AN anniversary event to celebrate a flood management project in Finchingfield has been postponed amid Coronavirus fears.

The Spains Hall Estate in Finchingfield was set to host a 'beaver-versary' event to celebrate the one year anniversary of introducing beavers on to the estate this weekend.

The beaver's introduction was heralded as a natural form of managing and defending against flooding.

However, the event has since been abandoned with the estate postponing the event indefinitely.

The event's cancellation is as a direct response to the recent outbreak of Coronavirus in Britain.

Numerous cases of the virus have already been confirmed in Essex, starting in Southend and recently moving up to Chelmsford.

With 75 people signed up to attend the tours and many more saying they would come to the day, the estate have concerns about the impact Covid-19 could have on Finchingfield.

Estate manager, Archie Ruggles-Brise said: "We have taken the difficult decision to postpone the event we had planned to celebrate the one year anniversary of a pair of beavers being released onto the estate as part of a natural flood management project.

"With the mounting number of UK and European cases of Covid-19, we felt it would not be appropriate to encourage so many members of our local community to gather together at a time when there is an increased risk, particularly to those with underlying health conditions.

"We are not aware of any cases locally so this is purely a precautionary measure.

"Our decision was taken in the knowledge that the beavers will continue to work on regardless and any future event will have as much, if not more, to celebrate later in the year."