A SPONSORED row has raised thousands for a lifeboat crew in Essex.

Maldon Little Ship Club's sponsored row raised £9,000 which was presented to representatives from the West Mersea Lifeboat at the commodore's reception this weekend.

John Roger, the organiser of the event thanked the crews for their efforts in collecting the cash and announced a new charity event scheduled for January 2014.

He said "The sport of coastal rowing is growing in popularity along the East Coast and a gig race will add another element of interest and excitement to the traditional event which has provided family entertainment on the waterfront for over 35 years during the Christmas holiday."

Rick Boreham, the Deputy Launching Officer of the West Mersea Lifeboat, was presented with the cheque and confirmed that the money would go towards the new West Mersea Lifeboat due in 2014.

David Hiller, manager of Fellowship Afloat Charitable Trust also received over £700, the proceeds of the Commodore's Charity which was raised from a number of charity events held over the last 12 months.

MOULSHAM High School pupils were overjoyed to welcome a couple of reality TV stars to their school talent show.

Stevie Johnson and Andy Jordan better known as the new boys on hit E4 show, Made in Chelsea, made a guest appearance much to the delight of the pupils.

They judged over 16 acts and crowned Year 8 pupil, Katy Forkings, the winner who sang Don't Rain on My Parade.

Andy Jordan, 24, said: "It was well worth the trip, Stevie and I were blown away by the talent."

The night included singers, dancers and musicians playing the piano, guitar and ukelele and raised over £625 for Little Havens Hospice, on March 26.

Third place was awarded to Year 7, Matt Foster, who played the piano, second place was Year 12, Caitlin Hands, who sang Skyfall by Adele, and were also judged by head teacher Mr Farmer and the school's Head of Music, Miss Ibbotson.

Victoria Marven, 18, from Chelmsford, who secured the guest appearances of Stevie and Andy on the night said: "When I contacted Stevie and he said he would like to do it, and bring Andy, I honestly couldn't believe it, they were brilliant, such stars."

Compere and co-organiser, Zoe Nicholson, 17, from Chelmsford hailed the event a "wonderful night."

"When months of hard work and dedication go into an event, it is always so great to see it pay off, which it definitely did with the school talent show."

A TEAM of four pupils from Hylands School in Chelmsford has made it through to the regional finals of a foreign language contest.

Eloise Berry, 12, Beth Walker, 12, Will Ireton, 13, and 13-year-old Jack Manning impressed judges with their two dialogues in either French or Spanish which they had learnt to speak fluently for the Have Your Say competition.

They now go forward to the next round to be held in Colchester in May where they will compete alongside schools from across the eastern region.

Will said: "It was a great feeling to be selected for the regional finals, I am so pleased for me and the others to be going to the next round."

Head of languages at Hylands, Maria de Purdi, said: "They are such fantastic students, who have put in so much hard work. They are a credit to the school and to their teachers who have helped them. We hope they will be successful in the finals in Colchester later in the year."

Two other students, James Adams and Karine Mercadal St Clair, both 15, also took part in the competition and received commendations.

GREATER Anglia has experienced its best ever month for train punctuality.

More than 93 per cent of all trains were on time in March, according to bosses of the service, which was taken over by Dutch owner Abellio in February 2012.

The latest figures bring the operator's overall average to a new high of 92.3 per cent – the best figure recorded for the East Anglia franchise area since it was introduced in 2004.

The news comes after Abellio was also named Train Operator of the Year at the annual Rail Business Awards for 2012 for punctuality, customer service and station improvements in March – despite being named the second worst operator in the country in a poll of 7,500 passengers in February.

Ruud Haket, managing director of Greater Anglia, said: "Our relentless focus on delivering better train service punctuality is positively reflected in these latest performance statistics.

"Once more, the alliance with Network Rail and the increased reliability of our fleet of trains has helped to achieve an excellent four-week period of performance and the best-ever annual average punctuality across the Greater Anglia network.

"However, both we and our customers are looking for even higher standards and even greater consistency.

"We will therefore continue to work closely with our colleagues at Network Rail, focusing on further improvements for our customers and the region we serve."

Greater Anglia claims to have consistently delivered improvements in train punctuality since taking over the franchise in February last year.

It says the improvements reflect the "alliance" the train operator has established with Network Rail to drive up reliability levels and deliver a better service for customers.

The partnership has developed new contingency plans which it says are helping to ensure the service can recover more quickly following disruptions.

This joint strategy has resulted in most weekends this year being free from disruptive engineering work, so passengers can enjoy weekend days out to and from London without the need to travel part of the way on a replacement bus, something many complained about last year.

The operator says weekends are now clear of disruptive engineering work on the line for the rest of the year, apart from one Sunday in early October.

Rail users will be travelling on Greater Anglia trains for at least another two years, after its franchise was extended at the end of March.

The short-term franchise was meant to expire in July 2014.

A KIND-HEARTED businessman has replaced the tools used by a family and a community group after they were stolen from their allotment.

Tarnia Riches, 32, and her family were left devastated last November when thieves stole a collection of adult and children's gardening tools from their allotment, for which they waited for six years.

But not only were the tools used on the family's precious allotment space but they were also crucial to the community gardening group that Tarnia attends with her friend and group organiser, Vicki Gandy.

The women are volunteers at the Braintree Growers group, which is run by Vicki and based at the Carousel Centre in Chapel Hill, where they work on a wildlife garden for children.

Despite having cheap, plastic spades for the youngsters, they relied on the pair's adult spades to do the majority of the work and were down to just one after the theft.

But after James Brant, the manager of the Vision Express store in Bank Street, read about the incident in the Essex Chronicle, he wanted to help.

"I'm trying to bring the community back in Braintree," he said. "I come from such a small town and I'm trying to replicate that community in Braintree.

"I read about what happened and it's horrible for them to have to get there and find that it's all gone. They are only trying to help the kids out, and being that we are a bigger company we have the option to help them."

James raised £250 for Tarnia to spend at B&Q to replace the tools necessary for her family and for the group to function.

"It meant a lot," said Tarnia. "Obviously, we couldn't afford to replace what we had lost and we would have had to give up our allotment.

"When we need spades for the group we will take them along.

"It's nice to see that there are still nice people about and that they want to do something for somebody they have never met."

The money bought a second-hand shed with a secure lock, replacement spades, forks and seeds and plants, as well as new children's equipment.

Vicki added: "Vision Express's support is fantastic news for our group and will enable us to continue our work in our area.

"I'd like to thank James and the team at Vision Express for their kind contribution. We can now continue with our projects and workshops for the local community to enjoy."

GALLOPING horses with fearless jockeys raced in front of thousands of spectators on the warmest day of the year so far.

The annual point-to-point in High Easter, near Chelmsford – held on the same day as the Grand National – was met with brilliant sunshine.

About 4,000 spectators gathered on Saturday to place their bets and watch the amateur racers gallop around the three-mile course.

The event, now in its 21st year, always draws a crowd but this year was particularly well attended.

Among those enjoying the day out was Lorraine Page, 45, from Great Totham, and her sons Jack and Harry, aged 12.

She said: "This is the first year we've come here.

"We got the tickets from my boss, so it's new to us but it's been great."

Nick Church, 25, from Thaxted, came to the point-to-point with a group of friends.

He had been unsuccessful with his bets so far but was keeping his fingers crossed for the Grand National which was shown on a big screen at the event between races.

He said: "We try to come here every year with a group of us. It's always good fun."

Emma Millroy, who travelled al the way from York, had been more lucky with her bets and had picked the winner in the ladies open race.

She said: "I only put on a pound though so don't think it will be very much."

The afternoon of seven races included two pony races which kicked off the event at 1pm and were followed by the horses.

The first and second race saw ponies with junior jockeys aged nine to 15.

Simon Marriage, who organises the event with the Essex Hunt, said: "There is a good number here today and that has been helped by the weather.

"We also have 64 horses competing, the highest number in ten years – this is helped by the fact that the ground is just right.

"It has been soft and now it's drying out. In other years it's been hard or too soft so hasn't been in such a good condition as today."

FOUR people were hurt when a bus collided with a car before ploughing into a block of flats.

Hazel Stonehouse, 71, who lives in a ground floor flat in St Michael's Court, Braintree, was at home on Monday afternoon when she heard what she thought was a bomb exploding.

"There was this horrendous bang – like a bomb going off," said the grandmother-of-nine.

"I shot up and I looked out of my window and I could just see a bus embedded in the wall."

Fortunately, the bus, which was carrying three First bus drivers, struck the building at such an angle that it only damaged the building's empty service room, narrowly avoiding Hazel's flat.

The three bus drivers and the driver of the car, a VW Golf, all sustained minor injuries.

"It was such a horrendous noise and the windscreen of the bus had been thrown to outside my window," said Hazel. "We all had to be herded out."

But Hazel's friend and neighbour, Vicky Clark, was at her daughter's house nearby when she heard about the crash. Fearing for her friend's safety she rushed back to see if Hazel was OK.

"My granddaughter called to see if I was OK. I kept saying, 'Hazel, Hazel, I have got to see Hazel,'" she said.

Much to Vicky's relief, Hazel and all the other residents were fine.

Another resident, Lisa Pilcher, 24, was returning home from work when she saw the crash.

"As I rounded the corner I could see blue lights," she said.

"Then I could see the bus and I thought, 'oh that looks a bit close to the building.'

"As I got closer I thought, 'no, that's in the building.

"It was a bit of a shock."

The bus collided with the car at the Notley Road junction.

FirstGroup spokesman Andrew Wheeler said: "There were three people on board – two of which were taken to hospital with minor injuries and the other was a bit shaken. Thankfully there were no major injuries."

A police spokesperson said: "There was a collision with a First Essex bus and a blue VW Golf in St Michael's Road at 4.30pm on Monday.

"We understand that four people sustained minor injuries and the bus was recovered at 7.30pm.

"We are investigating the circumstances behind it."

PLANS are afoot to transform Brentwood's ugly gateway into an enticing entrance to the borough's leafy streets and roads.

Ever since the M25 was completed in 1986 the most westerly part of the borough has been more readily recognised for its dilapidated buildings, large expanses of grey concrete and litter caught in overgrown and unkempt vegetation.

For years the Brook Street roundabout has been a blot on the borough's landscape. Motorists' first impressions are marred by the overwhelming feeling of arriving in a forgotten corner of the Soviet Union.

But now the Brentwood Gazette is teaming up with Brentwood Borough Council to help give Brook Street a much-needed makeover.

Some of the ideas that could renovate not just the roundabout itself, but the sides of Brook Street close to the Holiday Inn hotel, include inviting schools to design a new look, sponsoring the roundabout and using volunteers to clear up litter and plant new trees.

"The first sight of Brentwood for motorists leaving the M25 at Junction 28 is something of an eyesore," said Councillor Ann Coe, ward councillor for the area, "and it's time for a clean-up."

Money from her ward budget is to be spent on giving the M25 gateway to Brentwood a spruce-up.

Other ideas have come flooding in from the town's Chamber of Commerce chairman Clive Othen, who advocates better signs promoting the borough's medieval market history.

For several years the cottages adjacent to the Shell garage have epitomised Brentwood's drab westerly entrance.

But the borough council is unaware of who owns the semi-detached properties, believing them to be in private ownership.

"The cottages just off the Brook Street roundabout are looking very dilapidated and the owners need to tidy them up," Councillor Coe said.

"They have been vandalised and there is too much litter lying about.

"The image visitors, and our residents see on exiting the roundabout is appalling and I would really like this area to be more pleasing to the eye."

Councillor Coe is not the only person who is distressed by the condition of the area, and is hoping to involve local people from her ward in a community clean-up day.

"My local primary school head teacher thought that the children may be involved at some point, litter-picking or planting daffodil bulbs ready for next year.

"I have applied for funding through my ward budget, and will be also looking elsewhere for sponsorship to get this area cleaned up.

"If you would like to help in our efforts, please do get in touch."

A borough council spokesman added: "The cottages are not owned by Brentwood Borough Council.

"We assume the cottages are in private ownership but we don't know who owns them.

"The land and surrounding land is the responsibility of Essex County Council. We are aware though that the area is one of the main routes to enter the borough and we have in the past raised the issue of illegal parking on the land with SEPP (South Essex Parking Partnership) and Essex County Council. We are happy to enter into discussion with any other parties about how the area can be improved."

KEITH Parker, chairman of Brentwood Borough Council's highways panel, says the redundant part of Brook Street that forms a cul-de-sac next the Shell garage needs special attention.

The area is often used for long-term parking, as a layover point for HGVs and also for vehicle maintenance.

It is currently protected by a Prohibition of Waiting Order, meaning drivers will be ticketed if caught parking, but the council admits only minimal enforcement can be provided with the number of wardens.

Councillor Parker said: "This has been on our radar for some time.

"The first thing we need to do is sort out the cottages, which have now been bought.

"Maybe we should have bought them ourselves, but it was always the feeling that no-one was ever going to buy them.

"The problem is more and more people use it as a lay-by. What we could do is put bollards in to stop people parking down there but that is now not going to work while the cottages are in private hands because the owners have a right to access."

IT'S time for action, says Clive Othen, chairman of Brentwood Chamber of Commerce.

He wants schools across the borough to come up with their own ideas to transform the Brook Street roundabout.

Mr Othen said there was a plethora of measures that could be undertaken to make sure Brentwood keeps Brook Street beautiful.

Mr Othen, who lives in Oliver Road, Shenfield, told the Gazette: "At the end of the day it is a large motorway junction but something has to done to make it better than it is at the moment.

"First of all I would very much like to see better signage advertising the town.

"We have a good selling point with Brentwood being an ancient market town and we could even have brown signs advertising the its history at the junction.

"That would really help Brentwood and its plans for a bigger market.

"We've been talking to the council and we really want to promote Brentwood through its market history."

Mr Othen, a father of three, said he would also like to see schools involved, not just by taking part in council-organised litter picks, but by maybe taking part in a competition to design a new landscape for the area and their ideas how to improve the area.

"I don't know how practical it would be but we could even get sponsorship for the roundabout to help pay for its continued upkeep," said Mr Othen, the chamber chair since May 2011.

A HIGHWAYS Agency spokesman said: "With bigger roundabouts like Brook Street it's about the costs.

"We have to make sure that the signs are of a right specificity and that can start to increase the costs and make the whole plan unprofitable and not worthwhile.

"Safety for both road users and road workers is a top priority, and clearing litter from along the carriageway can put workers at risk.

"We have a routine programme for litter and vegetation clearance and are next due to be at the M25 junction 28 at the end of April.

"In the meantime we ask road users to play their part.

"Litter isn't just unsightly – it can cause accidents, block drains and present a danger to wildlife. The agency estimates that it costs £10 million of taxpayers' money each year to collect litter from motorways.

"This money could be far better spent on priorities such as road maintenance and safety improvements.

"We all have a part to play in tackling roadside litter – bag it, bin it!"

A UNIVERSITY student who hacked a woman's e-mails and posted naked photos of her on her Facebook page has escaped a prison sentence.

William Wooles, 20, of The Close, in Great Dunmow, was studying at Leeds University when he hacked into the e-mails of a 20-year-old student in Manchester.

He then sent an e-mail saying he had found some "interesting" things on her account – and wanted to see more intimate images, Manchester Crown Court heard last Thursday.

The victim had previously sent private images to her then boyfriend but they remained in her sent items box.

Wooles, who did not know the victim, e-mailed her in May last year, threatening to publish the photos online if she did not send him intimate images.

A third e-mail from Wooles said: "Sorry, this could have been avoided if you just sent me what I asked for?" – but it appeared in her spam and she did not see it before it was too late.

The victim logged on to her Facebook account, which boasts 1,000 followers and to her horror, she saw a number of naked pictures of her posted on her profile page.

Wooles, who also targeted another woman, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to two offences of blackmail and two offences of computer misuse.

He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, but suspended for two years, for the blackmail offences and one year, suspended for 12 months, for each computer misuse offence, all to run concurrently. He was also ordered to complete 150 hours of community service, given a restraining order not to contact victims, a forfeiture order and destruction order for the laptop.

After discovering the images on her Facebook page the victim contacted Greater Manchester Police, who traced Wooles to Leeds University by his computer IP address. Officers arrested him in his halls of residence.

Detective Constable Ian Wrench said: "Wooles' offences of blackmail were a disgusting betrayal of two girls' most private intimate moments.

"We can all imagine the emotional damage, not to mention embarrassment, of having private images posted all over your Facebook page from loved ones and friends to see.

"Thankfully, the first victim had the bravery to not suffer in silence and come and speak to us. Without her courage Wooles might have been able to threaten more victims and continue this computer-aged blackmail.

"What this case does highlight is the need for careful consideration of people's online passwords. Wooles worked out people's passwords via information available to anyone on the internet.

"Everyone needs to be aware that security question answers are sometimes easily guessed and it is imperative that people use the highest standards of care when choosing passwords."

The Chronicle tried to speak to Wooles and his family, but they refused to comment.

A MAN from Braintree is being sought by police for a suspected break-in at a house.

James Zammutt-Cook, 21, is also known as James Zammutt, James Cook and Cookie.

Police are trying to trace Mr Zammutt-Cook, who was last known to be living in The Yard, and are asking for the public's help in doing so.

He is wanted in connection with a burglary, which happened on April 5 in Mount Road, Braintree.

The house was broken into between 10.30am and 12.45pm and the burglar got in by climbing through a window. Jewellery and personal medication were stolen.

Mr Zammutt-Cook is known to have other links to the district, including in Halstead, Braintree, Witham, Silver End and the Chelmsford areas.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to call Detective Sergeant Becky Young at Braintree CID on 101, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Animal rights campaigners crowded the entrance to Chelmsford city centre's Ladbrokes.

Staff at the betting shop called police, but they told Ladbrokes "everyone has the right to a peaceful protest".

The three people from Essex Animal Defenders, who usually protest at circuses and fur shops, were handing-out leaflets protesting against horse racing in the High Street from about 11.30am to 2pm.

"We have those who have the hump with us and tell us to get a job," said campaigner Marcia Hagon, from Romford.

"But that's the gamblers being defensive and shows we're probably teaching them something. But people believe what they want to and anything that goes against their beliefs they just don't want to hear about."

Marcia added: "One girl went away and came back and said 'no, I am not going to bet any more'."

They claim another woman said "all the more to eat" when she was told two horses had died at the Aintree meeting before the Grand National started.

PARENTS and governors are campaigning for a 20mph speed limit outside the gates of their school – before a child gets killed.

Campaigners also want a footpath built near Chipping Ongar Primary School to stop children having to walk out into busy Greensted Road.

The pavement on the school's side ends at Jewson, forcing youngsters to cross over several times or brave traffic and walk on the road.

Governor Professor Keith Snow has been trying to get a path built at the site but to no avail. The 69-year-old, of Coopers Mews, said: "I have been trying for almost a year but everyone I speak to just seems to pass the buck.

"The lack of a path is a danger to the children and a danger to parents who walk them into school because the traffic doesn't go slowly.

"The children, and their younger siblings who are walking in with their parents, are forced to walk in the road or cross the road over and over again.

"The council said they can't do anything as it's not their land and Jewson don't seem to want to do anything so I don't know whose problem it is.

"People's safety is at risk, there have already been a few near-misses on the road so hopefully something will be done before anything happens."

Many have also complained about the speed at which cars travel down the road and past the school.

Prof Snow said: "The speed limit is 30mph but drivers seem to go a bit faster than that. It would be safer if it was a 20 as it goes right past the school.

"The road is a 60mph limit until just before the school, meaning people don't always slow down in time."

The Gazette's Safety at Schools campaign has long backed parents' concerns about speeding drivers.

Prof Snow added: "It's great news that the Gazette is getting involved. Safety at Schools will bring much needed attention to the problem."

Claire Bodiam, 40, of Ongar, a member of pressure group Ongar Mums, said: "The Ongar Mums would like to see the pavement outside Jewson improved. Greensted Road is busy and having to cross it twice makes it even more dangerous.

"Many of our children are affected on a daily basis just walking there."

Epping Forest District Councillor Paul Keska said: "We are aware that there is a problem with speeding along the road, this has already been raised at a Highways Panel meeting.

"We are looking at putting flashing 30mph signs onto the road and would definitely support any speed restriction, as any speed limit near schools is a good thing.

"We can't do anything without Essex County Council but we have raised concerns."

"In regards to the path, we have been told that there isn't enough room for a modern pavement at Jewson. We have looked into having the building removed, as I believe it is empty, but we have been told that it may be listed but I can't see how that is the case."

When drivers reduce speed to 20mph, the likelihood of a hit pedestrian dying decreases dramatically.

Essex County Council, which is responsible for the road, said that there have been no reported near-misses.

A spokesman said: "20mph zones may be considered on non-county routes in areas where a high volume of non-motorised road users may be expected, such as in a residential area, near a school, near a local shopping area, or in special environments where the character of the carriageway and use of the area demands a reduction in speed.

"Any proposal from the community should be raised through their local Highway Panel. These panels are responsible for making recommendations and setting priorities for Highways schemes in the local areas."

On the issue of extending the 30mph zone further away from the school gates, the authority added: "This could be considered if it meets Essex County Council policy."

Jewson could not be reached for comment as the Gazette went to press.

A CELEBRITY rehab boss now faces an anxious wait over his career after a tribunal considering his place in the nursing profession has been postponed for the second time.

Brendan Quinn, 37, who is accused of failing to ensure the safety of vulnerable patients at The Causeway Retreat, on Osea Island, must now wait until summer to have his hearing completed, despite sitting for almost 30 days before the Midwifery Council.

The psychiatric nurse, whose clients included Amy Winehouse and Mark Owen, is alleged to have falsely claimed he was a doctor and allowed mentally ill patients to be admitted to the Maldon retreat when the centre was not able to provide proper care.

The panel has so far heard from a number of witnesses including former staff and patients.

Nurse Jane Denet described how Quinn had discharged a patient midway through treatment for 'personal reasons'.

"It went against everything I believed as a nurse," she said.

"Even now it makes me quite tearful that the client was treated so badly and I was a part of it.

"I was upset by the reason he was being asked to leave, the fact that it was personal."

It is claimed Mr Quinn also continued to provide services from the centre even though it was refused registration as a care home, the Nursing and Midwifery Council heard.

But after sitting for a total of 27 days during November last year and March and April this year, the hearing was adjourned until August 5.

Mr Quinn, from Lewes, was the manager of Twenty 7 Management, the company in charge of running the £10,000-a-week retreat on Osea Island.

He was one of the founders of the clinic, which was shut down in 2010 after an investigation.

Many celebrity guests stayed at the island retreat which can only be accessed via boat or helicopter.

Mr Quinn, who has attended the central London hearing, denies all the allegations.

Police are appealing for information following a traffic collision in Burnham on Crouch.

Officers were called to the scene after two cars, a silver Ford Focus and a grey VW Polo, were involved in a collision at Burnham Road at about 2.40pm yesterday.  

The driver of the Focus, a man in his 70s, was taken by air ambulance to Queens Hospital Romford. The other driver was taken to Broomfield Hospital. The injuries were not thought to be serious and both men were taken to hospital for check-ups as a precaution.

 The road was closed until about 5.40pm while initial investigations were carried out and the vehicles were recovered.

 Any witnesses who have not yet contacted police should call the investigating officer Pc Chris Allen at Chelmsford response unit on 101.

A LOCAL zoo teamed up with Chelmsford residents to raise vital funds for a little boy who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of one.

Six-year-old Bailey Holden is a popular child who never lets his illness get the better of him, and is always seen with a smile on his face. Described as an inspirational little boy, Bailey has a team of supportive volunteers who organised the fundraising event to raise money to buy him a special car seat.

Due to his illness, Bailey often suffers from seizures which make traveling by car very dangerous. The £2000 seat will allow him to travel more safely.

At the event, which was held on April 5 in Keene Hall in Chelmsford, arts and crafts, a bouncy castle and a visit from two of Tropical Wings Zoo's most popular animals entertained Bailey and his friends. The day was a great success raising£1,400 towards the cost of Bailey's special car seat.

Tropical Wings zookeeper Katie Bean attended the event and brought along her furry friends, Coco and Tillie. The two hand-reared ring-tailed Coatis, which originate from South America, provided a lot of fun for the children, with event organiser Clare Murrell saying the animals were the highlight of the day.

Clare, whose daughter Ruby is in the same class as Bailey at Mildmay Infants and Nursery School, said: "We are so grateful to Tropical Wings Zoo for coming along and supporting Bailey. He is such a happy little boy who has an army of friends and the children were delighted to play with the Coatis. It was great to see them having so much fun.

She added: "We would like to thank Tropical Wings and all the other volunteers for their help and support. The tea party was a great success and everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves."

Zookeeper Katie said: "I was delighted to have been invited to Bailey's tea party. Tropical Wings always wants to support the local community wherever possible, and this was such a worthwhile cause. It was fantastic to see him interacting with the animals and having so much fun."

Plans for a disused historic pub do not include those it to be kept as a drinking establishment – according to plans submitted to Brentwood Borough Council.

The Bull, a Grade II-listed building in Church Street, Blackmore, has been empty for two and a half years but residents have now been shown plans submitted by its current owner Sheila Pickering who wants to reconfigure the pub's layout and build two cottages in the garden.

Ms Pickering says the plans provide for the retention of the public house, fulfilling its purpose and function within the village and local community.

But in applying for what it can be used for, a long list of options have been included, but its use as drinking establishment has not been.

The 1975 extensions that comprise the rear above cellar and the WC, as well as the rear extension will be demolished which will bring the building back to how it was originally laid out at the rear.

Currently this is underused as a cellar, and Ms Pickering believes this detracts from the "character and architectural integrity of the listed building"

Also proposed is the single story open store at the end of the kitchen range.

Equally controversial are the plans to build a pair of semidetached cottages in the beer garden.

Their gardens will extend to the rear, as far as the public house car park. There will be no parking at the front. There will be pedestrian access only through a picket fence.

Even before plans were formally submitted, Blackmore residents were desperately keen for new owners to come forward to take it on as a pub or restaurant.

Villagers say the pub, which dates back to 1365, has always been at the heart of the community and are desperate to see it re-opened.

A campaign supported by hundreds of signatories has been launched to ensure its continued use as a pub.

One of Essex's largest family owned and managed hotels has announced that it has adopted the local Saint Francis Hospice as its charity of the year.

The announcement came at the launch of a new afternoon tea offering from the De Rougemont Manor Hotel in Brentwood as it celebrated 45 successful years of meeting and greeting guests from around the world.

Speaking at the launch of their new daily afternoon tea menu Davine Laybourne, director of the hotel said: "We are delighted to announce that we will be supporting such a worthy local cause over the next year.

"My father was cared for by the team of doctors and nurses at Saint Francis Hospice so we know what a great job they do caring for the terminally ill and providing comfort to family and friends at really stressful times in people's lives."

Throughout the year the De Rougemont Manor Hotel will support the hospice by making collections, providing facilities and promotion for hospice fundraising events.

Also at the launch of the new Afternoon Tea offering from the 4 star hotel was the Mayor of Brentwood, Councillor Ann Coe.

She said: "It's lovely to find a place that serves a delightful afternoon tea in such beautiful surroundings. I'm a regular visitor to the hotel and even held my wedding reception here 18 months ago so I know how well all the Hilton family and staff at the De Rougemont Manor Hotel do in providing excellent customer service and setting high standards.

"I'm also very pleased to hear that the De Rougemont Manor Hotel will be supporting our local Saint Francis Hospice over the coming year. They do so much invaluable work for people with life-limiting illnesses and their families across the borough of Brentwood."

Lynda Head, community fundraising manager at Saint Francis Hospice said: "I'm always a sucker for a traditional afternoon tea so am very happy to be here to celebrate the launch of this lovely new offering from the De Rougemont Manor and thank the owners Jason, Davine and Vicky for generously agreeing to support our fundraising efforts over the coming year."