A manager at Walton's troubled Columbine Centre has quit.

Promotions and entertainments' manager Tony Longhurst has resigned after just two months in the job. He blamed problems with Frinton and Walton Town Council's leisure committee for his departure.

Mr Longhurst said: "They have bought a dog and are barking themselves."

The centre's management has been hit by several crises over the past few months. The former centre manager Barry Worsley did not have his contract renewed and before that the Friends of the Columbine had been despondent.

After that the council appointed Mr Longhurst and Lesley Maynard, who was the centre manager in charge of services.

Mr Longhurst, 37, of Frinton, said the last straw was when the arrangements for the millennium night celebrations were taken out of his hands.

Christine Turner, chairman of the leisure committee, denied claims that the committee had interfered.

She said the committee had done the same things that had been in its criteria for the past four years.

Mrs Turner added: "He was enthusiastic but I'm just sorry he was not more aware of what the leisure committee's criteria is."

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