A NEW visitor guide has been launched to promote the River Crouch in a bid to boost tourism on the Dengie.

The River Crouch Coastal Community Team, which was set up at the end of last year, created the map and guide to help attract visitors.

It offers information on nearby towns and villages including Burnham, Cold Norton and Latchingdon and attractions such as Wallasea Island and Clay Hill Vineyard.

The team was set up after Maldon District Council and Rochford District Council were handed £10,000 to draw up a plan for coastal economic development.

Their first project was to launch the guide which was unveiled at an event on Wallasea Island in conjunction with the councils, the RSPB and MP Mark Francois.

Dean Border, chairman of the coastal community team, said: “We’ve certainly come a long way since our first meeting which was held in Burnham in January this year.

“One of our first projects was to help raise the profile of the River Crouch tourism offer and with this in mind we developed and published a River Crouch Guide, the cost of which was met from the team’s initial start-up fund.

“These guides have been very well received by our tourism colleagues and local leisure operators”.

Other ideas mooted in the team’s economic plans included a new ferry, better accommodation and restaurants, promoting the River Crouch’s history and capitalising on the new England coastal path.

Penny Channer, chairman of the planning and licencing committee for Maldon District Council and member team, said: “The council is pleased to be working with Rochford District Council in supporting the River Crouch Coastal Community Team (CCT).

“The CCT members have worked hard to research and develop the Crouch Coast guide which will support tourism and the visitor economy.

“The CCT already have their sight set on future projects and now meet on a regular basis to discuss and progress their adopted economic plans.

“The plans identify opportunities to obtain and invest grant monies on projects which will have an influence on the economic viability of the local area.”

The guide can be viewed at VisitMaldonDistrict.co.uk.