Burnham's treasured independent cinema is among two cultural gems in the district set to receive lifeline Government funding, in efforts to aid their recovery from lockdown and help them as the pandemic continues.

The Rio Cinema, at 154 Station Road in Burnham-on-Crouch, and the Combined Military Services Museum, on Station Road in Heybridge, will each receive thousands of pounds in the latest round of Cultural Recovery Fund grants.

The Rio Cinema has been awarded £42,284 and the Combined Military Services Museum has been awarded £43,084, after both receiving money from the fund earlier in the pandemic.

The popular attractions are among 925 cultural organisations in England which were named as recipients of the fund, which totals £107 million, by the Government today (Friday, 19 November).

Maldon MP John Whittingdale said: "I am delighted that the Rio and the Combined Military Services Museum will receive further grants to help them to recover from the lockdown and to sustain them through the winter.

"Both are important local cultural assets that are valued by local residents and by visitors to the district, and I hope that this funding will help to ensure they have a secure future."

The Cultural Recovery Fund has distributed £1.2 billion to around 5,000 organisations and sites across the country so far.

The Rio Cinema, which is the last surviving full-time historic cinema in Essex, received £18,162 in April.

The Combined Military Services Museum, which houses an award-winning collection of British military artefacts from the English Civil War to today, was awarded £52,400 from the fund last October and £26,200 in April.

This latest round of funding aims to help regional theatres, local museums, independent cinemas and other venues throughout the winter.