Plans for a change of name of a town, has been given the ago ahead.

Thurrock Council unanimously agreed to change the name of Purfleet to Purfleet-on-Thames.

This is the first name change in the council’s history.

It had been talked about for nearly twenty years by local residents and is the name Purfleet was known by in the late Victorian, early Edwardian eras.

In 2004 a Motion to change the name was debated and duly carried by Thurrock Council but not followed through.

A spokesman for the Purfleet-on-Thames Community Forum said: "In 2018 a petition was implemented through Purfleet-on-Thames Community Forum.

"Residents and key stakeholders were consulted, the support was overwhelming.

"Additional support came from many councillors including all our councillors and MP.

"Trevor Batchelor presented the petition to a full council meeting in January last year.

"This led to the council setting up a public consultation to officially ask local residents if they wanted to change the name.

"The result led to a recommendation to approve the vote."

"This is great news for Purfleet........ Purfleet-on-Thames"