Tendring Council has become one of the first in this country to place on a beach a special type of matting so people  previously restricted to  the prom, just aching to be like others in this rare summer, can go onto a beach.

I am utterly speechless over the great thought, depth in planning, then putting it all together so people like me, who daily use manual or powered chairs, can for once experience the sheer joy of getting onto a beach.

Let’s not forget people with pushchairs, the elderly with frames and the elderly who find walking on sand to be a very difficult. 

The beach in question is half way from Clacton Pier to Holland on Sea, across the road from First Avenue. It even has a cafe.

Tendring Council has even put the cherry on the cake and gone and added palm trees to the area. Eat your heart out south of France!

Ian Taylor is the council officer who oversaw the project from start to finish.

But let’s add thanks to all councillors who gave the green light for this project. Some no doubt looked at costings, but how do you value anything that transforms lives.

Later the council is hoping to add buggies for disabled people transfer from their chair to a floating sea buggy.

I would love to see my assistance dog’s face as I float beside him in the sea.

Barry O’Connell
Clacton

  • Brexiters must be accountable

Instead of his tasteless, personal attack on Jo Hayes, Stephen Scrase (Letters, July 20) should have explained how the Leave campaign’s promises can be fulfilled. 

These include:

1. “The £350million per week cost of EU membership will go to the NHS after Brexit.” The true weekly cost to the UK is far less than this.  

2. “The lost EU subsidies to UK farmers will be paid by UK taxpayers.” These amount to about 50 per cent of farmers’ income. 

3. “The lost EU subsidies to UK universities will be paid by UK taxpayers.” These amount to 15 per cent extra funding from EU above UK government funding and a substantial additional amount for  research and development. 

4. “The UK economy will thrive outside the EU.” Unlike some other EU countries, we have vast trade deficits with EU countries and with non EU countries. 

The resulting large annual budget deficits are balanced by government borrowing. 

As for “new-found liberty and independence”, the EU’s manufacturing standards give us good trade access to non EU countries’ markets. 

When seeking trade deals with India or China, we will still have to accept conditions that affect our access to their markets.  

We will not want manufactured goods from India or China that are inferior to those of the EU. 

Stephen Scrase says  “go out and make it work”. Knowing the above, tell us how? 

From his letter, he seems not to fully understand the consequences of Brexit on the UK. 

The Leave campaign must be accountable when their promises to voters are not fulfilled.

Bob Curry 
Abbeygate Street, Colchester

  • Councillor should be open-minded

I HAVE to respond to councillor Delyth Miles’ comment regarding the Tendring Council planning committee’s approval for apartments for disabled adults on the former Martello caravan park in Walton.

My family are thrilled this is going to happen and saddened to read the councillor claims there is no such need for any facility.

I am a mother of two young disabled men who have lived locally all of their lives in the Kirby area and have been waiting for a possible chance to move in to their own apartment in this area for many years.

We have been told time and time again by social services and also housing brokers there are no available such places and certainly the closest possible homes are in Clacton. For a disabled young vulnerable adult, it is too far away.

Additionally she claims the infrastructure, such as GP services, will not cope.

Not all disabled people are unhealthy and need a lot of medical care and many hardly use the surgeries at all. 

The GP surgeries will be far more stretched with all the new proposed housing in the area.

It would be appreciated if the local councillor was more open-minded.

Julie Cottee
Thorpe Road Kirby Cross

  • My wallet had a guardian angel

I WOULD like to express my heartfelt thanks to the lady who found my lost wallet, while I was out hunting for it, and returned it to my wife at our home. 

My wife was lost for words and I am deeply moved by the kindness and consideration of my anonymous guardian angel.

Tom Hewitt
Collingwood Road, Colchester