BASILDON Council has said despite recent weekend closures, a popular boat museum is open as usual.

The Motorboat Museum, at Wat Tyler Country Park, in Pitsea, is usually open every day except Tuesday and Wednesday.

It was closed over the last two weekends in July, as staff were needed to run the new £2.2m Wat Tyler Visitor Centre in the park’s grounds.

Steve Prewer, Basildon Council’s open spaces manager, said: “The museum was open this weekend and remains open for the foreseeable future.”

Among the attractions at the Motorboat Museum is the racing boat used in the 1963 James Bond film From Russia With Love.