THESE archive images bring back memories of how the north Essex coast played its part in vintage sit-com history.

For almost a decade Dovercourt holiday camp Warners doubled up as Hi-de-Hi’s Maplins for filming outside scenes.

Photographs showing the show’s popular characters recalls when filming took place along with those of Butlins, in Clacton, which loosely inspired the series as a whole, during its own heyday.

Warners closed in 1990 and the site was re-developed for housing.