Anglia TV give credit to the U's!

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 15th Aug 2007

After a year-long campaign by Colchester MP Bob Russell, Anglia Television has finally agreed to change the opening sequence of regional views at the head of its tea-time evening news programme to feature someone wearing a Colchester United football shirt!

All last season the introduction to the news included two female supporters walking arm in arm wearing Ipswich Town and Norwich City shirts, but life-long U's fan Bob Russell protested on numerous occasions to Anglia TV at the exclusion of Colchester United.

Now Anglia TV has re-shot the scene to show three female supporters walking together - the addition being a U's fan wearing the club's famous blue and white striped shirt.

Today Mr Russell said: "I am delighted that Anglia TV has put right this unacceptable omission, particularly since Colchester United were the East of England's most successful team last season finishing above both Ipswich and Norwich.

"I would like to thank Anglia TV for listening and responding positively."

This is the second time that Mr Russell has been successful in persuading Anglia Television to change its opening film clip for its evening news. Two years ago, in a montage of regional scenes, Anglia TV reinstated the Station's famous "Anglia Knight" which had been the company's emblem from its establishment nearly 40 years and which had introduced programmes for many years before being dropped.

Mr Russell said that the "Anglia Knight" had become part of the region's heritage and was a visible part of the region's identity, and in an age when "localism" was being lost he argued, at every opportunity when he met Anglia TV staff and executives: "Bring back the Knight". The company has now agreed.