Children are dispelling the blues while their dads are away fighting in Afghanistan by writing them special air mail letters, called blueys.

Montgomery Junior School, on Baronswood Way, has set up a writing club to help children write letters to relatives serving with Colchester's 16 Air Assault Brigade.

Three quarters of the school's 190 pupils are from military families, and more than 35 children attend the weekly writing club, which was set up by teaching assistants Debbie Farmer and Natalie Launder.

Full story in today's Gazette.