Mount, being built by local developers Stonebond Properties, and one has already been reserved off plan." Harcourt House, the remaining unit – a traditionally-styled detached property offering four double bedrooms, four bathrooms and two reception rooms, and priced at £1.45 million – is also attracting high levels of enquiries, he adds.

For sale through Beresfords for £800,000, and superbly positioned close to Shenfield's Broadway, with its wide choice of shops, bars and restaurants, as well as the mainline station, is a deceptively spacious detached house, offering well presented and flexible accommodation. Currently, this comprises: four first floor bedrooms, one with en suite shower room, plus a family bathroom; a large ground floor bedroom suite with en suite and separate lounge area; two reception rooms; and a kitchen with additional family area, together with a utility room, ground floor cloakroom and integral garage. The rear garden is south facing, therefore enjoying sunshine throughout the day. It includes a paved patio area complemented by wrought iron balustrade, with the majority of the garden being laid to lawn with mature flower and shrub borders, plus established trees and exterior lighting.

Not strictly speaking within the area, but less than two miles from Shenfield station, is our final property this week – a striking former priory, set amid a private estate in the heart of Brentwood itself. The house, which dates back to the 16th century and is Grade II-listed, was extensively refurbished by the present owners three years ago. The accommodation, which extends to some 3,615 ft and is light and airy throughout, includes a stunning 34' southwest-facing drawing room/sitting room with floor-to-ceiling bay windows overlooking the grounds and original Minster fireplaces at either end; a cosy family room; a state-of-the-art fitted kitchen/breakfast/dining room; a utility room and a study – together with five double bedrooms (two en suite). Outside, the house sits in gated landscaped grounds of approximately 0.4 of an acre which incorporates an extensive gravelled driveway, a west-facing terrace, and a substantial raised lawn surrounded by ornamental beds – all of which is enclosed by a variety of established trees. The Priory is for sale through Savills with a guide price of £1.5 million.

A VICAR has joined residents in demanding repair work on an historic wall that has been left crumbled over a graveyard for more than seven months.

The wall creates a border between back gardens of west facing properties on Alfred Road and a public graveyard which predates the nearby St Thomas of Canterbury Church in Brentwood, built in 1835.

Reverend Colin Hewitt initially received around a dozen complaints from neighbours and had to inform them the wall and graveyard belong to Brentwood Borough Council.

Since it fell on a windy night last December, nothing has been done by the authority other than the positioning of an incomplete metal fence borrowed from another site bearing signs which read 'No Parking'.

"When I got the call to tell me something had happened I rushed to the church thinking the belfry had fallen or something," said Rev Hewitt.

"It started off as a bit of a bother and then I got all the complaints. I had to keep telling people that they should ring the council.

"When they knew that, the complaints stopped coming to me, but I can see why people thought it was part of the church grounds.

"It seems disrespectful to leave the wall as it is as it may be covering graves.

"People come from Australia and all over the world to visit and if someone turned up to see that it wouldn't look too great."

Alfred Road residents Ian Lawrenson, 52, and his wife Sue, 50, asked the council to address low hanging branches which had been leaning on the wall two years ago.

But a tree surgeon initially trimmed the wrong tree, leaving the structure under pressure from the weighty branches.

"They must have just Googled the street and got the wrong tree. It didn't fall down for no reason.

"We had to get a fence up as quickly as we could because of our dog, but also all our property was open."

The Lawrensons said they spent around £300 building a new fenced partition but have yet to be offered any compensation.

The wall is still standing at the back of neighbour Charlotte Harper's property who said the condition of the structure 'worried' her.

"It looks like the ivy is the only thing holding it up so I'm not touching it or going anywhere near it," said the 25-year-old.

At the other end of the rubble Nick Edwards and wife Irene, both 30, are also concerned.

Mr Edwards had stood on the wall when re-felting his garden shed weeks before the collapse.

"It isn't very good, we keep worrying it's going to fall.

"The engineer told me it was safe but I wouldn't like to have a run at the wall and test it."

Andrew Lynch, 30, was returning home to girlfriend Jordana Peters, 31, with a fish and chip takeaway when he noticed the 'gaping hole' in the wall that had stood behind his house.

"I couldn't believe it," he said.

Councillor Keith Parker, Brentwood Borough Council's spokesman for environment and parking, said: "The maintenance of St Thomas' churchyard is the responsibility of the Borough Council as it is classed as a closed churchyard.

"Building control officers have been on site to determine the stability of the wall and they do not feel it presents an immediate danger.

"Officers have met on site with contractors to arrange repairs and, in the meantime, the site has been fenced off as a precaution whilst repair works are arranged."

A CRICKET fixture had to be moved after dozens of travellers caused major damage to the square before being moved on.

The large group of around 40 travellers in 15 caravans moved onto the cricket pitch at around 10pm on Thursday.

A metal fence had been torn off its hinges and wooden posts ripped up.

Mountnessing Cricket Club members could only hold their breath and watch as travellers who had parked on the periphery zoomed up and down the wicket, seemingly trying to plough it up through a series of hand-brake turns.

In full view of onlookers another man brazenly tried to dig a name into the crease.

The man began digging a T shape into the crease before attempting a letter I. He soon gave up.

The groundsman of Mountnessing Cricket Pitch feared the worst as he watched from a distance.

He said the travellers' apparent spiteful riposte came after being ordered off the site by police and council staff ahead of a match scheduled for Saturday against Roxwell.

He said: "It was obvious they were doing all they could to plough up the pitch and do as much damage as they could.

"It was just very lucky that we haven't had rain for a while and the surface was very hard.

"If we had had any rain that would have been it – it would have been turned into a ploughed field – we were very lucky.

"Someone had tried to dig some initials around the crease of one of the strips, but he had given up because the ground was too hard."

The damaged wicket strip will be not be used for the remainder of the season while the rest of the ground will be out of action for the next month.

The club's mechanical roller will also have to be stripped back and repaired after the oil filler cap was taken off and large quantities of soil and grass cuttings were forced into the engine block.

Police had already been called to the site after reports that a member of the public had been threatened with a firearm.

Police say the call was not followed up after the complainant was unable to be traced.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: "Police received a call at 8.10pm on Friday to reports that a member of the public had been threatened with a firearm when attending playing fields off Road Road where travellers were camping.

"Officers undertook an investigation but were unable to trace the informant to substantiate the claims."

As well as damage to the wicket and roller, at least a tonne of rubble and debris was dumped in the corner of the pitch.

Another eyewitness, who does not want be named, saw the procession of vehicles, which had apparently come from Havering, making their way into the site.

The man, who was leaving the village hall car park in his vehicle, had his path blocked.

He said: "About 10 people had just completed their removal of the gate and the caravans then drove through triumphantly and aggressively, one by one around the whole park, parking in several locations by the playground and the cricket pavilion.

"As the caravans all made it through, this made it clear for us to leave and as we did, we noticed that everyone from the pub was standing outside looking on in astonishment."

Karl Afteni, chairman of Mountnessing Parish Council, which owns the site, said the travellers had caused about £600 of damage but around £1,500 is likely to be spent in beefing up security.

He said: "Officers were quick to respond and the police issued a Section 61 requiring the travellers to leave by 10am on Saturday.

"It would seem that the damage done to the wickets through wheel spins and some digging was a reaction to this. They actually left at 9pm on Friday.

"Of course nothing will stop a determined effort with machinery and power cutters but we must make it harder to gain unlawful access in future."

Eric Pickles, who lives close by and whose Government remit encompasses laws governing incursions from travellers, alerted the council after pursuing the procession to the site in his car.

He said: "The reason they had to leave is we can now impose unlimited fines since we changed the law, whether it is their land or not.

"What we saw last week from the way they tried to dig up the pitch is the element of bitterness that they can no longer play the system.

"It cannot go without being said that we are dealing with a bunch of people who are less than honest.

"They said they were on their way to Appleby horse fair in Cumbria. Well that was last week."

Louise Mckinlay, leader of Brentwood Borough Council, said: "We were down there and started legal action as soon as we were alerted to the incursion but, with legal fees and barristers advice, this has cost the council taxpayers £4,500, which should be used on improving council services rather than fighting off illegal activities."