THE Port of Tilbury's community Open Day, held on Saturday (11 May) has been declared a great success, with local performers, market stalls and red bus port tours proving popular with hundreds of visitors.

The event was organised by the Forth Ports team but was supported by volunteers from Tilbury and community organisations across Thurrock.

More than £600 was raised for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution as they celebrated their 200th anniversary.

The vintage bus tours were fully booked

The free events throughout the day included hugely-popular vintage bus port tours and a new makers market which proved to be a positive addition to the open day, featuring the work and products of many local crafters.

Families also enjoyed face painting, crafts, and a competitive penalty shoot-out!

Paul Dale, Asset and Site Director from The Port of Tilbury said: "We had a fantastic day on Saturday as we once again opened our port doors to the local community.

"The day was enjoyed by everyone involved including our very own teams and their families.

Visitors enjoyed a range of entertainment in the cruise terminal's historic buildings.

"We are so grateful to have such a supportive community around us and would like to thank everyone who attended."

The event happened on the same day as a negative report damning Tilbury was published online by the Sun newspaper, which annoyed many of those local people taking part.

Nub News spoke to popular Tilbury man Les Morgan who is involved in many of the town's activities and while he was absoluteley ready to acknowledge the town has problems, he felt it was equally important to highlight its positive aspects.

More dance clips: https://youtu.be/kHyv_dtCEFg and https://youtu.be/VljLfKe9HXY