A VETERAN TV presenter has been chosen as the next Cinque Port Deputy for Brightlingsea.

Naturalist Roger Tabor will represent the Lord Warden in the town for the coming year.

Mr Tabor, a renowned biologist who co-presented Animal Magic as well as presenting his own shows, was chosen by the Freemen of the port and given his chain of office during a ceremony at All Saints’ Church on Monday.

This year’s event was particularly prestigious as it was overseen by the current Lord Warden, Admiral Lord Boyce.

It was only the second time in more than 650 years the Lord Warden had attended the ceremony.

Although Mr Tabor only moved to Brightlingsea in 2004, his family have lived in the town for more than 400 years and his ancestor John Tabor was himself a Deputy at the end of the 18th century.

Mr Tabor, who has been an assistant to five Deputies in the past, said: “I am unbelievably honoured to have been only the second Deputy of the Cinque Port Liberty of Brightlingsea to have been chosen in the presence of a Lord Warden in more than 650 years. What a privilege.

“The presence of the Lord Warden and the Lord Lieutenant of Essex symbolises Brightlingsea’s position, still a historic Cinque Port yet within the county of Essex, a unique situation.”

The Cinque Ports were originally a group of towns that provided ships and men to defend England and ferry armies to fight in Europe.

Although not one of the original five ports, Brightlingsea, the only Cinque port north of the Thames, was attached to the town of Sandwich, Kent.

The mayor of Sandwich became head of Brightlingsea when it joined in around 1350 and was represented by the deputy with the position remaining today.

Mr Tabor has presented on Countryfile and authored many books about wildlife.