DEDHAM Vale has celebrated 50 years of being designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

The famous beauty spot celebrated its 50th birthday last Wednesday.

The AONB team has been awarded a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to deliver a series of projects to celebrate the anniversary.

Dedham Vale AONB’s vision for the next 50 years is to maintain the landscapes and to support projects to address wildlife decline.

The AONB is still essentially a farming area, it now has a growing proportion of residents commuting to Ipswich, Colchester and London.