Burnham Rugby Club celebrated the start of construction of their new clubhouse with a ground-breaking ceremony on Saturday (April 13).

The clubhouse will include changing rooms, a physio room, and toilet and shower facilities.

The club will also be renovating the current bar area.

The plans enable the club to become independent from their neighbours at the Dengie Hundred Sports Centre.

Bob Blunden, Burnham-on-Crouch Rugby Club President, told Maldon Nub News of the community's "excitement" during the ground-breaking ceremony: "The clubhouse has been a long time coming.

"We have been trying to get a building of our own identity down there so that we could control the bar and the changing rooms and so that we wouldn't be restricted.

"It is definitely needed, it gives us independence and the income to keep what we've got going, going."

The ceremonial first dig was done by the great-granddaughter of Warwick Bridge, a member who founded the club in 1966.

The ceremony was well-attended, with Bob adding how "great" it was to have local councillors Wendy Stamp and Vanessa Bell in attendance.

Bob says the club hopes to have the build finished within a year, adding that fundraising is needed to complete the work: "We reckon we're about £100,000 away."

The club has launched a 'buy a brick' scheme, where people can sponsor a brick and receive a plaque on the finished clubhouse.

You can contact the rugby club regarding sponsoring a brick on their website.