Hundreds of birdwatchers' flocked to the industrial area off Bates Road and Hall Road, to catch a glimpse of the rare bird.

The Northern Waterthrush, originally from North America, was first spotted in a local birdwatcher's garden on Wednesday (January 3).

The rare bird has only been sighted eight times in the UK.

In an interview with the BBC, local birdwatcher Simon Wood said he "nearly fell off his chair" when he spotted the bird, recognising it from his previous travels.

"I rushed for my camera, rattled [off] a few pictures and then it had gone. When the news had broken, all hell had let loose."

The bird then moved to an area near to Heybridge Creek, where over 200 birdwatchers turned up to try and catch a glimpse of the brown warbler.

The bird normally prefers "swampy or wet woods" as habitats, but is more commonly seen in tropical climates during the winter.

The sighting has made national news, with both BBC News and ITV News joining the crowds.