It is not every day you see an Elizabethan clown morris dance through the streets of Braintree, jingling as he goes.

But "un-embarassable" Rick Jones, 58, drew some funny looks when he did just that today.

His jig down Braintree High Street was part of a 100-mile, one-man tour from London Bridge to Norwich to commemorate 400 years since Shakespeare’s death.

Rick, a grandfather from South London, is recreating the route of one of Shakespeare’s actors - Will Kemp - who danced the same route in 1600 to prove his popularity with the public after leaving the acting troupe.

He is hoping to draw a crowd when he dances back through Braintree later in May, wearing a traditional doublet, tights and a jester hat.

Rick said: "I have wanted to do this since I discovered the story at the University of East Anglia 35 years ago.

"Will Kemp left Shakespeare’s company in 1599 and planned to do this dance on exactly the same route - he wrote it all down in his accounts to prove he did it.

"I took lessons from the Blackheath Morris Men in March, but I am not a morris dancer by calling.

"I will mainly be skipping."

To keep himself entertained on the journey, Rick has also packed his lute in his rucksack.

He said: "Will Kemp didn’t play a lute but I like it - it’s my instrument."