Saltmarsh 75 and Wallasea Island may soon become national tourist attractions in efforts to rebrand the Dengie.

The district won a bid for hundreds of thousands of pounds from the Coastal Communities Fund (CCF), to turn the Dengie into a choice destination and create 38 jobs.

Government minister Brandon Lewis visited Burnham’s White Harte Hotel on Monday to celebrate the award of £292,000.

The money must be spent by the end of the financial year, meaning plans must move swiftly.

The CCF aims to support economic growth and job creation.

It will be used to develop the 75 mile coastal trail and create a new tourism brand and identity for the Dengie Peninsula, by putting on events and improving facilities such as links to the RSPB Wallasea Island Wild Coast Project.

Hotels, information sites and local businesses will play a major role in the ‘tourist package’, including a website, accessible to would-be visitors.