Brave contestants devoured gruesome creepy crawlies in a bush tucker trial to help save the Amazon rainforest.

Essex Reptile in South Street, Braintree, was not such a far cry from the tropics on Monday as animal-lovers of all ages turned out for their summer open day.

Despite the downpours, six visitors ate platefuls of live morio worms, deep fried locusts and salted caramel crickets in the gruelling I’m A Celebrity - Get Me Out Of Here themed trial.

Visitors also got to handle Ruby the Suriname boa constrictor, Sydney the American striped skunk and Bert the runaway tortoise, who was found on the A130.

For the full story, see this week's Braintree and Witham Times.