ONE winner at the Maldon and Heybridge horticultural society show can identify the moment he fell in love with the world of horticulture.

Michael Shrimpton, who is president of the society, says he took a shine to the Alpine flowers he saw in the French mountains when he went to see the Tour de France as a young man.

The Maldon and Heybridge Horticultural society summer show brought together the best in vegetables, baking, flowers, art, handicrafts and photography.

"I came back from the Tour de France and all I was talking about was the Alpine plants that grow there, I knew I had found something that I really loved.

"My speciality is Alpine plants and I'm pleased I won the prize but I don't do it for the awards," said Michael.

Michael, a retired gardener, has also named a plant after his late father after he mixed together a plant from Patagonia with a plant native to the Falkland Islands.

"It's a great show and there have been a lot of strong entries this year. I became president not so long ago and the show is really important for people to come in and look around, and hopefully get involved," said Michael.

With first prizes being £1, second prizes 75p, and third prizes 50p for some entrants winning up to 20 categories the cash can add up.

Event organiser Gillian Coppen said: "It has been a particularly well entered event this year and the winnings are not to be sniffed at. Honestly though it's all about our passion for baking and growing, I don't think people enter for the money, and I'm just pleased that everything has gone well today.

"There's a lot of work that goes into the organising of a day like this and we all pull together to make it the best possible day it can be."

The show has existed in one form or another since before 1900.

AN ESSEX probation officer who has spent her career helping offenders turn their lives around has won a prestigious national award for her work.

Melanie Bigg, who helps steer sex offenders, wife-beaters, burglars and even armed robbers away from a life of crime, was crowned the winner of the National Probation Champion Award at a ceremony on July 3.

The 51-year-old said: "I'm absolutely delighted to win the award. It was completely unexpected. I have seen how crime affects the community and individuals, and how offenders have issues of their own.

"The work done with them is the most rewarding and knowing that I'm doing something to protect the public."

Melanie, who has worked with Essex Probation since 2005 after retiring as a Police Constable following a car accident, says her work involves looking beyond the crimes and highlighting the positive aspects of an individual.

"I pride myself on never giving up on a person, it's all about perseverance, understanding and being patient with people," said the mother-of-two. "I try and work with offenders to show the impact upon those they have offended against and I use motivation techniques a lot to do that. One of my highlights has been working with an offender who had a long history of violent offending, and who had been through the prison system a number of times.

"After working with him he is doing really well, he's kept in touch with me and has found employment – that side of things is really rewarding."

Another ex-offender, Brad, had been in and out of prison all his life with offences relating to armed robbery and Class A drugs before working with the award-winning probation officer.

He is one of many who haven't reoffended since working with Melanie, a clear indication as to how she has turned their lives around. Brad said: "Melanie is great, with loads of time for you, she goes the extra mile, and makes you want to get things right. I'm proud."

Mary Archer, of Essex Probation, added: "We're really proud of Melanie. Her work has been judged to be at the top of a very able group of probation workers from across the country."

Judges at the Ministry of Justice's National Probation Awards, which had 120 nominees, described Melanie as "fantastically able and persistent".

A POTENTIAL strike has been averted after traffic wardens were told to no longer ticket postal workers for parking on double-yellow lines while delivering.

Guidelines published by the South Essex Parking Partnership (SEPP) clearly state that Royal Mail employees should not be ticketed for parking on double-yellows while doing their rounds.

But traffic wardens employed by SEPP have been routinely handing out fines to postal workers amid claims that the parking privilege was being abused.

The Communication Workers' Union (CWU), which represents postal workers, had threatened to hold a ballot for industrial action after many of its members regularly began receiving tickets.

In one example, a postie claimed he had been fined after parking on double-yellow lines for less than one minute.

However, a strike is no longer happening because bosses at SEPP agreed to tell their wardens to stop issuing tickets.

This followed a motion expressing concern over wardens' practices was passed at a meeting of Brentwood Borough Council's Community Services Committee on July 23.

Danny Attfield, 39, a CWU rep at the delivery office in St Thomas Road, said this week: "It got to the point where we couldn't deliver or collect from anywhere where restrictions were in place.

"If the council hadn't intervened I'd have to have said we can't deliver mail to some areas, such as on the High Street."

Mr Attfield said that, so far this year, posties had made three successful appeals against tickets.

He also raised questions about the training traffic wardens were receiving.

"Since we got a copy of SEPP's policies at the end of last year we are starting to win all of our appeals," he said. "My drivers are carrying a copy of the protocol around with them now.

"On one occasion, one of our posties showed the warden the regulations and their response was simply that the document was actually wrong."

Brentwood Borough Councillor Russell Quirk, who represents Hutton North, said the idea that postal workers were abusing the parking privilege by, for example, "nipping off for a hearty lunch" was offensive.

He told the Gazette this week: "No one actually showed or demonstrated any evidence that supported that kind of behaviour was going on.

"It's not as if they are running off down the betting office – they are trying to do their jobs – yet the complaints from Royal Mail workers have fallen on deaf ears."

Cllr Keith Parker, chairman of the South Essex Parking Partnership, said: "Enforcement of on-street parking regulations is now a SEPP responsibility.

"However, we can confirm that there is, and has been for some time, special dispensation under the Traffic Regulation Order and SEPP operational guidelines for liveried postal vehicles to park on single and double-yellow lines while delivering post and packages, as long as they can demonstrate that is their purpose.

"All enforcement officers are undertaking enforcement activities in line with this policy.

"Any postal worker legitimately engaged in postal duties will therefore not receive a penalty.

"This dispensation does not, however, extend to school markings, zigzags, pedestrian crossings, disabled bays and areas that are restricted for loading.

"Parking in these areas would result in the instant issue of a PCN."

THE father of The Only Way Is Essex star Lucy Mecklenburgh has lost his legal bid for permission to build a four-storey development dubbed Towie Towers in Crown Street, Brentwood.

Paul Mecklenburgh, the boss of MCC Developments, appealed to the Planning Inspectorate after the borough council refused his application to demolish the former bike shop on the corner of Crown Street and Hart Street and replace it with a four-storey development of 17 flats and ground-floor shops.

He then resubmitted an application for a smaller building with three floors.

That was approved in March, although he had been hoping for permission to build the larger development by overturning the council's decision to refuse four floors at appeal.

The Planning Inspectorate has now ruled that the development could be harmful to the look of Crown Street.

In her report, planning inspector Ava Wood noted: "In this context, the proposed building would amount to a highly pronounced monolithic feature by virtue of its height and mass being reinforced by the exaggerated modelling at upper roof levels, and would dominate the smaller scaled buildings in Crown Street.

"The heavy handedness of the design would add to the bulk and unsympathetic visual prominence of the building."

Council leader Louise McKinlay said: "I'm pleased to see the result of the appeal backs the council's position.

"It is accepted that the area is in need of development and the inspector makes clear that she supports the mixed use element of the proposal, which I would also back, but clearly the impact of what was applied for was simply too much for the area and would have been detrimental to our town centre."

A specialist fire and rescue service, Havering's only unit dedicated to floods, car accidents and chemical spills has been ordered to cease operations by London Mayor Boris Johnson.

The cutting of the Hornchurch-based engine comes as part of £28.8 million citywide cuts to the London Fire Service.

The announcement was made on Monday after Mr Johnson overruled both the London Assembly and the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA), which both voted against the cuts.

Joining the Assembly and LFEPA in opposition was the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), which has also voiced concerns over safety if the unit closes.

Across the capital, the cuts will see ten stations, 14 engines and at least 550 jobs go – and the changes must be implemented by September 16.

The initial number of stations to close was set at 12 but New Cross and Clapham were saved when the Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson revised the proposals.

Ben Sprung, FBU Regional Officer for London, said: "Any cuts to the fire service, whether it is fire engines or firefighters, pose a danger to public safety.

"The area that the Hornchurch unit serves has large amounts of fast-moving traffic on very busy roads and anyone who lives or travels through the area is at risk."

James Cleverly, chair of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, said: "The commissioner is confident that sufficient cover will be provided to Havering by fire rescue units based at East Ham and Bethnal Green fire stations.

Boris Johnson said: "Ensuring that London's fire service is financially stable and keeping Londoners safe are top priorities.

"I am perplexed as to why the Fire Authority has felt it necessary to lead the service into an increasingly precarious position by not facing up to its fiscal responsibilities and by rejecting the sound professional judgement of the Fire Commissioner, a firefighter with more than 20 years of experience.

"As a result, I have issued a direction which requires the authority to adopt the London Safety Plan as proposed by the Commissioner on July 18 so that there is a balanced Fire Authority budget for 2014-15 and so that compulsory redundancies can be avoided.

"We need to move forward to face the challenges of 21st-century firefighting."

A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: "As part of the consultation process on our proposals for the future of the capital's fire service, we have listened to Londoners and looked at what savings can be made from our wider operational fleet as a whole and have examined the utilisation of our fire rescue units.

"The £6 million that would be released as a result of reducing our fire rescue unit fleet from 16 to 14 would enable us to keep two fire stations open, Clapham and New Cross, and two further fire engines.

"On average, fire rescue units spend 4 per cent of their operational time at incidents.

"Hornchurch is one of the four quietest stations and because we plan our emergency cover on a pan-London basis, other stations equipped with fire rescue units, such as East Ham and Bethnal Green, will still provide sufficient coverage to this area."

Without the Hornchurch engine, Havering's nearest specialist rescue units will be at East Ham and Bethnal Green.

POP-UP shops are coming to Wickford in a bid to boost its struggling town centre. Basildon Borough Council will be working with estate agents and landlords to encourage temporary retailers to open up in the town.

The news comes after the closure of gift shop Tickled Pink, in the High Street, on Saturday.

The plan is for the council to take over vacant units and then lease them on a short-term basis to start-up businesses.

The authority will also consider renting the premises out to artists to give them an opportunity to show off their work.

If the trial in Wickford proves to be a success, then it could be rolled out across the borough.

Plans to redevelop Wickford Swimming Pool and "enhance" the market, as previously reported in the Gazette, are also being progressed, the council says.

Traders to whom the Gazette spoke were unanimous in their belief that improvements need to be made to save the town centre.

Daryl Horton, 55, from Hadleigh, has managed Moores in High Street for the past 20 years.

"They need to do something or they will end up losing Wickford," he said. "Wimpy opposite has been closed for a year now – it used to be such a busy town."

Phil Dryden, 40, from South Woodham Ferrers, added: "As more shops close it will get worse – the parking restrictions don't help.

"All the retail parks are gobbling up the money."

Richard Clarke is the manager of Edes on High Street.

The 42-year-old said: "It's better than doing nothing – the town needs improving.

"I have been here for 24 years and something needs to be done to attract people to come back, instead of going to Lakeside and Bluewater.

"The empty shops need something inside them.

"We need more clothing shops, particularly men's clothing.

"People haven't been spending since 2008 – the banks pulled everyone down and people still aren't spending much."

He added: "The market might be an improvement – a farmers' market would be good."

Council leader Tony Ball said: "We are committed to creating opportunity for local people and this could be an innovative way of doing that in Wickford.

"There have been some recent shop closures in the town which could give us the opportunity to take some of them over on a short-term basis and add some vibrancy into the area and offer a chance to some local entrepreneurs.

"If it works in Wickford we would definitely look at rolling this out in other town centres."

If you are interested in setting up a pop-up shop, e-mail lucy.payne@basildon.gov.uk

QUESTIONS about how hard some Tory politicians are working have been raised after figures showed that five of them have not registered a single piece of casework all year.

The stats show that Brentwood Borough Councillors Noelle Hones, Roger McCheyne, Alan Braid, Madeline Henwood, Claire Cornell have not provided assistance to any residents between January 1 and July 31 – although they all say they have circumnavigated the system for reporting casework.

As if this were not bad enough, the bottom 12 are all Conservatives too.

According to the council, when members circumnavigate the reporting system and go direct to officers for help the officers then record this information on behalf of the councillors.

Each elected member receives a basic allowance of £5,950.80 a year to compensate them for the expenses they incur.

Senior councillors can top this figure up significantly with so-called special responsibility allowances.

Cllr Hones said: "I tend to go straight to officers to register the casework.

"It's hard to say – something crops up most weeks – but I would say I spend about two or three hours a week on something.

"Because I'm at the town hall quite a lot anyway and I have a good relationship with the officer I think it is just much more efficient if we go straight to them."

Cllr Braid said he probably does at least one piece of casework each week, but as he does not have a computer he has to bypass the system.

"I don't have a computer – I go straight to the town hall," he said.

"A huge number of residents, not just the elderly but also young people don't have a computer.

"I've lived here for more than 40 years and I've been a councillor for 22 years. My door is always open and people know where I live.

"People can phone me anytime and I will respond immediately."

Cllr McCheyne, who represents Brizes and Doddinghurst, said: "I go straight to the officers in the town hall or get them on the phone – I'm dyslexic so using the computer is difficult for me and it is much easier to go straight to the officer to discuss the case."

Cllr Cornell said: "I wouldn't know without referring back to my notes, but I work alongside my colleagues and tend to go straight to council officers at the town hall."

Meanwhile, deputy mayor Cllr Henwood, who represents Tipps Cross, said she has registered one piece of casework this month.

She said: "I usually don't register because most of it is verbal and I give advice and that is the same for the officer – I go straight to them.

"Most of this can be sorted be sorted out with a phone call but the register is ridiculous – it creates more work for us

"Not a great deal goes on here. I think there are more problems going on in Brentwood – it's a very quiet and peaceful place here."

William Lloyd, the leader of Brentwood First, came out on top with 155 pieces of casework.

The Warley councillor said: "It is no surprise that they are saying we are going straight to the officer.

"That is fine, but that is not what we are meant to be doing.

"By all means flag it up with a follow-up phone call, but there is no point in the administration setting up the system if two-thirds don't use it effectively.

"If they don't like the figures that come out of it, then that's tough.

"I'm not saying that Louise McKinlay doesn't work hard, but she has some very big questions about her group and the work they do.

"The fact is we don't know how much they do, because they are not using the system."

The problem has worsened since the Gazette last investigated the amount of casework councillors put through 18 months ago

Then it was just Cllr Braid and independent Roger Keeble, elected to represent Hutton Central and Tipps Cross respectively, who never recorded an inquiry through the internet-based Members' Portal they were told to use in 2010.

Last year the Gazette was chastised by some members and their supporters for highlighting the length of time each councillor spoke during council meetings in the last six months.

They claimed the figure was meaningless without taking into account the amount of casework carried out, even though at the time, council officers refused to pass these details on.

Council leader Louise McKinlay, who represents Hutton North, suggested some opposition members overinflated their casework figures.

She said: "There are councillors in other parties who register every time they speak to an council officer on any subject and these may not have anything to do with casework at all.

"There are a number who, as part of the administration, have a lot of the information at their fingertips because they know lots of what is going on already."

Mrs McKinlay logged 43 pieces of casework between January 1 and July 31, the most out of all the Tory councillors.

However, she said: "Whether it is 43 or 47 or whatever number, if the councillor has got the issue sorted then that is the main thing.

"There is more to this than just numbers.

"People also have to remember that there is work that councillors do which never is talked about or never seen."

Minority Labour group leader Mike Le-Surf, who represents Brentwood South, came fifth with 66 pieces of casework.

"Numbers are not everything but they are a good indicator of how hard a councillor works," he said.

"The system is there so the council can get a good idea about what problems are there.

"Is the leader happy that 12 of her councillors are in the bottom 12 and five haven't registered anything at all?

"I'm delighted that me and Julie (his wife and fellow Labour councillor) are in the top five, and I would not be happy if I was the bottom.

"Some councillors seem to think that the main part of the job is putting their hands up in the chamber when their leader tells them to but casework is a major part of what we do."

Lib Dem Karen Chilvers, who came second with 146 pieces of work in her Brentwood West ward, said: "If her members were in the top five she would be taking a different view.

"It's not about what you know, it's about doing case work for real people, following it up and picking it up.

"It's about being accessible

"I am pleased to be second, but why are 12 of them seemingly not picking anything up."

The identity of an infamous naked rambler who has caused a stir over the last week after walking the streets in his birthday suit, can now be revealed.

Alan O'Conner, 30, of Chipping Hill, Witham, stunned members of the public when he was seen strolling in the afternoon sun wearing nothing but a pair of black boots.

His naked antics sparked calls to the police as shocked residents spotted him pushing the boundaries of public decency in and around Chipping Hill and Spring Lodge. Social media was deluged with posts about the mystery long-haired man with a ginger beard baring all and brazenly walking towards White Notley last Wednesday.

Frazer Merton, 20, from Witham, captured the naturist on camera near Honeysuckle Way. He said: "I was just extremely shocked by what I saw and couldn't believe it. It's not something you'd expect to see.

"I'm surprised he is still walking around half naked like it's normal. I've seen him a few times in short shorts and a tight vest and thought it was slightly weird, every time I see him he seemed to be wearing less and less clothing."

But Mr O'Conner says he did not set out to upset anyone, and is planning on keeping his clothes on in future.

He said: "I now realise that civilisation requires sticking to certain conventions – whether or not we as individuals agree with them – such as wearing clothes. Most people I know and most people I have met go out of their way to stick to the rules – I have never been that way, and I suppose this was the ultimate expression of that.

"However, I understand now that you sometimes have to make sacrifices to be part of society, even if personally I don't think there is anything wrong with the human body."

He said that he only removed all of his clothes on one occasion – while walking along an out-of-town road – but admits that he was preparing to once again go au naturel before noticing police officers parked nearby were watching him, and thinking better of it.

On other occasions he has taken to the streets of Witham in a thong or leotard in an attempt to assert his individuality.

In a statement issued last week, a police spokesman said: "Whilst we have not received any official complaints, we are aware of this man and his behaviour.

"We will be monitoring any activities. If anybody sees him walking around naked please contact police on 101."

Former Reading University student Mr O'Conner said he is a fan of the "Naked Rambler", Stephen Gough, who has spent a total of six years in prison after refusing to comply with court orders to remain clothed in public, although Mr O'Conner has no plans to take things that far.

He said: "I don't think it's worth doing it again – I haven't done it again so far, and probably won't.

"If we lived in an alternate universe where people were fine with the human body then I would probably walk around naked all the time, but seeing as we don't live in that universe I will probably keep my clothes on in public from now on, or at least head out away from areas where other people will be."

A POLITICIAN has been dubbed "a hypocrite" for saying she was shocked at proposals to build up to 1,500 new homes in her village – even though she had headed up the council panel discussing their possible development.

Tory councillor Linda Golding, who represents West Horndon, chaired Brentwood Borough Council's Local Development Plan cross-party working group until her resignation weeks ago.

The plan said up to 1,500 new homes could be built in the area by 2030. As reported in this paper last week, Cllr Golding said development of the green belt would happen "over my dead body".

Yet this week, residents and opposition councillors took to Twitter to criticise her involvement, which they claim would double the village's population.

Some claim she should have done more to prevent the proposals, yet Cllr Golding, who is up for election in May 2014, dismissed this as "rubbish".

Wendy Griffin, 43, of Clavering Gardens, West Horndon, suggested Cllr Golding may be a "snake in the grass" after not responding to her tweet, which asked her to clarify how early she knew about the scale of the plans.

"If it was me and I was innocent I'd want to stand up and say, 'no, you're in the wrong'," she said.

"I think she's obviously had a part in (the local development plan). If I was in such a position I certainly would've looked into it and perhaps made others around here aware of it sooner. Now we're running out of time."

The protection of the green belt is an emotive issue, coming top in a list of residents' concerns in a public consultation on development in 2011.

Brentwood First councillor Russell Quirk, who represents Hutton North, said Cllr Golding "would have known the size of the plans months in advance".

"She can't have it both ways, she either supports it or not," he added.

Cllr Golding hit back claiming the idea she could have done more was mere political posturing ahead of elections in nine months.

"Who are all these people that think I want to put my own historical cottage at risk like that?" she asked.

"I got the full and final draft the same day as everyone else and I took copies to the parish council the same day.

"This is nothing to do with discussing what's right for West Horndon – it's political.

"The only place in West Horndon which could be considered for development are on the industrial estates."

On criticisms that she has failed to respond to concerns on social media sites, she said: "I'm not going to respond in anger.

"I use Twitter but I very rarely publish anything political."

West Horndon Parish Council is co-ordinating a campaign to protect the village.

Chairman Cllr Anthony Crowley said: "It has been well known that West Horndon was going to be earmarked for development.

"I'm led to believe that a certain amount of this was put together by outside consultants.

"The question is how much did they (members of the LDP working group) know? I've no doubt that the parish council, borough members and our county member will show as a united force."

The borough council is consulting on its draft Local Development Plan from July 24 to October 2.

Have your say at www. brentwood.gov.uk/localplan

A MALDON newsagent is facing a fine of up to £20,000 after two illegal immigrants were found working at his shop.

Immigration officers stormed Maldon Newsagents in the High Street and found two men had overstayed their visas while working at the family-run business.

Maheshbhai Patel, who has owned Maldon Newsagents for seven years, says relatives from his wife's side of the family were simply helping out at the shop because they were so busy, but he now faces a crippling £10,000 fine per illegal worker.

"It has been hard for me working here lately; I have been under a lot of stress and pressure. I have been up at five in the morning working as hard as I can," Mr Patel told the Chronicle.

"They didn't live here permanently, they just stayed overnight sometimes because they lived far away in North London."

Immigration enforcement officers from the UK Border Agency visited the shop on July 24, when checks revealed one member of staff, an Indian national, 27, had overstayed his visa.

A second worker from India, 27, who had also overstayed, was arrested after officers searched the flat above the High Street premises.

Mr Patel faces potential fines of up to £10,000 for each of the illegal workers unless he can demonstrate that appropriate pre-employment checks were carried out, such as seeing a Home Office document.

The two employees are now in a detention centre while arrangements are made to deport them.

The immigration officers carried out further intelligence-led visits to four other businesses in Chelmsford on July 24 and 25, arresting five more people.

Jack Davis, from Home Office Immigration Enforcement, said: "Operations like this are carried out across the UK every day as we track down and remove from the country those who seek to abuse our immigration laws.

"The public can be a huge help and I urge people with information about suspected immigration offenders to get in touch."

He added: "Measures to toughen civil penalties against rogue businesses for employing illegal migrants, while cutting red tape for legitimate employers, have been unveiled.

"A six-week consultation has been launched as part of government plans under the Immigration Bill to make it more difficult for illegal migrants to live and work in the UK, and to take tougher action against rogue employers who exploit them."

YOUTHS are making life difficult for Burnham ferry drivers to safely moor their boat by refusing to move when it arrives.

A number of youths are using the pier at Town Quay, Burnham-on-Crouch to congregate and sunbathe. But by leaving their legs dangling over the edge of the pontoon and refusing to move, they are making life impossible for the ferry to safely dock.

A safety sign at the pier discouraging people from using the facility to sunbathe was also vandalised.

Owners Jon Scott, 63, and his brother William, 66, have lived in Burnham for over 40 years and have run the ferryboat service since October 2012.

Jon, who encountered some youths on the pier when he arrived back on Saturday July 27, said: "I asked them to move off the pier as I arrived on the dock but they started swearing and shouting at me.

"The next day I returned to the pier and the sign had been thrown into the river.

"I'm not sure if they are on school holidays or what but this can't happen again. People need to realise that the pier is not for sunbathing on and not for hanging around on. And the signs cost money that we have to fork out for."

Jon has purchased an identical sign for £120, but he says it is an extra cost they could do without as the ferry, which runs between the Town Quay and Essex Marina, runs on a very tight budget.

"We've had some problems before but nothing serious – people need to be able to read the sign because operating without it can be dangerous – it can be an expensive business to run an operation like this and I hope people can respect that," added Jon.

But the brothers' main issue is for people to leave the pier when the boat approaches so they can safely pull in at the right spot.

"For us it's a safety issue – I don't want to be landing the boat when people are on the pier – what if I hit one someone, I will get that blame and they will be injured," added Jon. "If I can't land at that spot I have to try to land elsewhere and that can be dangerous for me and the customers.

"We try to offer a cheap and reliable service that people in Burnham can use and be proud of and behaviour like this puts our service in jeopardy."

TAKING a little bit of Ibiza to Essex was the plan when all-day party FreQKlash came to Chelmsford. The events, which are usually held in Colchester, came to Widford industrial estate for the second time on Saturday, August 3.

Tucked amidst the estate just outside Chelmsford was a marquee housing world-renowned DJs playing sets to around 300 revellers.

Rob Harding, 31, from Braintree, is behind the event which was held in the same location last year. Mr Harding has organised events for eight years, first in Ibiza, then in London, and now in Essex.

He said: "We want to create that holiday atmosphere and something a bit different and there's a great atmosphere here.

"The house music scene is growing and I love the fact that the event is outside. It's a bit more specialist than a festival – a party rather than a rave," he added.

Running from noon until 9pm, the event was open to anyone over the age of 18 with a bar and dance area to enjoy the music.

Mr Harding's colleague Ollie Beavies, 20, from Witham, said: "It's a great way for people to get away from the TOWIE scene.

"Normally when you go out in Essex it's just people trying to show off how much money they have. No one is pretentious here – they are just here to have fun."

He added that after the daytime party the group moves into the heart of the city where they hold the after party from 9pm until 4am at The Loop in Tindal Street.

Joining the day's impressive line-up was celebrated Ibiza DJ Edu Imbernon, who regularly plays at Space nightclub with his high energy music.

He performed alongside Radio 1 DJs Jaymo and Andy George and Droog, who flew from LA especially for the event.

Stephen Shelley, 19, was one of those enjoying the event.

The Great Baddow resident said: "The music here is really good and it's so much better than a normal night out."

His friend, Molly Wise, 19, from Writtle, echoed his sentiment: "It's such a good day.

"I prefer this to a normal club night and came last year as well."

"It's sick," laughed Ashlie Linge, also 19, from Braintree.

PAUL GRAYSON has told his Essex side to be brave as they look to book a first Friends Life t20 finals day appearance since 2010.

The Eagles face North Group winners Nottinghamshire Outlaws at Trent Bridge tonight in the final quarter-final of this year's competition.

The winners will book the last spot at finals day, which is at Edgbaston on Saturday, August 17.

Victory would secure a fourth trip to finals day for the Eagles, who are the only side from the South Group never to win the competition.

And Grayson said: " It's a night for players to hold their nerve, trust each other and back their skills.

"We've got to be really brave and committed in everything we do.

"Everything's gone really well, we've had a couple of days of preparation since Friday night's game at the Oval, we trained well on Monday and Tuesday.

"We're looking forward to the game and in terms of our planning and preparation, everything is going really well."

Last year the Eagles came unstuck at this stage when they were beaten by Somerset by 27 runs at Taunton, and Grayson hopes to use that disappointment to help spur his side on this time around.

"Last year when we went down to Taunton we looked a bit timid in the way we played our cricket," he added.

"That team was very experienced, we had Alastair Cook and Ravi Bopara had just come back from a Test match against South Africa, and James Franklin as well.

"The balance of the side last year was as good as we could have wanted down at Taunton, but for one reason or another we didn't turn up and we didn't play well.

"Sometimes that can happen in T20 cricket, and sometimes you've got to give a bit of credit to the opposition.

"But if we focus all our efforts on what we're good at, then I'm sure the boys will put in a big performance."

Nottinghamshire have never won the competition, and this will be the first meeting between the two sides in the shortest form of the game.

Essex are underdogs for the tie against a side who are currently joint-favourites to win the title, but Grayson is comfortable with that tag – and knows that one individual performance on either side could swing the game.

"They're a good side," he added. "They topped the North Group, they've been very consistent and they're probably favourites to win the game.

"We can live with that, we're quite happy being underdogs in this game.

"They've got match-winners in both areas, really.

"You'd have to say their batting is their strongest suit, looking at the way they've gone about their business at the top of the order with [Alex] Hales and [Michael] Lumb, Samit Patel, James Taylor and David Hussey so they're a strong batting unit.

"But we know and they know that both sides have got match-winners. If one individual has an outstanding night that can turn the game."

SKIPPER Kenny Davis believes Braintree Town are in good shape ahead of their third season in the Conference Premier.

After finishing 12th in their first campaign in the top flight of non-league football, the Iron were even better last year, ending the season in an impressive ninth place.

Manager Alan Devonshire has managed to keep most of last season's squad together, and ahead of Saturday's season opener at Hereford United, Davis is feeling good.

"Pre-season has gone pretty well," he said. "We've got most of the boys back from last year which is always a good start, especially after such a good year last year. I'm looking forward to the new season.

"It's not the easiest start, but it's a good test for us. The first game is a bit hard to judge for everyone. It's a hard game, no doubt about that but it's a good game for us get started with."

Braintree welcome Woking to the Amlin Stadium on Tuesday night for their opening home game, but it was away from home where the Iron were most impressive last term.

They won ten of their 23 away games – compared to nine at home – a tally which was only bettered by four other Conference teams.

And Davis believes his side can be good on the road again as they continue to get to grips with life in the Conference.

He added: "In front of the bigger crowds and what not we seem to perform a bit better.

"We're hard to break down and always have a goal in us.

"It's been good on the road for us and I hope it will continue this year.

"I think we've adapted to it better. Every game is as tough as it was in the first two seasons, but I think we have learned to read the league a bit better.

"You have to adapt your game, there's some very good players in this league, it's a very strong league. It's going to be tough but I think we can have a good year again.

"As a player, you've always got to progress each year, I progressed last year and I want to do the same this year.

"You get better by playing against better players, you learn new ways to get around the pitch, show more intelligent play.

"I think I've got better, obviously I'm not the best player in the world but I've definitely improved."

Devonshire has insisted that 50 points is his main aim this season, but midfielder Davis believes that anything is possible in the division.

"It's the same for everyone," he added. "You've got to see what you can get on the board before Christmas and then realistically set your challenges from there.

"We go into every game wanting to win, but the important part for us is to get those 50 points ."

MARK HAWKES has told any club wanting to prise star striker Luke Callander away from Heybridge Swifts they are "wasting their time" as he prepares for the big kick-off.

Callander was the top scorer in the Ryman League Division One North last season, and was on target in Tuesday night's 2-2 draw with Chelmsford City.

The striker was impressive against the Conference South Clarets at Scraley Road, and Hawkes is happy to have held on to him.

"Luke's looking good," he said. "He's physically strong, holds the ball up well, he scores goals and we've got to get support around him.

"He played against two or three different centre-halves and was as strong if not stronger than defenders from two leagues above him.

"We're mates, we treat him correctly. With the job he does it would be very hard for him to step a league or two up.

"We have good agreements with each other, and it helps that we're mates as well. Clubs can come and keep tapping him up, but it's a waste of time."

Swifts – who are 6/1 favourites to win the title with Betway – kick off the season at Dereham on Saturday.

But Hawkes insists it will take ten games before he can judge where his side are going to be.

"You can't plan ahead," he said. "All managers will look on paper and be happy with the squad they're starting with, everyone's going to be in with a chance, but look at the table after ten games and you'll see the ones that are going to be at the top, the ones that are going to struggle and the ones in mid-table.

Hawkes has added a handful of new faces to complement the squad which just missed out on the play-offs last time out, but although he admits he is still looking to sign more, others will have to leave for that to happen.

He said: "We're pleased with pre-season, I tend to do my business at the start so we've had the same 18 or 19 players right from the beginning of pre-season up to now."

Swifts travel to face newly promoted Dereham on Saturday, and Hawkes is wary of the threat they will pose.

"They are a bit of an unknown quantity," he said. "In the last few years you've got to look at the likes of Lowestoft, Leiston, Wroxham last year, teams who have come up have always done well.

"It'll be a difficult game for both clubs, us obviously travelling two and a half hours up the road on the coach, it's not easy but it's got to be done."

AT least 60 potholes are blighting the streets of Billericay – and residents have had enough of the "dangerous" craters.

The total came to light this week when the Gazette went on a crater safari in the town centre and on its surrounding streets with former town councillor Terence Gandy.

Armed with a metre rule, Mr Gandy, of Norsey View Drive, totted up the potholes and measured the depths of the biggest ones we could find.

There were no fewer than five craters in Tylers Avenue, while at the junction of Orchard Avenue and Stock Road there was an 80cm gaping fissure in the road.

Perry Street was even worse, with ten potholes and near Mayflower School there were three in Stock Road.

There are 12 in Western Road and Frithwood Lane is also bad, with six potholes, one of which is a metre in length with a depth of 15cm.

Lynda Pattle, 65, lives nearby in First Avenue and has become increasingly frustrated

She said: "I complained last year about the Thrift Wood Lane potholes. They're so dangerous you can't swerve around them but some people may be inclined to."

Mr Gandy said: "At the moment when people complain to Basildon Council they are told to contact Essex County Council but the borough council should take proactive action and send out the people who deal with these complaints.

"They should drive around the town – much like I have – and keep up to date with the situation.

"They shouldn't have to wait for residents to complain."

He explained that children are encouraged to walk to Buttsbury Junior School and that they are endangered by the state of the pavements on Norsey View Drive.

"It was so hazardous it compromised their safety and of course it's dangerous to drivers too.

"If left they will only get worse – the council needs to take action now before the winter."

A Basildon Borough Council spokesman said: "Potholes are the responsibility of Essex County Council.

"In terms of tours, again, that would be Essex County Council who would do that, not us.

"It would not be appropriate for the council to organise tours, but we can lobby the county council on particular areas of concern, but that would normally be done through ward councillors."

An Essex County Council spokesman said: "The council recently updated its highways maintenance policy to provide a more consistent approach to road repairs across the county, and ensure that priority is given to roads which carry the highest traffic volumes.

"Repairs will be prioritised on County Routes, in order to allow the council to focus maintenance activity on the busiest roads.

"Those inspected and not identified as requiring an immediate repair will be considered as part of the county council's planned maintenance programme.

"The county council has an inspection programme for all roads – Priority 1 roads are inspected monthly, Priority 2 roads every three months, and Local Roads annually. However, to ensure we are able to identify potholes and defects for repair as quickly as possible, we ask residents to report them to us as soon as they see them."

IT'S not every day you get to come face to face with the heir to the throne, let alone sit on his arm.

Yet that's exactly what happened to one bird of prey from Billericay when Prince Charles visited a flower show last week.

In fact, bald eagle Zephyr behaved so well during her royal encounter that she was rewarded with a tasty diet of salmon for the next few days.

The two-year-old raptor lives at the Imperial Bird of Prey Academy at Barleylands Farm, in Barleylands Road, and she came across the Duke of Cornwall at Sandringham Flower Show in Norfolk on July 31.

She was present at the event in her capacity as mascot of the Army Air Corps.

Zephyr is owned by bird-lover Lisa Falco, whose surname incidentally means falcon in Latin.

The 38-year-old lives with her partner Andy Linford, 40, who also works for the Imperial Bird of Prey Academy.

Miss Falco took Zephyr on at the age of 16 weeks when she was already fully grown to a height of three feet and with an impressive wingspan of seven-and-a-half feet.

She explained how her bird became the mascot for the Army Air Corps.

"I first approached them as an idea and took her down to meet the committee with all the senior officers," she said.

"They loved her straight away and called the next day to say they would like her as their mascot.

"Since then she has attended everything from formal dinners, to recruitment events and memorial services."

The bird weighs 10lb but is very laid back and is used to being handled by lots of different people.

Reflecting on Zephyr's brush with royalty, Miss Falco said: "She was brilliant.

"As she backed off his arm she flapped her wings but Charles was great – very jovial.

"He offered to put his umbrella down so it didn't scare her.

"It was nerve-wracking but I am so proud of her.

"She had salmon for the two days after, a nice fly and then a few days of rest."

The proud owner added that the Army Air Corps has a special glove to hold Zephyr with in their colours.

Zephyr's daily routine involves two flights at the farm if she's not on a rest day which she has once or twice a week.

On her active days Zephyr eats quail, around two a day, depending on how much she is flying, and on her rest days she is treated to salmon.

The bald eagle is native to North America and, due to her breed, Zephyr will have a white head by the time she is five or six years old as well as white tail feathers and pale eyes.

Miss Falco added that in captivity they can live up to the age of 40.

Zephyr travels in to work at Barleylands with Miss Falco for around five days a week returning back to her home in Hadleigh each night.

Miss Falco has seven other birds which make up the 24 that are part of the Imperial Bird of Prey Academy.

"I have always loved birds since I can remember," she said.

"I started volunteering for a local guy and it started from there."

She added that her usually laid back bird has two things she cannot stand.

"She hates wheelbarrows and the new yellow hose but once she gets used to new things she is fine."

For more photographs of Zephyr, visit www.brentwoodgazette.co.uk

THE first bricks of the largest homes development project in Chelmsford's history are being laid.

Temporary traffic lights have been placed in front of the billion-pound Beaulieu Park extension as contractors build the junction that will link White Hart Lane to the 3,600-home neighbourhood.

The project – which will include a surgery, a 150-bed hotel, two primary schools, a secondary school, 220 acres of parkland, a 620,000sq ft business park, and a railway station – was first mooted by the late Countryside magnate Alan Cherry 26 years ago.

After decades of legal wrangling, work is finally under way on the development, which will create 9,000 jobs mainly in construction and at the business park.

City council leader Roy Whitehead said: "It has been a long wait given that we put together a document seven or eight years ago and had many public consultations, all of which went relatively smoothly. Now at last we are seeing development in Chelmsford.

"I am assured by colleagues that this is the biggest development Chelmsford has ever had.

"The roadworks will have to be completed before the main work begins, otherwise it will cause chaos. It is a very positive sign and one we've been waiting for.

"There will be disruption at White Hart Lane when work officially begins, but that is to be expected."

The junction will be completed by the end of August, so as not to clash with the new school term.

Construction of the homes is then set to begin early next year after all the "enabling" works are complete.

Countryside Properties director Anil Bungar, whose company is working alongside housing association L&Q, has been involved in the Beaulieu Park development for the past 13 years.

He said: "It is very exciting but it is a big project, which is why it has taken time to get to this stage.

"We were keen to ensure that disruption was minimised so we've carried out the work on the junction during the school holidays.

"We conferred with Essex County Council and Chelmsford City Council to make sure it is done as quickly and efficiently as possible."

Permission was granted to extend Beaulieu Park, near Springfield, at a city council planning meeting in November.

More than a quarter of the new homes will be classed as affordable housing.

Mr Bungar added: "I think a site like this does bring a lot of benefits, not just to Chelmsford but regionally as well: it creates an infrastructure for the community.

"It brings other benefits for Chelmsford; economically jobs are created.

"Development is very important. It brings much-needed new homes and affordable housing and other facilities, but also the boost that it gives to the economy.

"A spin-off for the area is all the jobs that are created, which improves the success of local businesses as a result."

Negotiations are currently under way between Countryside, the Highways Agency, Chelmsford City Council and Essex County Council to finalise the details before the main construction begins.

But the long-awaited £45 million Beaulieu Park rail station is unlikely to be running before 2020.

Although Countryside has permission to build the station, the obligation upon the developer does not extend to the necessary upgrades for signalling, passing loops and tracks in order for the additional service to ease congestion and improve services. Funding still needs to be found.

A WOMAN who lost her mother to a terrible muscle-wasting disease is taking on a 2,500 mile cycling challenge to raise funds for charity in her memory.

Beccy Roberts lost her mum Ellie in April 2012 to Motor Neurone Disease.

Mrs Roberts, 35, subsequently decided to support the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MND Association) by doing "something massive" to make a difference.

She decided to tackle a marathon cycle trip around the UK, peddling up to 100 miles a day.

On Sunday, she will set off from London's Trafalgar Square and finish 18 days later after touring the country.

The cyclist, who works in advertising, will be starting the penultimate day of her epic trip in Brentwood on August 27.

She invites other cyclists to join her on this day, starting from the high street.

"By the time I get to Essex I will probably be broken," she said.

"I wanted to go through Brentwood – I have friends there and know the area well and lots of them will be coming out to support me.

"I have cycled all over the county and it's a lovely area to cover."

After leaving London her route will take her down the south coast before travelling west to Cornwall, right across to Land's End, where she will then cycle to Bristol.

She will cut through Wales and continue north to Cumbria and Scotland cycling through the Highlands, around the Isle of Sky and up to the north of Scotland.

Mrs Roberts will then head down the east coast through to Newcastle.

Then her route will take her through Brentwood, then down to Dover and completing the route in Trafalgar Square.

She has been training hard and was cycling 450 miles a week, getting up at 5am to cycle the three and a half hours before work and three and a half after.

Help will be given during the trip in the form of her father, Will Roberts, 69, who will be providing the support car, a converted campervan, which he has put the logo MND Association logo on.

She said: "It's incredible how many people have been affected by the disease but how little is known about it – I wanted to make a noise.

"The disease is torturous for the person who has it and those around them.

"My husband has been very supportive and so has my father – he raised his eyebrow when he first heard what I was doing but he knows how serious I am about it now."

Mrs Roberts has set a fundraising target of £10,000 and is nearly half way there already.

To track Beccy Roberts' ride and to sponsor her on her journey visit www.becsbigbikeride.com