Coaches from the area scooped some of the top accolades at the Essex Sports Coach of the Year awards.

The ceremony, which took place at County Hall, Chelmsford, included a posthumous award for one of the county's leading figures in gymnastics, Frank Stevens.

Frank, a former chairman of the Essex Gymnasts Association, died from cancer on New Year's Eve, just three weeks after being diagnosed.

But his wife Joan was able to receive the award - for a coach who had made an outstanding contribution countywide to coaching in their sport - from Trevor Brooking.

Frank, from Colchester, was involved in coaching for 25 years, particularly with Stourdale Gymnastics Club, which until recently was based in Clacton.

He also coached Essex gymnasts and at the regional championships, Essex won 16 times in the 18 years he was in charge.

Wife Joan said: "It was fully deserved. We took some of the children from the club and we had a lovely evening. They treated us really well.

"It was obviously a very sad night for me. I could feel the tears welling up when I collected the award."

As an added bonus, the Stourdale club has now found new premises after it was forced to leave Clacton's Highfields Holiday Park. The club will now be based in Great Bentley.

In the category for coaches coaching individual performers, Colchester Swimming Club's Ian Johnson was triumphant.

He has been coaching for 15 years, is a county official and also lectures on sports science at Essex University.

Much of his work has involved coaching the Disability Sport England Regional swimming team with competitors who have progressed to world level.

Coaching Tendring Technology College's successful volleyball team to become English champions helped Mark Harris win his award.

He won the category for teachers coaching in schools.

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