Volunteers clear rail tunnel

A horde of volunteers - organised by Community Action in Mile End and Sustrans - have cleared the Turner Rise foot tunnel and path.

The route links Turner Rise and Mason Road, allowing people to walk between the housing estate and town centre.

It also provides handy links to and from Asda, Leisure World and Tenpin.

The path is already well used by walkers and cyclists, despite being narrow. However, Jo Wheatley of CAM said she had heard of people driving from Turner Rise to Leisureworld - either because they didn't know the tunnel was there, or because they were put off by its run-down appearance.

Jo has arranged for Colchester Council to paint the tunnel in its blue and white "Colchester United" colours this autumn. This has been used in other subways and, by and large, has not been attacked again by graffiti artists.

Pam Nelson, of Sustrans, said she expected new signs directing cyclists between the railway station and nearby NCN routes 1 and 51 would be in place next week.