Jodie Halford

Customers are demanding transparency from Chelmsford City Racecourse after months of delays in refunds for cancelled events. Steve Austin says he paid £300 for four tickets and was promised repayment within 28 days, but remains unpaid. The delays follow the administration of tenant Great Leighs Estates Limited, which left the racecourse without its main revenue source and reportedly resulted in unpaid staff. A proposed agreement involving Arena Racing Company, the racecourse and freeholder Moulsham Hall Estates could allow racing to resume, subject to a British Horseracing Authority licence, while the venue continues to face scrutiny over previous crowd-management failures.

Pupils from Dedham Church of England Primary School are raising concerns about pollution in the River Stour after water sampling revealed poor quality. Working with local climate charity PACE, the children carried out riverfly monitoring to detect pollution and plan to write to MP Bernard Jenkin urging action on road runoff from the nearby A12. Teachers and charity representatives emphasized the importance of environmental education, while the Environment Agency welcomed citizen science initiatives and highlighted multiple sources of water contamination.

Children from Dedham Church of England Primary School in Essex partnered with local climate charity PACE to investigate pollution in the River Stour, finding significant deterioration in water quality. The pupils expressed concern about the impact on wildlife and the local landscape and plan to write to MP Bernard Jenkin requesting action on road run-off from the A12. PACE supported the sampling using riverfly monitoring to detect ecological health, while the Environment Agency acknowledged the value of citizen science and highlighted multiple contributors to water quality issues alongside new regulatory powers under the Water Act.

Water safety sessions run by Swim England and the RNLI are described as essential following nine heatwave-related deaths in May. A deputy headteacher in Frinton-on-Sea says the lessons are crucial for coastal children gaining independence. Pupils report learning practical survival techniques, while Tendring District Council highlights the importance of the courses and beach patrols, which responded to multiple incidents during the recent heatwave. Public sessions will be available during the school summer holidays.