There are so many things going on around Brentwood and Billericay at the moment – many of them, though by no means all, connected with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee commemorations – and we covered a couple of excellent events on today’s programme.

First it was the annual Strawberry Fair taking place on Shenfield Common, which Phoenix FM was delighted to be hosting, and Sunday Lunch presenter Tony Smith took time out from a busy schedule to keep us posted on what turned out to be a great day out for young and old. To mark the Jubilee, this year the Fair had a British theme, and several of the station’s presenters joined in the fun by chatting with some of the organisations taking part.

Then it was a similar theme for the Little Burstead Grand Jubilee Fete, with Ron Whitt shedding some light on the identity of the Beast of Burstead, whose return at the Fete has been advertised on a large hoarding on Noak Hill Road over the past few weeks. He sounded like someone not to be messed with, but fortunately there were loads of other weird and wonderful attractions to make it worth the risk of facing the beast’s wrath – including a fire-eater, chainsaw wood-carvers, a tug-o-war and a fun dog show – together with a Victorian peepshow for the ladies starring Jack the Stripper!