STUDENTS on a new course at the University of Essex have made their first venture into radio broadcasting.

The first year students on the multimedia journalism degree course made a programme on the EU Referendum for Colne Radio.

The journalism cohort interviewed leading figures from the Remain and Leave campaigns including Harwich and North Essex MP Bernard Jenkin and former Colchester MP Sir Bob Russell.

They also caught up with former Labour Foreign Secretary Lord Owen and MP Boris Johnson’s former economic adviser Dr Gerard Lyons when they spoke in the university’s EU Referendum debate.

The would-be journalists also interviewed comedian, actor and activist Eddie Izzard who was at the university as part of his Stand Up for Europe tour and the BBC's former political editor Nick Robinson.

The students' programme, Referendum, was broadcast by Wivenhoe-based Colne Radio on the internet.

Professor of Journalism and former BBC editor Jonathan Baker said students concentrate on the core craft skills of journalism in their first year, moving on to radio and television work in their second year.

He added: "When Colne Radio offered us the opportunity to make a programme for them tied to the EU referendum, it seemed too good a chance to miss. “The cohort has worked flat out learning the basics of radio reporting and editing, doing interviews, researching issues and putting this programme together. "It’s to their credit they’ve been prepared to tackle such an ambitious project at such a time and with such energy.”