A BEACH hut owner has gone the extra mile after being told he needed to spruce up his property.

David Flavell, who has a hut near West End beach, in Dovercourt, was sent a letter asking him to tidy up his beach hut by Tendring Council.

In order to comply with the regulations, he roped in popular local artist Rosie MacRae to paint it a striking yellow, blue and white and ink on a poem by Gordon Hoyles – owner of the Hotel Continental, in Marine Parade, Dovercourt.

The new exterior also features a picture of a lighthouse, which coincides with the theme of this year’s Harwich Festival of the Arts.

Mr Flavell said: “Already we have had lots of people stopping and looking at it, which has been brilliant.

“I received the letter just before Christmas and I think it is one of the standard ones they send out when they start to look a little bit tatty.

“After that, I got chatting to Gordon and he was kind enough to finish a new poem that he had started, which will go on one of the four panels on the front.”