Despite the wind and the rain, hail and a gazebo taking flight in the wind, more than 100 youngsters took part in the Easter egg trail at the Gardens of Easton Lodge.

Dunmow Broadcast: Vesper and Beau CrumellVesper and Beau Crumell (Image: Archant)

The event, in Little Easton on Sunday, raised £1,200 towards rebuilding an historic tree-house in the garden.

Helen Carter, administrator for the Easton Lodge Gardens’ Trust, told the Broadcast: “It was fine in the morning and lots of people came, then it hailed and it threw everything at us that it could, we had everything except snow.

“But the children still had a good time, they played rabbit croquet and thanks to the generosity of Tesco in Little Dunmow, they received boxed eggs. “A lot of people said they didn’t know what a lovely place it was, saying things like ‘I’ve lived near here for nine years and I didn’t know about the gardens and we’ll come again’.”