WORSHIPPERS from all over Essex descended on the Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall in Bradwell-on-Sea on Saturday for their annual pilgrimage.

About 600 pilgrims from all Christian denominations found their way to the seaside chapel for a service conducted by the Bishop of Brentwood, the Rt Rev Thomas McMahon, plus the Archdeacon of Harlow Martin Webster and speakers from the Salvation Army.

The chapel is one of the oldest in Britain dating back to 654AD, when it was built by St Cedd on the remains of an ancient Roman fort.

The Rev Brigid Main, 63, said: "It was simply a wonderful day, the weather held up and the service was just perfect.

"At the end of the service many people went down to the sea and took shells from the shore, they walked them up to the church and had them blessed.

"All the feedback I received was really positive, saying how well the day was organised, and I thought the speeches gave everyone a lot to think about."

It took one group of pilgrims four days to walk the 60 miles from St Mark's College in Saffron Walden to attend the event.

Other worshippers had come from as far as Tower Hamlets in east London.

"Some of those from London said that they didn't get to see the sea very much, so it was great for them. It was so good to see everyone worship together and getting on well," said Brigid.

Pilgrims left St Thomas' Church at Bradwell and walked the final two miles to the Chapel, where they enjoyed an indoor worship and then an open-air service.

Margret Hebden, 56, from Southend, attended for the first time this year.

She said: "It was all just so lovely. It was brilliant just sitting outside eating ice cream and listening to the interesting talks by the speakers.

"Everyone was very welcoming, the speeches were perfect, coupled with lively music and in a gorgeous setting."

The theme for the pilgrimage was Faith Alive, and attendees heard the Christchurch, Braintree choir.

FORMER world heavyweight boxing champion Frank Bruno was the special guest at this year's Morton's Mile final in Brentwood.

Mr Bruno watched on as Daniel Webber from Long Ridings school won for the boys and Ndidikama Okoh from St Helen's for the girls.

The event, set to become an annual feature, took place at Hutton Manor School on July 1 and was organised by personal fitness trainer Keith Morton, who was Mr Bruno's trainer when he became world champion in 1995.

The final was the culmination of this year's Morton's Mile competition in which Brentwood junior school children aged between 9 and 11 from Hutton Manor, Woodlands, Long Ridings, St Helens, Hogarth and Willowbrook schools race against the clock and each other.

The top three boys and top three girls from each school came together to race off against each other to find the winner.

Mr Morton said: "This year's event was a great success – a great venue that was superbly hosted by Hutton Manor School – and as normal Frank Bruno was excellent with the children, and made sure that every child who wanted an autograph and photograph got one.

"I would like to thank all those involved in the event, and most of all the children – both the participants at all the schools and the finalists – great effort. Here's to next year – it will be bigger and better."

Owner of Hutton Manor and Woodlands School Brandon Lewis said: "We at Woodlands are very conscious of how important exercise and sport, and that is why we have individual members of staff qualified in their own subjects, some who have been professionals themselves in football, rugby, swimming netball, rounders, cricket.

"When Keith came up with the idea of the Morton's Mile it was perfect for us – we have children representing the county and some record-holders who just could not wait to enter.

A DEVELOPER has claimed it could lose the chance to revamp Essex's County Cricket ground if councillors refuse to grant it more time.

MCD Developments has filed an application with Chelmsford City Council to extend the permitted time limit on its plans for an £85 million transformation of the cricket club, three years after the initial planning consent was granted.

It argues that without the extension being granted there is a risk the long-fought for planning permission could be lost altogether.

If it were to go ahead, the multi-million pound development would see the capacity at the County Ground in New Writtle Street ramped up to 8,000, a new pedestrian bridge constructed over the River Can, and four towers – containing 300 luxury apartments – built overlooking the club.

New shops, bars and restaurants would also surround a square built in the area.

Planning permission for the major works was granted by members back in 2010 but it appears the company initially struggled to secure all the necessary funding for the project, leaving it behind schedule on the work, which had been due to begin early this year.

In a letter to planning officers, Jennifer Price, the company's development executive, said: "Unfortunately this does not leave sufficient time for our contractor to discharge the pre-commencement planning conditions and therefore, after three years of hard work… we risk losing the planning consent, and with it the best chance we have ever had of redeveloping the cricket ground."

For some, however, the application provides an opportunity to readdress prior concerns on the proposals, which were not without controversy at the time consent was awarded.

Resident Sean O'Sullivan said: "I am not opposed to the Essex County Cricket Club being located in Chelmsford. However, the redevelopment proposed with the original planning permission is over-intensive for the site."

"The area, which includes the Cricket Ground, has been treated as one big building site by the city council for the last 20 years. When are 'local' politicians going to deal with traffic and parking problems in New Writtle Street, Upper Bridge Road and the surrounding area?"

The project centres on the total rebuild of cricket facilities at the club, including space for 2,000 new seats, a media centre, a new pavilion and conference facilities.

It is to be funded by the development of the 300 high-spec residential apartments, which will have views over the County Ground, Central Park and River Can.

A date for a final decision on this most recent application from the Birmingham-based developers has not yet been announced but should come before September.

PARKING is once again causing concern for traders in Billericay after a supermarket announced it will be closing its car park for several days.

The 250-space car park at Waitrose in High Street will be closed for five days during the supermarket's refit in August.

Shopkeepers are concerned its closure will cause further problems for shoppers visiting the town, which they say has too few parking spaces as it is.

Helen Anderson, owner of the Billericay Candy Bar, said: "Parking is already such an issue for us.

"Any change in the parking will impact on people.

"The winter has been bad enough for businesses anyway.

"People will go somewhere else in these days and may not come back."

Trevor Draper, owner of the Billericay Cook Shop located on High Street, said: "Waitrose doesn't want people to know that it's going to close the car park.

"It is a blow to the town, losing more than 200 spaces.

"It is not doing anything for the town – the investment into its redevelopment suits itself.

"It is painting itself in a very bad light for a company that is supposed to worry and be so proud of its caring attitude towards other businesses in the towns it serves."

Robert Mason, who owns Mason's the butchers on High Street, said: "It will drive people out into other areas."

However, Mr Mason added: "This is not going to be the be all and end all – the issue of parking is bigger than this.

"We need another car park full stop."

A Waitrose spokesman said: "We are in the process of establishing a phased programme to minimise disruption while we improve the car park for the town's shoppers.

"We will of course ensure that we inform neighbours and traders of timings as soon as possible.

"If it is necessary to close the car park, we would do this between a Sunday and a Thursday.

"This will avoid the busiest trading days for shops.

"We need to take into account the safety of shoppers when carrying out any work and the wellbeing of our neighbours, which is why we wouldn't carry out the work at night.

"In what is a challenging time for high streets we are making a major investment in both our shop and car park which we believe can help attract more shoppers and have a positive knock-on for local traders in the long term."

A POSTMAN left blind for weeks after suffering a detached retina is among nearly one in five people across Brentwood, Billericay, Wickford and Basildon who say their GP opening hours are inconvenient.

According to a new survey from Ipsos MORI, 18 per cent of people in the area are unhappy with their GP's opening hours, with 74 per cent wanting their doctor to be available after 6.30pm.

According to the NHS, there are 261,947 people registered with a GP in the area covered by the Basildon and Brentwood Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) - the body which organises health care in the two boroughs.

Postie John Murnane, 43, from Pilgrims Hatch went blind during his delivery round last month when his retina became detached.

After treatment at Moorfield Hospital in London he says he had to wait four days for an appointment to enable him to return to work.

"I started work at 7am in the morning and only four hours later I couldn't see a thing out of my one eye," he recalled.

"My vision began to go slightly hazy but bit-by-bit in segments like the numbers on a clock face. My retina became completely detached. There was no pain whatsoever, which was weird, and then I was completely blind."

As Mr Murnane's vision returned he was required to present his employer with a doctor's letter to allow him to drive his delivery van.

But he claimed getting an appointment at his Hutton based GP surgery proved challenging.

"It was ridiculous," he said.

"I told them I could do any time over the next few days but they told me I couldn't have an appointment until the day after my meeting to assess the return of my licence.

"The system doesn't make any sense. I was able to get an appointment at my opticians straightaway but couldn't see a doctor for days.

"If anyone who is ill phones up and wants an appointment to see a doctor how long do they have to wait?"

A spokesman for NHS England said: "81 per cent of residents living in the area covered by Basildon and Brentwood CCG are satisfied with the access they have to appointments, which is higher than the national average.

"Many practices in this area are already providing appointments in the evening and on Saturday mornings, as part of an extended hours scheme.

"NHS England works with GP practices to assess their appointment systems and will help identify any changes that are particularly needed. We want to ensure that patients have convenient access to local primary care services."

CHILDREN dug out running shoes and donned pink outfits for their very own Race for Life on their school playing field.

Over 350 pupils from Ormiston Rivers Academy, Burnham-on–Crouch, showed great spirit for the fundraising event and dressed up in pink in aid of Cancer Research UK.

With hopes set on beating last year's donations of £2,875 the year 7, 8 and 9 pupils displayed inspiring messages for friends and family who have been affected by cancer.

There is no doubt that the right charity was chosen for the event, said resources manager Angela Mahoney. "So many people have, in some way, been affected by cancer," she said.

Angela reported that everyone had a great day as the 350-strong team crossed the finish line.

She added: "It's great to see the students having fun while raising money for a very worthwhile charity. This year we want to break the £3,000 barrier."

The pupils at Ormiston Rivers joined thousands of other people throughout the UK that are taking part in the 'Fight to Beat Cancer' campaign by Cancer Research UK.

A COUNCIL has agreed to cut back bushes in a park play area to protect children from spying perverts – although the work must wait until winter to protect the local wildlife.

The bushes blocking views across the two playgrounds in Riverside Park, Burnham, will be removed following parents' concerns over a suspicious man taking pictures of their young children.

But although Maldon District Council has welcomed the suggestion to ensure kids' safety, the work will be delayed until winter to ensure nesting birds are not disturbed.

"My friends and I use the park quite regularly after school and during holidays and we have always thought it would be beneficial for the bushes between the two play areas to be cut down," said parent Michelle Richardson.

"Then on July 3 quite a few of us visited the park after school and after an hour a few of the children asked to go to the other side, which we allowed them to do as a group.

"After ten minutes my daughter and her friends came running back saying that there was a man in the play area taking photos of them."

When Michelle and a friend confronted the unknown male, who was carrying a black holdall, he refused to show them the photos he had taken on his mobile phone and exited the park quickly.

The police and park ranger were then informed and carried out a search of the surrounding area.

A police spokesman said: "Police were called shortly after 4.30pm on July 3 following reports that a man had been seen taking pictures of children in a play area off Millfields, in Burnham on Crouch.

"Officers attended and carried out an area search. They spoke to a woman who had reported the man and offered advice and reassurance."

Following the incident Michelle, with the support of other parents, began a petition asking that the greenery shielding views of both sides of the park be removed to improve the safety of those using the site at Millfields.

Within a couple of days their suggestion had gained the support of council officers who have agreed to cut back and remove the offending shrubbery.

A spokesperson for the Council said; "We are happy to implement the suggestion from a local resident to remove some of the bushes and cut back the area around the play site.

"We can confirm that this work will be undertaken in the winter time once the bird nesting season has ended."

It is believed the area is home to ducklings, moorhens, water voles, lizards, foxes, frogs, and wildflowers which did lead to a heated debate on a social networking site over the suggestion that any of the park bushes be removed.

But for Michelle, a mother of two, the safety of her children is paramount, and the incident last week has caused her to permanently reconsider the independence she gives her children to play in the area.

"We should be able to go to our local park with an enclosed play area where we as parents can be with them and feel safe to let our children play in equipment without worrying about people like that," she added.

"I feel safer knowing that the bushes will be cut down and kept down, and happier to go to the Burnham Park again.

"However because of this incident I will never be letting my children go the other side of the park without me."

A GRANDMOTHER who put together a nude calendar to raise cash for cancer charities has hit back at rumours that the money has gone missing.

Last autumn Andrea Warden, 48, and her friends from Roxwell, decided to bare all in a print run of 2,000 calendars to raise money for three cancer charities close to their hearts.

But now Mrs Warden, whose father is terminally ill with cancer, is being forced to fend off accusations of theft after rumours spread through her village that the fundraising money has gone.

"It's very upsetting and for this to come at the same time as I address my own family needs is very sad," said Andrea, whose team of calendar girls have now collected £5,000 from the various vendors who have been selling the calendar.

"I'm spending so much time with my father and right now, I don't know if I'll wake up and he'll still be here," said the part-time horse keeper and mother-of-two.

"My friends know exactly what's going on with the money and these people who are spreading this rumour didn't help with the calendar in any shape or form. It took months to put it together.

"It's nobody's business to make such accusations. I don't need to run off with thousands of pounds. I don't need this."

After the formulation of the calendar, locals from across the village sponsored a page and on its launch night at the Chequers pub it sold more than 100 calendars at £5.99 each.

After attracting interest on Facebook from as far as Australia and South Africa, the team's members have raised about £1,400 each for their chosen charities – Farleigh Hospice, Cancer Research UK and Macmillan.

"Living in such a small village there is always lots of rumours, be it swingers in the village or that so and so is having an affair with so and so. It's no shock to me.

"I even had one person swearing at me, telling me I'm a thief."

Mrs Warden and friend Julia Wells, whose dad and husband were both diagnosed with cancer on the same day in February, decided to create a bucket list on a whim last year, when the All For The Love Of Life calendar idea was born.

Julia's husband Mark died of cancer last year.

Mother-of-three Julia, 46, of Swiss Avenue, said: "Yes it's a bit slow putting the money on the site but everything is above board.

"We chose to raise money for Farleigh Hospice because they were so supportive to Mark and they have been so supportive of me and the children and all the projects that they do are superb.

"To then hear people are sprouting rumours – it does make you wonder why you bother."

Last week, an anonymous caller told the Chronicle: "There is so much gossip in the village.

"Lots of people gave something like £500 but it was revealed it was actually free of charge to print the calendar."

Yet, after speaking to the calendar organisers, they said they did not receive any such discount at Chelmsford-based Print Tech.

Farleigh Hospice spokeswoman Cheryl Bunkle said: "We received a phone call a couple of weeks ago from someone saying they were worrying about the money going missing.

"Yet to date we have had £775, which is great – we know the ladies are even giving the calendars to Farleigh shops which means the money comes straight to us and for that we're extremely grateful.

"As far as we are concerned, there is no substance to these rumours. I've done my job for six years now and I can't remember ever taking a call like this before."

THE simple pleasure of listening to the radio is something we all take for granted.

On long car journeys it can shore the driver against cries of "Are we there yet?" and provides many of us with breaking news at the crack of dawn.

It is thanks to the Italian "father of wireless", Guglielmo Marconi, who had his most famous factory built in New Street by a 500-strong workforce in 1912.

But now most of the 70,000sq ft factory is nothing more than a pile of rubble as Bellway Homes knocks it down to build 437 new homes.

Matt Oates, senior technical manager at Bellway Homes, said: "We started demolition about six months ago. We are probably about five weeks away from completing the demolition.

"It had been left in a very sorry state by the previous owners; it was a challenge with the various different buildings."

Bellway wants to build hundreds of homes, of which more than a third will be classed as affordable, and will turn the iconic building into its Essex HQ.

The water tower and power house, where all the generators were kept, will also remain within the development.

The New Street factory was the second premises for Marconi's company – the first was a former silk factory in Hall Street, which was quickly overwhelmed by the development of technology and amount of business.

The new factory, which was built in just 17 weeks, employed large numbers of men and women in the production of wireless transmitters.

In April 1912, the Titanic used Marconi transmitters to summon help. During the First World War they were used to intercept German radio transmissions. And during the Second World War, the company played a crucial role in the development of radar.

But the company helped shape British society in peacetime as well – engineers at the New Street factory experimented with voice transmissions, entertaining the public for the first time in 1920 with the voice of singer Dame Nellie Melba.

The company went one step further in 1936 as the first television broadcasts by the BBC from Alexandra Palace used Marconi equipment – and the firm pioneered the first use of colour television in a medical operating theatre at St John's Hospital in 1958.

Peter Turrall, ex-director of publicity and chairman of the Marconi Veteran's Association, said: "It's very sad because most of the buildings that have been demolished are the offices where all the former Marconi employees would have worked.

"But at least Bellway is preserving the front of the building, which has a preservation order that I helped put in place more than 20 years ago.

"We're in discussion with Bellway to make sure the Marconi Veterans have some say in what happens to the front building and hope we may be able to have somewhere inside to keep some of the artefacts of the company so the history will not be forgotten."

Conor Bird, 18, of Romford: "It is lots of money for a simple space of a square metre. If it goes towards improving transport in Brentwood then fine, as it's terrible at the moment – the buses are awful."

Rosemary Scott, 66, of Vine Way, Brentwood: "There's not enough parking in Brentwood definitely. There's nowhere to park unless you use the car parks and if you work in the town you have to pay about £10 per day."

Hayley Stokes, 18, of Brentwood: "On the street there should be fewer disabled spaces and more for the general public. Some people only want to go into one shop but car parks are ridiculously expensive."

Sid Curtis, 77, of Westbury Road: "There's a big car park right next to Westbury Road which I think is solely for business people. If you look in there, it's never any more than 20 per cent full. It's a waste of space."

THESE pictures show Long Ridings School's Summer Fete 2013 was blessed with better weather than last year, as fun-lovers revelled in the sunshine.

Hundreds of people dragged themselves away from the men's Wimbledon final on their television sets and headed for the Long Ridings Avenue school's playing fields to enjoy the festivities.

The day raised £1,000 more than last year, with £3,700 being raised by the Parents Association to help fund a new outdoor amphitheatre at the school.

A range of activities including a huge inflatable pirate ship, owls from charity Owls R Us, farm yard animals, stalls, a crockery smashing shy, a barbecue and in a nod to the tennis, strawberries and cream.

It was in stark contrast to last year's washout said the chair of the Parents' Association, Hannah Kirby: "We went really overboard this year and it was a lot of fun.

"Last year it poured down so badly that we couldn't get in the field and had to move onto the playground losing some of the stalls as a result."

The school also hopes to complete the building of a new climbing frame and pirate ship on the school playground soon.

THE sudden death of a prolific shoplifter has been described as "unexplained" by police.

Glenn Victory, 31, who had more than 40 convictions and was banned from Chelmsford city centre after a spate of purse thefts, died on July 3 after spending the evening at a friend's home in Gardeners, Chelmsford.

He was rushed to Broomfield Hospital just after 6pm but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

A 19-year-old man, from Romford, had been arrested the following morning and questioned regarding the circumstances leading up to the death but was later released without charge.

A police spokesman said: "The death is not suspicious but does remain unexplained following the initial post-mortem.

"Further toxicology tests are now required to help clarify the cause of death."

Girlfriend Donna Llewellyn, who lives in Romford, said: "The police said there was no third party involved and no drugs found as yet, so I don't understand how a fit and healthy 31-year-old passes away."

Stacie Friend, whose address is where Victory had been taken ill, declined to comment when approached by the Chronicle.

Sister Karen Victory is currently serving a nine-year jail term at Holloway Prison for the violent abuse of a toddler who was in her care.

CHRIS Wheadon has safely ferried children and adults across various streets in Essex ever since his retirement four years ago.

The 65-year-old school crossing patrol officer, or lollipop man as he is more commonly known, is just one of hundreds working in the county who are celebrating the service's 60th anniversary.

"I found out about the job from an advert in the Essex Chronicle," said Chris, who started in 2008 after his retirement from the Environment Agency.

"I like meeting new people and being of service to the community, so I thought it would be something I would like to do. I still love doing it."

Rumoured to have originated in St Paul, Minnesota in the 1920s, school crossing patrols now exist everywhere, from Chile to Hong Kong.

Essex is no different with 212 officers dotted around the county, including stationary officers and mobile officers.

Chris is one of the mobile officers, operating as a stand-in at schools in Chelmsford and Maldon.

Unlike the typical lollipop man or lady, Chris' job is much more flexible and spontaneous, due to him being called in to cover areas when a patrol is taken ill or unable to complete their shifts, sometimes at the last minute.

"I cover up to 30 schools with three other mobile officers," explained Chris.

"It's very much happening on an hour to hour basis.

"If a patrol rings one of our supervisors early in the morning and says they aren't feeling well, the supervisor then has to look round and see who is available, what the priority of that particular school is, then make a decision, and then call me before 7am."

Jenna Mattholie, school crossing patrol manager for Essex County Council, helps everything run like clockwork.

She said: "The supervisors provide all training on site initially and on-going, manage absences at sites, support patrols through sickness, manage performance and complaints or compliments, as well as liaising with the police with regards to incidents of failures to stop.

"They also report faults and hazards on or around the working location of the patrol.

"The supervisors are the main point of contact for patrols and are on call the majority of the day."

Chris was keen to emphasise that the supervisors are a key part of the patrolling service.

He said: "I'm very fortunate to have a very good management team and supervisors," said Chris.

"I'm very proud to work for Essex County Council. All of my colleagues are excellent people.

"We all have a laugh but have a huge amount of respect for one another."

But all jobs come with their fair share of difficulties, and it seems that lollipop men and women are no different.

"The weather is a strong negative," said Chris, who joined a special gathering at County Hall on Monday to celebrate the diamond anniversary.

"The pavements can be very dangerous and icy in the winter, that and of course the dangerous drivers.

"Lots of people aren't aware of the 1984 Road Traffic Act and that it is an offence to 'drive through' after a patroller has indicated that they need to stop.

"Nevertheless my job is very rewarding. At the end of the day, you have helped lots of people and children, and helped to keep them safe."

If you want to be the next lollipop man or lady near your local school, apply at www.workingforessex.com.

WETHERSPOONS has shelved plans to open a new pub in a former post office after a row broke out over two windows.

The budget pub chain has scrapped its plans after it learned Maldon District Council had stipulated in the original plans that two rear windows had to have opaque glass so neighbours could not be overlooked.

"No doubt there will be some people that will be delighted with the decision, but there were a lot of people in favour of having a Wetherspoons there who will be disappointed," said Wetherspoons spokesman Eddie Gershon.

The pub had planned to create 40 new jobs in a £1m project to transform the old Post Office on Maldon high street.

"We would still love to open a Wetherspoons in Maldon but not at the site in Maldon High Street," said Mr Gershon.

The district council had previously put restrictions on the opening of a beer garden at the site, which would have been open until 1am at weekends.

Mr Gershon added: "It would have made sense to get some use out of the old post office building, and having a Wetherspoons also helps other businesses nearby.

The plans were approved on February 20 this year, despite objections from the 'Keep Maldon Unique' campaign.

TWO sisters are distraught after discovering their grandparents' grave hidden beneath a five-foot-high jungle of grass.

When Sylvia Pitts, 76, of Longmead Avenue, Great Baddow, identified the spot of the memorial at nearby St Mary's Church on Thursday, she used shears to hack away at the shrubbery.

Along with sister Sonia Kennaby, 64, she has condemned Chelmsford City Council for not maintaining the graves – after they first complained back in 2009.

"The grass is as tall as I am and I'm five foot four – it really is appalling," said Mrs Pitts.

"I feel like screaming, I really do, I couldn't find the grave at first, they're all lost. I had to cut the grass with my shears.

"A lot of people are buried in that area and they must have worked hard in their time and to think that's how they're now kept is awful, it's not funny at all; in fact it's very sad."

Mrs Pitts, who has lived in Great Baddow all her life, remembers her grandmother Florence May before she died aged 72 in 1957.

She was buried with husband Arthur Glover, who died in 1937.

Both were the parents of the sisters' mother May Rawlingson. When she died in 2008, Mrs Pitts began visiting her grandparents' grave every three weeks.

"I know somebody who is losing his eyesight and in 2009 he went up there to find the grave of his mother and father, and poor old bloke, he went to find it but couldn't and he just stood there and cried."

Her sister, Ms Kennaby, said: "It's disgusting really that people can't even find graves there – that it's so overgrown it's a mess. It really needs someone to sort it out because it's a fire hazard."

Chelmsford City Council say the grass has grown out of control due to the periods of wet and hot weather following one another in quick succession.

A spokesman said: "The churchyard receives basic maintenance every three weeks, which includes keeping walkways clear, but doesn't always include cutting the grass around every grave.

"With periods of wet weather followed by hot weather, as we have experienced this year, grass and flora grow very quickly.

"The churchyard will receive more intensive maintenance in the next one to two weeks, which will include cutting back hedges, cutting the grass and other jobs as needed. This more intensive maintenance takes place around three times per year, at times when it is least likely to disturb wildlife, such as nesting birds."

A COUPLE who have raised £78,000 for the lifeboats in the past 25 years have decided to take a back seat in the charity.

Ken and Miriam Harrison raised thousands of pounds for the Maldon and District branch of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), selling toys and stationery items.

Mr Harrison, 79, of Hatfield Peverel, said: "I've always enjoyed sailing and the sea. Every year around Christmas down at Maldon they have a sponsored row in aid of the RNLI – in the first year I managed to capsize the boat twice!"

Talking about why the couple joined the RNLI branch, Mr Harrison said: "I took part in a couple of sponsored events and I then decided to go one step further. I lived too far away to be crew – you have to live 10 minutes away."

Having previously worked in the plywood trade as a supplier, Mr Harrison joined the Maldon branch in 1987. He began selling toys, stationery, model boats and tea bags, and in 2009, he was given a Gold Badge award for his long service.

Miriam, 79, said she would miss "all the friendships we have made", adding: "I had a lot of fun with the lifeboat crew – we went out on quite a few boats.

"The best was at Harwich – we used to arrange for people to go out with them and they really tried to make it special."

Mr Harrison has fun memories of their time as collectors, from standing outside, whatever the conditions, around 20 times a year. He recounted one occasion when the fundraisers had to evacuate Maldon pier during torrential rain – a homage to the conditions that crews often face.

Despite becoming acclimatised to manning his fundraising stand, when Mr Harrison had the opportunity to take the controls of a lifeboat, he couldn't resist.

"The ride-out in the life boat was wonderful – we were doing about 27 knots outside of Harwich," he said.

"It was a wonderful experience – it only lasted about 10 minutes but it was something you don't forget."

Mr Harrison was constantly surprised by the people that he met while doing his fundraising – what he described as 'the easy job'.

The 79-year-old, who stepped down from his role as Souvenir Secretary in the branch in April this year, said: "A taxi driver once said he would put into my box exactly the same as I gave him.

"He gave me £5 – I said that's not fair as I only had 50p or so."

Mr Harrison said he often heard other people's tales of lifeboat rescues, while he made his door-to-door collections.

On one occasion he spoke to a man who had been on an exercise in the Thames while he was in the Navy during the Second World War.

The Navy crew saw a boat in need of assistance, and a crew from Southend lifeboat branch came to the rescue.

Despite the many sad events crews deal with, he said they are "always cheerful".

Mr Harrison was proud of his achievements. He said: "I am satisfied that I have contributed in the RNLI's running and with what I've managed to achieve."

He now only does the occasional fundraiser – and hopes to spend more time concentrating on his nine grandchildren and his hobbies of model railways, photography and gardening.

WITH a red, white and blue theme to celebrate Independence Day, Tiptree's famous strawberry race went off with a bang.

On a dry but cloudy Thursday morning, around 100 pickers from all over the world donned colourful outfits as they harvested dozens of punnets of the world-renowned Little Scarlet strawberries, albeit much later than usual.

This year the race, on the 900-acre estate of famous jam maker Wilkin and Sons Ltd, was postponed until July 4 because the Little Scarlets were slow ripening because of the delayed summer.

But that did not stop the event raising a record £2,000 for the Essex Air Ambulance, and the strawberries were tastier than ever.

Ian Thurgood, joint managing director of Wilkin and Sons, said: "There's never been a strawberry race as late as Independence Day; it was great to see so many of the pickers entering into the spirit of the occasion.

"But the cold spring and the slow ripening produced fruit of exceptional flavour."

Prizes were awarded by actor Graham Cole, who starred as PC Tony Stamp in TV police drama The Bill for 25 years.

"We were delighted that television actor Graham Cole, a friend of our chosen charity Essex Air Ambulance, started the race and presented the prizes," said Mr Thurgood.

"When all the Little Scarlets had finally been weighed in and the prizes presented, Tiptree's pickers had raised a record £2,000 donation for the Essex Air Ambulance charity," he added.

Prizes were awarded for the best hat, the most flamboyant picker, and the fastest picker as people from across the globe, plus local farm workers and residents enjoyed the race for the seventh year.

In fact, Lotte Moeller travelled all the way from Sweden to research the strawberries for her new book before taking part in the race, while others came from Bulgaria and Poland.

But the winner of the most flamboyant picker award was Julie Eddington, 54, from Tolleshunt Knights much closer to home.

She said: "It was a really fantastic day with a lot of generous prizes, and the theme was great for me as I knew I had an outfit ready – I just needed a red vest.

"They are a friendly company that encourages people to get involved, I've been coming here for years and it's always a good day. There's a real mix of people young and old, with a lot of young people coming from abroad.

"It's not about the winning it's about everyone having fun and having a nice day out."

The Little Scarlets strawberry originated in North America and was brought to the UK in the late 1800s by the founder of Wilkin and sons, Arthur Charles Wilkin.

James Bond is noted as a Tiptree Jam admirer in Ian Fleming's 1957 novel From Russia With Love – being especially keen on the Little Scarlet strawberry variety.

A VICTIM claims crime has worsened in Wickford after thieves broke into his home and stole two cars.

Anthony Tonnison, 61, and his wife, Anne Marie, 57, have lived in the town for 22 years and were broken into last Friday, July 5.

Thieves entered Mr Tonnison's house through the front door and removed two sets of keys that were hanging in the hallway. His black Land Rover Freelander and his wife's red VW Polo were then stolen.

That same night, less than a mile away, a house on Wick Lane was also broken into. Thieves came across a handbag with keys to a blue Ford Focus inside.

Police believe both break-ins occurred between midnight and 6am, possibly an hour apart.

After coming home from work at around 5pm on Thursday, July 4, Mr Tonnison, a fabricator, parked his Land Rover outside his house on the road.

He said: "When I walked down I saw the front door was open and I looked outside and the Land Rover was gone and so was the VW. They just pushed the door in and then they were in.

"I had the keys in my jacket on the banister of the stairs so they didn't have to go in far."

During the night Mr Tonnison said he had no idea anyone had broken in and had not woken up, adding that his dog, Shmoo, a Border Terrier, has not barked when the intruders entered the house.

"I think crime has got worse in Wickford – there have been a few incidents here lately."

Essex Police are reminding motorists not to leave car keys on show in their homes while asleep.

Anyone with information in connection with this burglary is urged to contact detectives at Basildon police station on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

MORE than 100 troublemakers and thieves have been banned from town centre shops as part of Havering Council's bid to crack down on theft and antisocial behaviour in Romford.

The Safe and Sound Day scheme, launched in 2011, saw council officials join forces with retailers from the Mercury, Liberty and Brewery shopping centres to target those who cause significant trouble or shoplift.

Shops which have signed-up to the scheme display the Safe and Sound sticker indicating that those who have been banned from one business will automatically be banned from the other 100 retailers in the scheme.

Images of those 114 told to stay away have also been circulated between retailers who share images of individuals and keep in contact and share information with the police via town link radio.

Cabinet member for community safety, Councillor Geoff Starns, said: "Havering is one of the safest boroughs in London and we want to keep it that way. However, we still work hard to make sure that those who attempt to commit crime or put residents' safety at risk are dealt with in the most efficient way possible.

"Retail theft makes a huge dent in the profits of the local economy and, to deal with that gap, retailers will obviously put up their prices, meaning that honest shoppers will have to bear the brunt.

"Antisocial behaviour and shoplifting will not be tolerated in Havering and the Safe and Sound scheme is our way of joining forces with local businesses to show a united front."

The Safe and Sound scheme is delivered by Havering Council and bans that are issued can last up to two years.

SOME of the borough's keenest gardeners have been rewarded for their hard work at the annual Brentwood in Bloom competition.

This year's competition, sponsored by the Gazette, celebrates and rewards the gardeners who have helped keep Brentwood blooming lovely.

Winners gathered at the town hall on Friday for the awards ceremony hosted Jane Bennett, of Bennett's Funerals, High Street, Brentwood.

Leading the field was Roger Freestone who took first prize for the best front garden category.

The 62-year-old mathematician has been tending his garden in Arnolds Avenue for three years.

But he can thank the multiple winner of Brentwood in Bloom, neighbour Bill Rolstone, who decided to step away from the competition last year after winning it for the tenth time.

Mr Freestone said: "My garden wasn't like this before. It was full of roses, because the guy who had it before me was mad for them.

"I'm not, so slowly I got rid of them. I started planting a few things here and there and then Bill gave me a few pointers.

"I do enjoy it, it just takes so much time."

Laura Keighley won best first time entry front garden with her compact but colourful balcony in Warley.

The 46-year-old, who has been gardening since she was a youngster, said: "A garden is a personal creation. It is unique.

"People might have the same plants, but they all have their unique place in different gardens.

"Getting this award is so good. I'm really pleased. My garden is just a balcony. And it's amazing what you can get on such a small area.

"From my living room it's like looking out onto another room."

Taking first prize for the allotment section was Len Bull who won the same award in 2010 and who gave a tongue in cheek tribute to his wife for his win.

"I've got a big shed which looks out onto the allotment," he told the massed audience at the town hall on Friday. "And in the winter it's lovely being in there with a nice cup of tea – watching my lovely wife and her sister digging the plot."

A group of residents at St Thomas Court sheltered accommodation picked up first prize in the best kept residential accommodation section for the first time.

Michael Saunders and his wife have been heading up a team of volunteers at the home, in Queens Road, since they arrived from Milton Keynes last year.

Michael said: "We said we did a bit of gardening and they gave us a bit from the main garden where we can do our thing. It's very enjoyable."

The best team effort went as a joint award to the Brentwood Sensory Garden Club and St George's Church

Led by Joy Dunn, the Sensory Garden Club, in King George's Playing Fields, off Ingrave Road, Brentwood, was set up in August 2010 and works with adults with learning difficulties.

Although delighted with her first prize, Joy's celebrations were muted after the garden suffered damage on Saturday.

A piece of fencing had been used to flatten and damage part of the raised border, and several of the sensory plants had been pulled up and shredded over the lawn, beer cans and bits of rubble had been left scattered around.

She said: "Nothing too awful, and now all tidied up, but a reminder that it is a bit of an ongoing problem for us."

Mr Rolstone, who was a main judge, said: "The standard in this year's competition was brilliant. Some entrants were placed with just a few points between them."

Best Maintained Allotment

1 Mr L Bull

2 Mrs A Bennett

3 Mr R Mead

Best First Time Entry Front Garden

1 Laura Keighley

2 Margaret Flood and Adrian Wager

Best Kept Front Garden

1 Roger Freestone

2 Mr N J Bull

Highly Commended Paula Laken

Highly Commended B M Barnett

Premier League Garden

1 (joint winners) Mr G Gridley and Bridget Coyne

3 Mrs M Lattimore

Best Kept Business Premises

1 Nick's Tyres

2 Best Friends Vets

3 Marygreen Manor

Best Kept Residential Accommodation

1 St Thomas Court

2 Rowan Green East

3 Juniper Court

Best Maintained Religious Grounds

1 Marillac Care

2 Hutton and Shenfield Union Church

3 St Georges Church

Highly Commended St Nicholas Church

Best Team Effort

1 (joint winners) St George's Church and Brentwood Sensory Garden

3 Brentwood Museum, Lorne Road

Environmental Award

1 Brentwood Countryside Management Volunteers