Visitors from China visited north Essex to take a look at successful business ventures in the county and gain a few ideas to take home.

Nine visitors from the People's Republic of China visited the business centre on Earls Colne airfield, including Zhang Lianzhen, the vice-governor of the Jiangsu province in China, which has a population of about 58 million inhabitants, roughly the same as the UK.

The delegation also visited the Colchester Business Centre on Severalls Business Park on their tour of commercial sites in the area.

Eric Hobbs, owner of the family business which runs the airfield, said: "We're pleased to welcome our visitors. The delegation came really to look at the Earls Colne airfield and what we have achieved here.

"We bought the airfield 20 years ago and now, more than 1,000 people are employed on the business park and the leisure centre and we also have a working airstrip."

Published Wednesday October 30, 2002