0:00:02 > 0:00:05Childhood holidays - oh, the anticipation seemed endless.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08The holiday itself, well, it was over too quickly.
0:00:08 > 0:00:12So in this series, I'm going to be reliving those wonderful times
0:00:12 > 0:00:14with some much-loved famous faces.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17THEY SCREAM
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Every day, I'll be arranging a few surprises
0:00:20 > 0:00:23to transport them back in time.
0:00:23 > 0:00:24Oh, look!
0:00:24 > 0:00:27It's just as I remembered.
0:00:28 > 0:00:29'We'll relive the fun...
0:00:29 > 0:00:31HE LAUGHS
0:00:31 > 0:00:32'..the games...'
0:00:32 > 0:00:35THEY CHEER We got 'em!
0:00:35 > 0:00:37'..and the food of years gone by.'
0:00:37 > 0:00:38Yummy!
0:00:38 > 0:00:41Welcome to 1959.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44- Total happiness.- Yes. Perfect.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47'To find out how those holidays around the UK helped shape
0:00:47 > 0:00:50'the people we know so well today.'
0:00:50 > 0:00:51Bruce Forsyth.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54IMITATING BRUCE FORSYTH: Marvellous, Len. You're still my favourite.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57'So buckle up for Holiday Of My Lifetime.'
0:00:57 > 0:01:00You know, Len, I'm quite enjoying being on me holidays with you.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09On today's journey through time, I'm picking up our mystery
0:01:09 > 0:01:14holiday maker in a British classic, a 1970s Vauxhall Viva saloon!
0:01:16 > 0:01:19Oh, what fun. Holidays, love them!
0:01:20 > 0:01:24The lady I'm meeting today might have been very good at throwing her
0:01:24 > 0:01:27toys out of her pram when she was a nipper.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29This is her at a very young age.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33She was born in 1961 and she's a globetrotter.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37She's been up against some stiff competition.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40You could measure her achievement in meters.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44But she's been rewarded with medals. And plenty of them.
0:01:45 > 0:01:49In 2011, she got up close
0:01:49 > 0:01:52and personal with some very nasty creatures.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55She was on I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59She came third. I couldn't believe it. Robbed!
0:02:00 > 0:02:04Yes, you've got it. It's Fatima Whitbread.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07And I'm rolling up in this little beauty.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11It's more or less the same car that her folks used to take on holiday.
0:02:12 > 0:02:17I can't wait to see her face. Fatima! I'm on my way.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29Fatima has achieved great success despite a difficult start in life.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32She was born in North London to Cypriot parents, but was
0:02:32 > 0:02:36abandoned by them, and grew up in several Essex children's homes.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40At the age of 14, she was adopted by the Whitbread family.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43She became a daughter to mum Maggie, a teacher,
0:02:43 > 0:02:46and dad John, who worked on the docks.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49And she was a new sister to younger brothers Greg and Kirk.
0:02:49 > 0:02:54Fatima first picked up a javelin at the age of 11, and went on
0:02:54 > 0:02:58to write herself into the history books, winning gold medals at the
0:02:58 > 0:03:02European and World championships, and silver at the Olympics.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04She's even got an MBE!
0:03:04 > 0:03:09These days, she's a loving mum to her sixteen-year-old son, Ryan.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13HORN BEEPS AND SHE LAUGHS
0:03:15 > 0:03:17Look at that!
0:03:18 > 0:03:24- I just love that. How are you, Len? Nice to see you.- And you.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28- You feeling athletic? - I'm ready, yeah. I'm raring to go.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31- You recognise the car? - I do, it's fantastic.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34I can't believe that you've turned up in that.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37- What year is it?- 1976.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40- The hot year.- The hot year. - Yes, oh, yes.
0:03:40 > 0:03:45We haven't exactly got a heat wave, but '76... And where are we going?
0:03:45 > 0:03:47We are going to Burnham. Creeksea.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50- Burnham? In Essex?- Burnham in Essex.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52Lovely jubbly.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54Your chariot awaits. Off we go.
0:04:02 > 0:04:0650 miles from London, Burnham on Crouch sits on the
0:04:06 > 0:04:09Dengie Peninsula between its more famous and favoured neighbours,
0:04:09 > 0:04:12Clacton and Southend on Sea.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16On the north bank of the River Crouch, Burnham is a small town of
0:04:16 > 0:04:18around 15,000 residents.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22It's an upmarket location,
0:04:22 > 0:04:25historically renowned for the oysters that have been farmed
0:04:25 > 0:04:28locally for over 400 years.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30These days, it's a sailing hotspot,
0:04:30 > 0:04:35and the modern marina brings boat enthusiasts all year round.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39Today, I'm taking Fatima back to relive
0:04:39 > 0:04:41her first ever family holiday,
0:04:41 > 0:04:46when she came to Burnham with the Whitbreads in the summer of '76.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49We were always eating them. We were pop-pop-popping them in like that.
0:04:49 > 0:04:50Fast as you could.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52We'll relive the sights
0:04:52 > 0:04:54and the sounds of her first childhood holiday.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58And I'll find out if she's still as competitive all these years later.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01- I've got one!- You have.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03And we'll see just how important
0:05:03 > 0:05:06those days in Burnham on Crouch really were.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17Before any holiday truly begins, first you must set out on a journey.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20Whether by plane, train or automobile,
0:05:20 > 0:05:24we've all experienced those hours of anticipation, just waiting to
0:05:24 > 0:05:28get to the promised destination you've been dreaming of all year.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35For Fatima in '76, the journey from the Whitbread family home was
0:05:35 > 0:05:39a relatively short 30 miles, but it took around an hour
0:05:39 > 0:05:43for the family to wind their way along the Essex country roads.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46So you didn't have a really long journey, but
0:05:46 > 0:05:51when you're young, even two minutes up the road seems a long while.
0:05:51 > 0:05:56For me, it definitely was. It was a new beginning, a new start in life.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58- A new family.- Wonderful.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01It was definitely one of the best things that has ever happened
0:06:01 > 0:06:02to me in my life, looking back.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08- Where did your journey start? - Back in Greys Thurrock.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10On the road where my mum and dad lived.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16- It was quite a big thing for me. - Yes.- It was my first family holiday.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18I'd never had a family holiday before.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22I will always remember that it had a long pathway to the back.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25We would always be up and down the path,
0:06:25 > 0:06:27loading the car with all its different things.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31And the boys screaming at the top of their voices with excitement.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33Wanting to cram as much as we could into the car.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38Even my javelins got put at an angle...
0:06:38 > 0:06:42- You used to bring them with you? - Yes, we used to bring them with us.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44We had to feed them through the window
0:06:44 > 0:06:46and put them down the centre aisle.
0:06:46 > 0:06:51And of course, there were all the bikes that we strapped to the car.
0:06:51 > 0:06:56- The toys for the boys.- Fairly packed in then.- Packed like sardines, yes.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59'Back then, Fatima was already in training, preparing for the
0:06:59 > 0:07:03'European Junior Championships which were to be held later that year.
0:07:03 > 0:07:08'Her competitive streak is something that's defined her as an athlete
0:07:08 > 0:07:10'and, surrounded by the Whitbread family,
0:07:10 > 0:07:12'she finally had new sparring partners.'
0:07:12 > 0:07:14Did you play any games going along?
0:07:14 > 0:07:16We used to try and play I Spy.
0:07:16 > 0:07:22- Yes.- It would always end up with some obscure...
0:07:22 > 0:07:24- Something you'd never guess. - You'd never guess.- Yeah.
0:07:24 > 0:07:29Being competitive, even in those days, I would quite forget myself.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32The little ones wouldn't always guess right.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35Here we go, look, The Three Horseshoes. That's it!
0:07:35 > 0:07:38- There you are. - Unbelievable! Look at that.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40- Three Horseshoes.- It's still here!
0:07:40 > 0:07:42At this stage, we were really excited...
0:07:42 > 0:07:45- Cos you...- Cos we know where we are.- You are two minutes away.
0:07:45 > 0:07:50'After 30 miles in 60 raucous minutes, the Whitbreads
0:07:50 > 0:07:54'arrived in Burnham for their first holiday as a family of five.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00'In the summer of '76, one story dominated the headlines.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02'The summer heat wave!
0:08:02 > 0:08:06'For 15 straight days, the country baked in temperatures over
0:08:06 > 0:08:12'30 degrees Celsius - the hottest summer weather since records began.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16'It was great news for the nation's 25,000 ice cream vans,
0:08:16 > 0:08:18'as sales soared.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21'Back then, a 99 cornet would set you back around 15p.
0:08:21 > 0:08:27'But '76 was known in some quarters as the year of the ladybird.
0:08:27 > 0:08:32'The intense heat meant the UK was blighted by a plague of them!
0:08:32 > 0:08:35'The year's also remembered for the resignation of Prime Minister
0:08:35 > 0:08:39'Harold Wilson, who had led the nation for almost eight years.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42'And the most iconic passenger plane of them
0:08:42 > 0:08:46'all entered service - Concorde flew 100 lucky passengers
0:08:46 > 0:08:51'from London Heathrow to Bahrain on its first commercial flight.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53'Supersonic!'
0:08:53 > 0:08:54# I gave you my heart... #
0:08:54 > 0:08:58'Classic '70s pop music was the soundtrack to the summer,
0:08:58 > 0:09:01'and this was my favourite song of the year,
0:09:01 > 0:09:03'Elton John and Kiki Dee...'
0:09:03 > 0:09:06# Don't go breaking my heart
0:09:06 > 0:09:08# I won't go breaking your heart... #
0:09:08 > 0:09:12'It was number one for six magical weeks...'
0:09:12 > 0:09:16- BOTH:- # Don't go breaking my heart... #
0:09:16 > 0:09:18'..and has gone on to sell over a million copies.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24'To begin Fatima's holiday of her lifetime, I've brought her back
0:09:24 > 0:09:29'to where it all began, the historic centre of Burnham on Crouch.'
0:09:30 > 0:09:32- Well, here we are. - Here we are. Look.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36- You can...- Smell the sea air. - Yes. Yeah...
0:09:38 > 0:09:40THEY LAUGH
0:09:40 > 0:09:44- What's lovely about these places, they never change, do they?- No.
0:09:44 > 0:09:48- It's as I remember it.- And I bet if you came back in 30 years' time...
0:09:48 > 0:09:50- It would still be a same.- Yes.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52It's lovely.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54- The bell chamber, it still here. - Yeah.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56It's an integral part of the town.
0:09:56 > 0:10:01Most of the shops are still the same. The street looks exactly the same.
0:10:01 > 0:10:06- Yes. It's got a quaintness about it, hasn't it?- It's quite picturesque.
0:10:06 > 0:10:11- I think so.- It's a nice, gentle way of life down here.
0:10:11 > 0:10:16It's proper sea, you're not a million miles away from anywhere.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20It's a picturesque place. It's a town that has been forgotten, I think.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22The town that's been forgotten.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27Did you stay in the town, in a B&B? Whereabouts were you?
0:10:27 > 0:10:32No, Len, it's only a javelin throw away. I used to stay in a caravan.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36It was my grandfather's caravan and my mum used to take us
0:10:36 > 0:10:38kids down there with my dad.
0:10:38 > 0:10:43- Lovely.- I'm not sure if it's still there.- Jump in.- Thanks, Len.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47We are going to see if that caravan site's still there.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53Burnham has fought hard to carve out its own
0:10:53 > 0:10:55niche on the banks of the River Crouch.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59These days, tourism is the lifeblood of the town.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02The rail line to Burnham opened in 1889,
0:11:02 > 0:11:06bringing Victorians in search of the fresh sea air.
0:11:06 > 0:11:11The visitors kept on coming and the Dengie Peninsula now attracts
0:11:11 > 0:11:13over three million guests a year.
0:11:13 > 0:11:18But 400 years ago, the town traded on a very unique delicacy.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22Peter Layzell is the cleverclogs of the Crouch River,
0:11:22 > 0:11:25and what he doesn't know about Burnham isn't worth knowing.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27When people come to Burnham, they are amazed by the number of
0:11:27 > 0:11:31buildings in the town, in the core town, for the size of the place.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34The reason for that is in the water - it's oysters.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38The first time they were cultivated was in the 1500s, in medieval times.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40In fact, John Norden,
0:11:40 > 0:11:44who was one of the first people to travel Britain
0:11:44 > 0:11:46and record what he found -
0:11:46 > 0:11:49said that in his opinion, Walflete oysters from the Crouch
0:11:49 > 0:11:51weren't the biggest
0:11:51 > 0:11:54but they were the finest oysters to be found in all of the country.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56The industry isn't as vibrant anymore.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00Firstly, there was a drop-off in the public interest caused by
0:12:00 > 0:12:04some outbreaks of cholera that were blamed on oysters.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08I think probably the key reason was that after the Second World War,
0:12:08 > 0:12:14transport became revolutionised and we were able to ship in oysters from
0:12:14 > 0:12:18other parts of the world much more cheaply than we did our own oysters.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27The unique attractions of Burnham on Crouch have been enticing
0:12:27 > 0:12:31visitors since the 19th century, and not much has changed since.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35There's plenty to discover here and I've picked ten must sees.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41Burnham is the largest town on this southeast Essex peninsula
0:12:41 > 0:12:43known as the Dengie 100.
0:12:43 > 0:12:48These 750 acres of marshland have been populated
0:12:48 > 0:12:53since the Iron Age, and was home to Roman and later Saxon settlements.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56There are still some remaining buildings from that time.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59St Peter's Chapel in nearby Bradwell was
0:12:59 > 0:13:03built in the seventh century on the site of a Roman fort.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07Restored in 1920, it's still used as a place of worship.
0:13:07 > 0:13:12The peninsula is protected from the North Sea by a 40-mile wall,
0:13:12 > 0:13:16built to defend 750 acres of farmland.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20It extends from Mundon in the north down to North Fambridge,
0:13:20 > 0:13:24affording walkers spectacular views of the local coastline.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28Essex played a major part in defending
0:13:28 > 0:13:30the nation during the First World War.
0:13:30 > 0:13:3411 miles from Burnham, Stow Maries Aerodrome was built in 1916,
0:13:34 > 0:13:39and for three years, served as base to the 37th Home Defence Squadron
0:13:39 > 0:13:41of the Royal Flying Corps,
0:13:41 > 0:13:46whose mission was to protect London from Zeppelin attacks from the east.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48The site is now a museum,
0:13:48 > 0:13:51with famous planes of the day on display to the public.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01Part of the magic of any childhood holiday
0:14:01 > 0:14:05is the excitement of staying somewhere different, the sights,
0:14:05 > 0:14:08the smells and the thrill of having a new bed to lie in.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12In the era before affordable long distance travel,
0:14:12 > 0:14:16tourism at home was still booming. And in the '70s,
0:14:16 > 0:14:19caravan holidays in the UK were at their peak.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23Tens of thousands of mobile homes were sold across the decade,
0:14:23 > 0:14:27and holiday-makers were flocking to static caravan parks.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31In the hot summer of '76, the Whitbread family was one of them,
0:14:31 > 0:14:35and I've tracked down the very place where she stayed.
0:14:35 > 0:14:36Can you believe it?
0:14:36 > 0:14:39I can't believe it's still here, actually, to be honest.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43'This is the Creeksea Place Caravan Park on the edge of Burnham,
0:14:43 > 0:14:47'and I'm taking Fatima back to the exact plot where her
0:14:47 > 0:14:50'grandad's caravan stood 38 years ago.'
0:14:51 > 0:14:52Right...
0:14:55 > 0:14:58I can't believe this. Look at this.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01Amazing. It's still here.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04Everything about the place is still the same, yeah.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06- Yeah?- The caravans, different roads, I remember.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09The smell of the creek. We used to play hide and seek here as well.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13Why wouldn't you? It's perfect. And you've got the lake.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15The lake there as well.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18I think your caravan was along this path.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21Should we have a stroll along, see if we can find it?
0:15:21 > 0:15:25- I'm surprised this whole place is still here.- Why wouldn't it be?
0:15:25 > 0:15:26It's lovely.
0:15:27 > 0:15:32Caravanning in the UK has a history stretching back 150 years.
0:15:32 > 0:15:36The first purpose-built touring caravan was called The Wanderer.
0:15:36 > 0:15:41It was built in 1885, but it wasn't until the Caravan Club was
0:15:41 > 0:15:47formed in 1907 that caravanning as a hobby really took off.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50It quickly became the holiday of choice for families,
0:15:50 > 0:15:54and in the 1950s, static caravans became popular,
0:15:54 > 0:15:57cheaper to buy and easier to maintain.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00When the Whitbreads came to Burnham in '76,
0:16:00 > 0:16:03there were 370,000 caravans in the country,
0:16:03 > 0:16:07and one in particular meant the world to Fatima.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09It cost her grandad £500.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13Nowadays, it would set you back about four grand for a used one.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19According to the records that they have,
0:16:19 > 0:16:23this is the plot that your caravan was on.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26It has changed, Len, but the feeling...you know you get
0:16:26 > 0:16:30that feeling, a sense of belonging, where you have been somewhere before.
0:16:30 > 0:16:31Yeah.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36'Fatima's adoptive parents brought the family to this exact
0:16:36 > 0:16:38'spot 38 years ago.
0:16:38 > 0:16:39'And not only is Fatima back,
0:16:39 > 0:16:43'but I've also arranged for her mum, Maggie, to join us.'
0:16:45 > 0:16:49- Caravan life.- Yeah.- Mmm.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52- See?- Cooking.- Yeah, food.- Food.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56That's what my mum would do, chop up all the vegetables and that first.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58Talking about that, who is that?
0:16:58 > 0:17:01FATIMA LAUGHS Hello, Mum.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05'Maggie and Fatima first met in 1972.
0:17:05 > 0:17:10'Three years later, Fatima had been adopted into the Whitbread family.'
0:17:10 > 0:17:13I suppose that when you first got down here, you know,
0:17:13 > 0:17:16maybe it hadn't been used for a couple or three months
0:17:16 > 0:17:18so you had to open it all up...
0:17:18 > 0:17:20That's it. Prepared all the preparations.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23I remember when Mum, my dad and I used to rush around
0:17:23 > 0:17:26and cut the lawn because it would be about a foot high.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28We'd wipe all the caravan round.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31Open the doors because it would be stuffy in here.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33Get all the condensation off the windows.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35There was always a lot to do before we could actually...
0:17:35 > 0:17:37Yes, because it was so musty.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40We were quick to settle into caravan life once we got here.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42- Did you have a telly?- Yes. - We had a television.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45The thing about the TV down here, and I've noticed with
0:17:45 > 0:17:48the caravans as we have come in, they've got big satellite dishes.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51But that wasn't the age then, back in the day.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55You were with a metal coat hanger and, as my grandad said,
0:17:55 > 0:17:57if all else fails, give it a whack.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00And it would usually perform correctly
0:18:00 > 0:18:03- and you get a muffled picture.- Yeah.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05But we didn't watch it that often, to be honest.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08We were out most of the time.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12And we had glorious weather so we'd take advantage of that.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17In the summer of '76, the weather was indeed glorious.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20That year is etched into the nation's memory,
0:18:20 > 0:18:22as it was the hottest on record.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25Nancy Crisp was living in Burnham at that time
0:18:25 > 0:18:29and vividly remembers those heady summer days.
0:18:30 > 0:18:34The summer of '76 was absolutely beautiful.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37It was so hot and so sunny.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40At first, we enjoyed the sun. At first, it was a pleasure.
0:18:40 > 0:18:45Then bit by bit, we found that the heat got too much for anybody
0:18:45 > 0:18:47who had pride in their lawn.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50You couldn't use the sprinkler system on it. So it didn't stay green.
0:18:50 > 0:18:55By the middle of summer, it was all a strange cream-yellow colour.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57In 1976, I was a barmaid.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01Anything I wore had to be either low at the top or high at the bottom,
0:19:01 > 0:19:03but not both.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06It was funny how many men would like the bottle at the bottom of the rack.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09They thought that if I had a short skirt on, there would be more
0:19:09 > 0:19:11to see than there was, because I was always careful about that.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14But I liked making them laugh, and having a good time,
0:19:14 > 0:19:16and making people enjoy themselves.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21As she did in '76, Maggie is sorting out tea.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25And while she does, I'm whisking Fatima off to go fruit picking,
0:19:25 > 0:19:29something she enjoyed on her holidays all those years ago.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32This was a time for the Whitbreads to be together
0:19:32 > 0:19:34and grow in each other's company.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40Before you first came to Burnham on Crouch did you ever experience
0:19:40 > 0:19:43anything like this, strawberry picking or raspberry picking?
0:19:43 > 0:19:46No, the closest I got to that, Len, was
0:19:46 > 0:19:49when we were scrumping apples from my neighbours' gardens.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52- Right. - So it was quite a novelty for me.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56It was a first, and for my little brothers, too, Greg and Kirk.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59I was probably more excited than they were.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02You didn't hear a lot of noise because we were always eating them.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05We were pop-pop-popping them in like that. Fast as you could pick them.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08- They are beautiful, aren't they? - They are gorgeous.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11'Fatima spent most of her childhood in care,
0:20:11 > 0:20:14'and never really knew her natural parents.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18'But she does have one memory of coming face-to-face with her
0:20:18 > 0:20:20'birth mother at the children's home.'
0:20:20 > 0:20:22I didn't know I had parents.
0:20:22 > 0:20:27I didn't have any cards, visits or birthday cards to acknowledge that.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30Then one day I was told by the house parents,
0:20:30 > 0:20:33"Be ready at 9.00 down in reception.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36"And sit there because you are going to be met by your
0:20:36 > 0:20:38"childcare officer and your mum.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40"You're going to go to a new home down in Ockingdon,
0:20:40 > 0:20:43"to be with your half-brother and sister."
0:20:43 > 0:20:47At five years old, that was quite a lot to take in.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51I was ready at 9.00 and the matron came into the hallway.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54She opened the door and there stood a very large lady.
0:20:54 > 0:20:59She was introduced as my mum. As I looked up, she looked away from me.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02I was thinking, where was I going, what was going to happen to me?
0:21:02 > 0:21:05Who were this half-brother and sister?
0:21:05 > 0:21:08Why hadn't I known that I had a mum? It was all a bit scary.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11'Within two weeks, Fatima was back.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14'She spent another eight years in care,
0:21:14 > 0:21:17'until she was adopted by the Whitbreads.
0:21:17 > 0:21:22'Her first childhood holiday here in Burnham was the confirmation
0:21:22 > 0:21:25'that she'd been accepted into a new family.'
0:21:26 > 0:21:29You know, after all those years in a children's home,
0:21:29 > 0:21:33suddenly the Whitbreads took you in and you became part of a family,
0:21:33 > 0:21:37it must have been the most wonderful experience.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39Yeah, I count myself lucky.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41Without them, I don't know where I would have ended up.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45Let's move along cos there's some very fat raspberries
0:21:45 > 0:21:47just along here.
0:21:47 > 0:21:48I'm going down low.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51She's a professional picker. I'm telling you.
0:21:51 > 0:21:56Up and down, she's getting the places. Me, I'm an amateur at this.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59I'm a bit worried about low-lying ones in case the dog has
0:21:59 > 0:22:01come along and had a pee on them.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05- How many?- I've done well, I think. That is a tie.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09Yep. Wow, I've enjoyed that very much.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12- I'll just eat that one. - I'm going to eat that one, too.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22Despite its relatively small size, Burnham on Crouch
0:22:22 > 0:22:25and the Dengie Peninsula have plenty to offer the three million
0:22:25 > 0:22:28visitors they welcome every year.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32First held in 1908, the Burnham Carnival honours the town,
0:22:32 > 0:22:35its history and its people.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39Originally born out of 19th century Guy Fawkes celebrations,
0:22:39 > 0:22:44it grew to become a Mardi Gras style event with fairground rides
0:22:44 > 0:22:46and processions through the town centre.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49It now takes place on the last Saturday of September.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54The town has come a long way since its early days as a tiny village.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57The industries of fishing, oyster farming
0:22:57 > 0:23:02and agriculture are all celebrated at the Burnham Museum,
0:23:02 > 0:23:04which tells the rich story of the town.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07With displays and exhibitions over two floors,
0:23:07 > 0:23:11the museum houses artefacts from as long ago as The Stone Age.
0:23:11 > 0:23:16The area's rich soil has proved fertile for British wine producers.
0:23:16 > 0:23:2120 minutes' drive from Burnham is the New Hall Vineyard.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25Established 40 years ago, it's one of the oldest in the country.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29And with grounds over 100 acres, it's certainly the largest,
0:23:29 > 0:23:31with visitors welcome to explore
0:23:31 > 0:23:35and savour some of the best home-grown wine in the UK.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44No holiday experience is complete without sampling a new kind of food.
0:23:44 > 0:23:49The memories of those tastes, smells and textures stay with us forever.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52When Fatima stayed here at Creeksea Place Caravan Park,
0:23:52 > 0:23:56occasionally the family would be treated to fish and chips.
0:23:56 > 0:23:57But usually,
0:23:57 > 0:24:01it was mum Maggie who'd serve up a feast for the five of them.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05And today we're having Fatima's favourite - beef casserole!
0:24:07 > 0:24:09- I will be Mum.- Yeah.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13- Would you like a dumping? - I will have a go at the dumpling.
0:24:13 > 0:24:18- Give him plenty of meat.- I will. - And vegetables.- Blimey.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22Thank you very much.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24- What do you think then? - I think it's gorgeous.
0:24:24 > 0:24:29- It's getting a ten from Len, I can promise you that.- Yay!- That's good.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34Let me ask you, Margaret, when Fatima was in her early teens
0:24:34 > 0:24:38and so on, was she a very driven sort of girl?
0:24:38 > 0:24:42As far as athletics went, she was very, very highly motivated.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46Because she did send me a letter.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50I guess it was a series of coincidences, to be honest, Len.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54Because how I met my mum, she was a schoolteacher.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58Our school played her school at netball. It was a tight match.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00The whistle went and this lady said,
0:25:00 > 0:25:04"Any more cheek, any more noise and you're off."
0:25:04 > 0:25:07Then a month later, it was the summer season,
0:25:07 > 0:25:11so we decided that we would go to the local athletic club.
0:25:11 > 0:25:16I had decided to go towards a big, tall, handsome blonde guy
0:25:16 > 0:25:19who was chucking a spear. My friend went off to do sprints.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21I walked over to the runway
0:25:21 > 0:25:24and started looking at this javelin on the floor.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26I went to pick it up and he said, "Oh, you are not allowed to do that.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29"You need to speak to the coach." And I said,
0:25:29 > 0:25:31"Well, where is the coach?" And he said, "She's not here."
0:25:31 > 0:25:35So I sat in the stand, tapping my foot, thinking, where is this coach?
0:25:35 > 0:25:37When is she coming?
0:25:37 > 0:25:39And this figure got out of this little Mini
0:25:39 > 0:25:41and started walking across the field.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44When she got close I went, "Oh, my God! It's that same woman!"
0:25:44 > 0:25:48- The referee!- Yes, and she was never going to let me throw.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52And then she said, "If you want to throw the javelin, young lady,
0:25:52 > 0:25:55"no more cheek, like on the netball court."
0:25:55 > 0:25:57So I said, "I promise you.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59"I definitely want to throw the javelin."
0:25:59 > 0:26:02- So you had never thrown one at that point?- Never had. Never had.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06The following week, you brought javelin boots and a javelin,
0:26:06 > 0:26:08and you threw them on the ground.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12"I've had an athlete pull out," she said. "Don't need these anymore.
0:26:12 > 0:26:13"Do you want them?"
0:26:13 > 0:26:16That was the first thing that somebody had ever given me.
0:26:16 > 0:26:20I got up about 2.00 one morning, went downstairs into the front room
0:26:20 > 0:26:23and pulled out the bureau, an airmail envelope.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27And I said, "Dear Mrs Whitbread, one day I want to be the best
0:26:27 > 0:26:29- "javelin thrower in the world." - "The greatest," you said.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32"The greatest javelin thrower in the world." So I stuck it down
0:26:32 > 0:26:35and put, "Mrs Whitbread. St Chad's School."
0:26:35 > 0:26:37And the next morning, I put it through the post.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41Everything sort of went from there, didn't it?
0:26:41 > 0:26:44I took you home to the house a couple of times.
0:26:44 > 0:26:49Then one day, she was in the garden playing with the boys, then
0:26:49 > 0:26:54Greg came running in, or Kirk, I'm not quite sure which one of them.
0:26:54 > 0:26:55And then they said,
0:26:55 > 0:26:59"Mum, we would like Fatima for a big sister."
0:27:00 > 0:27:02I spoke to my husband about it.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06Anyway, we started to put it all in motion.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09- It was all from there.- Right.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13From that moment on, she just went from one success to another.
0:27:13 > 0:27:17- My!- And it just happened like that. - Amazing!- Yeah.- It really is.
0:27:17 > 0:27:22It was always going to be a successful working relationship,
0:27:22 > 0:27:25mum and daughter, athlete and coach.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27It had its ups and downs that way, didn't it?
0:27:27 > 0:27:31We both realised that you have got to keep the two very separate.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35- Yeah, that's right. - Because it becomes too intense.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39And that's where the caravan was such a help over the years.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41May I say, though, I think,
0:27:41 > 0:27:44as much as you talk about how much you trained, I think the
0:27:44 > 0:27:49reasons you could throw that javelin so far was your mum's casserole.
0:27:49 > 0:27:50Casserole.
0:27:50 > 0:27:51THEY LAUGH
0:27:51 > 0:27:55- Let's eat up.- Put a bit of strength in your right arm.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01In '76, Fatima played in the grounds of this caravan park with her
0:28:01 > 0:28:04younger brothers Kirk and Greg.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07The Whitbreads made friends with their holiday neighbours,
0:28:07 > 0:28:09and I've arranged for them to meet up again.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13They haven't seen each other for over 30 years.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20- Oh, my God! How are you? It's nice to see you.- Nice to see you, darling.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22- How are you doing, Terry, all right? - Nice to see you again.
0:28:22 > 0:28:27Joan Nibbs and her children, Joanne and Terry, came here regularly
0:28:27 > 0:28:31in the '70s and played with Fatima all those years ago.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34- So you are still here?- We have been here all these years.- Yeah.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38- How many years is it for you now? - It has got to be getting on for 40.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41- Yeah.- That tree, that big one there, was literally as thick
0:28:41 > 0:28:44as your finger when we first came here.
0:28:44 > 0:28:48- It has really been an emotional roller coaster.- It must be.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50Even coming down and smelling the farmland, seeing this
0:28:50 > 0:28:54countryside, coming into the gate as well cos that's not changed.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56No, nothing's changed.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59I was always worried about how we got through that little gate.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02I can also remember up the top there, there was a little bowling green.
0:29:02 > 0:29:04- That's right, yes.- That's right.
0:29:04 > 0:29:06I seem to remember you always playing tennis.
0:29:06 > 0:29:07You loved tennis as well.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11Yes, we had that swing ball. And we had the tennis rackets, too, yeah.
0:29:11 > 0:29:13What was Fatima like when she was here?
0:29:13 > 0:29:16Was she one of those naughty girls, running around causing...?
0:29:16 > 0:29:17You don't want to know.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19THEY ALL LAUGH
0:29:19 > 0:29:22- She was lovely. - Running around beaming and smiling.
0:29:22 > 0:29:24- We always had a happy time down here.- Yes.
0:29:24 > 0:29:28Everybody did. The thing is, I think, you come over that bridge and you...
0:29:28 > 0:29:30Relax, don't you.
0:29:30 > 0:29:34- It truly is a little community. - It's like extended family, really.
0:29:34 > 0:29:36- Yeah.- Oh, absolutely.
0:29:36 > 0:29:40Once you got here, that was it, just one big, happy family.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43Fatima achieved global fame in the 1980s
0:29:43 > 0:29:47due to her fantastic performances with the javelin.
0:29:47 > 0:29:51Representing Great Britain, she won an Olympic silver medal,
0:29:51 > 0:29:56European Championship gold, and gold again at the World Championships.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59She even broke the world record.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03Her dedication to the sport and determination to succeed
0:30:03 > 0:30:07helped her on her way to glory, and that was never more evident
0:30:07 > 0:30:10than here in Burnham, where 15-year-old Fatima
0:30:10 > 0:30:14continued to train, despite being on her first family holiday.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17Now I've brought her back to the school grounds where
0:30:17 > 0:30:20she practised, to hear her story first-hand.
0:30:20 > 0:30:26This was the place where I started being a world-class javelin thrower.
0:30:26 > 0:30:27All the way down here in Burnham.
0:30:27 > 0:30:29What do you think would have happened
0:30:29 > 0:30:32- if you had never discovered...? - Sport?
0:30:32 > 0:30:35Sport and the javelin? What would you have done?
0:30:35 > 0:30:37I really wouldn't have a clue, Len.
0:30:37 > 0:30:41I guess that when I found myself and truly came of age was
0:30:41 > 0:30:43when I was involved with sport.
0:30:43 > 0:30:47That was a chance for me to sort of develop myself as a person.
0:30:47 > 0:30:54Feel more confident about myself. And show what was good about me.
0:30:54 > 0:30:55Be a competitor.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57Were you good at it straightaway?
0:30:57 > 0:30:59Where you better than the normal kids?
0:30:59 > 0:31:02To be honest, Len, I tried all sports, all events,
0:31:02 > 0:31:06and I think the javelin was, I thought, the easiest one.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09But it turned out to be the hardest because, in fact,
0:31:09 > 0:31:11you need to cover every aspect there
0:31:11 > 0:31:15possibly can be for a decathlete or heptathlete,
0:31:15 > 0:31:21in order to shape that skill - strength, speed, suppleness,
0:31:21 > 0:31:25endurance and above all, you've got to be strong willed,
0:31:25 > 0:31:27a will to succeed.
0:31:28 > 0:31:33When you've just listed those things, I've got all those.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36I've got a feeling...I've never thrown a javelin ever.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39But, you know, I think if I just picked one up
0:31:39 > 0:31:41and you just showed me the technique...
0:31:41 > 0:31:45We can arrange that! Looks, Len, look, there's one here.
0:31:45 > 0:31:47I'll tell you what,
0:31:47 > 0:31:51I'll give you some really expert advice on how to throw a spear.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54I'm sure you'll be entered into the next Olympic games.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57Here we have a grip. Show me how you would hold your...
0:31:57 > 0:32:02- I think you should use the shaft grip.- My finger goes there?
0:32:02 > 0:32:03There.
0:32:03 > 0:32:08You have to remember, the hand has to be facing up to the sky.
0:32:08 > 0:32:14- Get that back.- Relax the hips.- Relax those hippos!- Move your hips in.
0:32:14 > 0:32:16One step forward and toss the javelin.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22- That's it, well done!- Look, it's stuck in! That's what I wanted.
0:32:22 > 0:32:27- Excellent.- Just show me the technique you should use.- It's the basic one.
0:32:27 > 0:32:31I always talk to the youngsters and tell them that it's like a clock.
0:32:31 > 0:32:35That is your run-up. Your feet should be placed at two o'clock.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38Your hips round at three o'clock.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41The javelin should be in line with your eyes.
0:32:41 > 0:32:43Between the eyeball and the top of the head.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46And you would take the weight on the back leg, leaning back,
0:32:46 > 0:32:48and then you'd pull through.
0:32:52 > 0:32:58- I ended up with 288 feet as a world record.- 288 feet!
0:32:58 > 0:33:00That's almost a football pitch.
0:33:00 > 0:33:04At the time, Len, that would have put me in the men's
0:33:04 > 0:33:08final of the European Championships when I won the women's final.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11I tell you what, it's harder than it looks.
0:33:11 > 0:33:15And that's what's great with people like yourself
0:33:15 > 0:33:19and everyone who's at the top of their game, you make it look so...
0:33:19 > 0:33:20- Simple.- Simple.
0:33:20 > 0:33:26- It feels so easy. You don't even think you've done much.- Yes.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29And when you see that, there is nothing nicer aesthetically
0:33:29 > 0:33:32than to see that javelin float where the towel would be.
0:33:32 > 0:33:36- Cos the towel does that, doesn't it? - That's right. It flips.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39- Yeah!- And off it goes. Flying through the air.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43And you are standing, watching, you must be willing it to get over.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46You hear the crowd, the roar from the crowd,
0:33:46 > 0:33:48and you realise it's a good throw.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51I'd be good at the facial expressions and the reaction.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55I wouldn't be much good at throwing it, but I'd be good at all the...
0:33:55 > 0:33:57Oh, God! Yeah!
0:33:57 > 0:33:59And then the ovation... Ahh!
0:33:59 > 0:34:02You are going to wake up with a sore shoulder tomorrow.
0:34:02 > 0:34:03THEY LAUGH
0:34:09 > 0:34:12Visitors keep Burnham and the surrounding district thriving.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15They spend £160 million annually,
0:34:15 > 0:34:19because of the unique blend of sights, sounds and tastes on offer.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24The extension of the railway in the 19th century
0:34:24 > 0:34:27transformed the fortunes of Burnham.
0:34:27 > 0:34:32The Mangapps Steam Railway Museum celebrates all things locomotive
0:34:32 > 0:34:35and features a fully operational,
0:34:35 > 0:34:37three-quarter-mile standard gauge line,
0:34:37 > 0:34:40fully restored with stations and signal boxes.
0:34:40 > 0:34:44The collection includes 18 steam and diesel trains,
0:34:44 > 0:34:48in one of the country's most comprehensive railway exhibitions.
0:34:49 > 0:34:53A ten-minute ferry across the River Crouch, Wallasea Island is
0:34:53 > 0:34:58one of the most tranquil places in the county, home to skylarks,
0:34:58 > 0:35:00Brent geese and various wading birds.
0:35:00 > 0:35:04The RSPB is transforming the island by developing
0:35:04 > 0:35:06the Wallasea Wetland Project,
0:35:06 > 0:35:11making it the largest nature reserve of its type in Europe.
0:35:12 > 0:35:17As far as yacht owners are concerned, Burnham is world famous.
0:35:17 > 0:35:19Due to the mild climate and temperate winds,
0:35:19 > 0:35:23the River Crouch is a perfect place for sailing.
0:35:23 > 0:35:27Regattas have been held here since 1893,
0:35:27 > 0:35:31with racing yachts competing for the Town Cup.
0:35:31 > 0:35:35Burnham becomes flooded as visitors pour in to enjoy the party,
0:35:35 > 0:35:38and the river becomes a sight to behold,
0:35:38 > 0:35:41filled with over a thousand individual boats.
0:35:43 > 0:35:47In the 1800s, oysters were the number one game in town.
0:35:47 > 0:35:51This delicious delicacy helped establish Burnham's
0:35:51 > 0:35:54reputation as an upmarket location.
0:35:54 > 0:35:58Over a quarter of the population were employed by the industry.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01Production declined after the Second World War,
0:36:01 > 0:36:06but they're still available on local menus, freshly farmed every morning.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11Fatima Whitbread is one of the Britain's most remarkable
0:36:11 > 0:36:15and celebrated athletes. From humble beginnings,
0:36:15 > 0:36:18she went on to conquer the world with her trusty javelin.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21Nowadays, she spends her time coaching children,
0:36:21 > 0:36:25passing on the knowledge she gained through her wonderful career.
0:36:25 > 0:36:29Now I want to know how she grew from being a sporty 15-year-old
0:36:29 > 0:36:33on holiday in Burnham into one of the nation's sweethearts.
0:36:33 > 0:36:37What do you think you would have done if you had never found sport?
0:36:37 > 0:36:40I don't know. I think that was my destiny, my path that I was walking.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43I'm not sure what I would have done, to be honest.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46I think it would have been quite difficult for me to survive,
0:36:46 > 0:36:52because it was difficult times being in the children's home
0:36:52 > 0:36:56and growing up with that feeling of, "What have I done wrong?"
0:36:56 > 0:36:59So standing up for yourself was really important.
0:36:59 > 0:37:03Tell me about the first major event you went in.
0:37:03 > 0:37:08The biggest one was in '76, that was my first full international.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11I remember lining up with Tessa Sanderson.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14Tessa obviously was the one to beat.
0:37:14 > 0:37:16From that point on, really...
0:37:16 > 0:37:19In 1979, I won the European Junior title.
0:37:19 > 0:37:23Then I had to keep working and improving, right up
0:37:23 > 0:37:28until 1986, when I won my first major title, in Stuttgart.
0:37:28 > 0:37:34I threw 76m. It was enough for me to win the European Championship title.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37What about winning the Sports Personality?
0:37:37 > 0:37:40That must have been a fantastic thrill.
0:37:40 > 0:37:45That's the award that the BBC honoured me with in 1987.
0:37:45 > 0:37:49'Fatima was awarded the Sports Personality award after
0:37:49 > 0:37:55'winning European gold in 1986 and World Championship gold in '87.'
0:37:55 > 0:37:57That was the only gold medal Britain won.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01We had some great athletes fall short.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04- Like Steve Cram, Daley Thompson, Ovett, Coe.- Yeah.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07So, yeah, I was immensely proud about that.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10It was the same year that I won the MBE.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13It was given to me at the end of the year.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16You have given everything to sport,
0:38:16 > 0:38:20- but sport has given everything back to you.- It has.
0:38:20 > 0:38:22It has given me a whole new life.
0:38:22 > 0:38:27And I'm able to share my life story with many others that have
0:38:27 > 0:38:30obviously taken and drawn strength from it.
0:38:30 > 0:38:34For me, my greatest moment of all now is the birth of my son, Ryan.
0:38:34 > 0:38:38I'm a proud mum. It's funny how life evolves, isn't it?
0:38:38 > 0:38:43From very early days of living life in children's homes,
0:38:43 > 0:38:44having to be a little fighter,
0:38:44 > 0:38:50it has stood me in good stead for being the person that I am today.
0:38:51 > 0:38:55'For three decades, we've known Fatima as a great competitor.
0:38:55 > 0:39:00'That was even evident back in 1976, when she came to this slipway
0:39:00 > 0:39:03'and challenged her brothers to an event that you won't
0:39:03 > 0:39:06'find at the Olympic Games.'
0:39:06 > 0:39:10Is this the exact spot that you used to come and do a bit of crabbing?
0:39:10 > 0:39:12- Look, there is a crab there! Look! - Oh, look.
0:39:16 > 0:39:20- There you go.- No! Straightaway?!
0:39:20 > 0:39:23- Yes. I'll keep him in the bucket. - Yeah.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26This is where we used to come and crab.
0:39:26 > 0:39:31We'd get all these crabs and have a little race as well.
0:39:31 > 0:39:35'It seems Fatima can turn her hand to just about anything,
0:39:35 > 0:39:38'but catching crabs can't be that hard!'
0:39:38 > 0:39:41You are not going to beat me at crabbing.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44I'm in a competitive mood here.
0:39:44 > 0:39:49You have to pull them in slowly and lift it up,
0:39:49 > 0:39:56then hanging on the bottom will be a fabulous piece of...seaweed.
0:39:56 > 0:39:57LAUGHING: Piece of seaweed.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00On a good day, when you were kids down here,
0:40:00 > 0:40:02how many would you get out?
0:40:02 > 0:40:07- We'd get about ten, a dozen or more.- Really?- Yes.
0:40:07 > 0:40:11There is no end of them. All shapes and sizes.
0:40:11 > 0:40:15But what I remember about them is that they are really nippy.
0:40:15 > 0:40:19Yeah. It must have been so exciting when you got one.
0:40:19 > 0:40:24- I still like it now, to be honest. - It's a bit of fun, isn't it?
0:40:24 > 0:40:26Don't try and nick my crabs.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33- I got one!- Oh, you have!
0:40:33 > 0:40:35Oh!
0:40:35 > 0:40:36That is a beauty.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39When you come up against someone as competitive as I am...
0:40:39 > 0:40:44You are a professional at this. Put him in. I can't touch him cos...
0:40:44 > 0:40:47They are nippy. That's the only thing I remember now.
0:40:47 > 0:40:48Used to get bit a lot.
0:40:48 > 0:40:50There you go.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53'There are three options for these humble crabs.
0:40:53 > 0:40:55'We could put them back in the water,
0:40:55 > 0:40:58'we could have them for supper, or we could have our very own
0:40:58 > 0:41:02'crab-a-thon, like Fatima did all those years ago.'
0:41:02 > 0:41:04- I'll have the little one. I'm going to call him Nipper.- Nipper.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07- Yes.- I'll have the big one, the mother of all.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10We'll tip them out gently.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12Gently. Go on.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14- That's my one.- Which one? - That's your one.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17No, don't go that way! Go that way!
0:41:17 > 0:41:23- No, don't keep going that way. - Come on!- Go!- Go! Come on!
0:41:23 > 0:41:25- Keep going!- I've lost this, I think.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28Go! Go! Yes!
0:41:29 > 0:41:31THEY LAUGH
0:41:35 > 0:41:39'I've had a marvellous time with Fatima, reliving the memories
0:41:39 > 0:41:43'of her first childhood holiday right here in Burnham on Crouch...'
0:41:43 > 0:41:48Amazing. It's still here. Everything about the place is still the same.
0:41:48 > 0:41:52'..re-tracing the steps of a true British sporting hero.'
0:41:52 > 0:41:54- I got one!- Oh, you have!
0:41:56 > 0:42:00'It's been fascinating to see just how important this tiny town is
0:42:00 > 0:42:01'to Fatima.'
0:42:01 > 0:42:03It was a new beginning for me.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06A new start in life and a new family.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09I want to give you this, it is
0:42:09 > 0:42:15little scrapbook of memories of your Holiday Of My Lifetime.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17Oh my! Look at that!
0:42:19 > 0:42:24'A scrapbook of memories from a wonderful day here in Burnham -
0:42:24 > 0:42:27'a place that holds such precious memories for Fatima.
0:42:27 > 0:42:31'And bearing in mind how important her time was here,
0:42:31 > 0:42:33'I've a little something special for her, too.'
0:42:33 > 0:42:35I've got another little thing.
0:42:35 > 0:42:41This is a brochure, from 1976, of Creeksea Place Caravan Park.
0:42:41 > 0:42:45Oh, wow! That's fantastic! Thank you very much.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48Last but not least, to go with all your other medals,
0:42:48 > 0:42:54here is a little pin badge from Burnham on Crouch, June 1976.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56Thank you, Len. That's really nice of you.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59That's something to keep and treasure for the rest of my life.
0:42:59 > 0:43:03It will go amongst all my other medals, pride of place.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06So that's historic Burnham on Crouch,
0:43:06 > 0:43:09with its beautiful river banks, delicious oysters
0:43:09 > 0:43:14and wonderful holiday memories for national treasure Fatima Whitbread.