A FAMILY is today able to enjoy life by the sea - reliving the holidays they loved as children.

A FAMILY is today able to enjoy life by the sea - reliving the holidays they loved as children.

Mo Woodward and her brothers and sisters loved nothing better when they were young than to head for Felixstowe to spend time in their family beach hut, playing on the shore and swimming and paddling in the sea.

It was a great place for big gatherings and the togetherness of the hut community made it a fun and safe place for everyone.

Now Mrs Woodward is soaking up the sun at a beach hut all over again - thanks to being the first winner of the Evening Star's beach hut competition this summer.

“I was so pleased to win - beach huts are great and it just brings back so many happy and wonderful memories of when we were children,” said Mrs Woodward, of Gallows Hill, Hadleigh.

The family had a hut for many years at Felixstowe's Manor End - one of those later removed as part of the south seafront beach hut clearances - and it was used regularly every spring and summer.

Mrs Woodward was one of seven children - six sisters and a brother - and they all enjoyed life on the beach.

“Right from when we were very small we would go down to the beach hut. Before we had a car, we used to get the train to Beach Station and then walk from there down to the hut, carrying all our bags,” she said.

“We used to go for the whole day and take our food with us.

“It was great fun and lots of the other huts were always open so you would meet up with your friends, which was fantastic.

“Because we were such a large family, aunties and uncles were always coming down to use the hut, bringing our cousins with them, and so you never knew who you would see but someone was always popping by.”

Mrs Woodward recalled the putting green next to the hut site and the little shop, where people would buy snacks and drinks and ice creams, and other bits and pieces for their day by the sea.

“My mum died last December but we all have fantastic memories of those times and thought having a beach hut again, even for a short while, would be fun,” she added.

Tell us your ideal day by the sea - write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk

Panel:

THIS year we are running four competitions throughout the spring and summer for people to win the use of the Evening Star beach hut at Felixstowe for six weeks at a time.

Our hut is situated in a fantastic front row position in Old Felixstowe, near Brackenbury Cliffs.

It has all you need, including a mini cooker, table and chairs, and is ideal for a family and friends to spend time lazing by the sea.

The latest competition is up and running and to enter you just need to collect four tokens and fill in the entry form - see page 25 for details.