Lowestoft: Photographer's mission to celebrate 'unique' town

Photographer Joshua Freemantle has been taking pictures since a child

A teenager has used lockdown to capture images of Britain's most-easterly town to celebrate its "unique" beauty.

Joshua Freemantle, 17, took a range of pictures of Lowestoft, Suffolk for a documentary on life in the resort.

He was due to show his film at the town's Marina Theatre in June but is now using his time to take photographs.

Joshua said Lowestoft had a "beautiful beach and hidden heritage" that had been "forgotten for far too long".

It is hoped the documentary - Life of Lowestoft - will be released in mid-September. It will include a chapter showing the town in lockdown.

Lowestoft, which has two piers, is known for its sandy beaches

"Lowestoft is a unique, special place to be with a beautiful beach, beautiful hidden heritage, and most importantly, the first place to see the sun rise in Britain," he said.

"Lowestoft has become forgotten for far too long, but it's becoming evidently clear that it is now starting to get the investment it deserves.

"It is no longer being over looked as a town failing from a once-thriving fishing industry, as it is now becoming a renewable energy hub."

Lowestoft is a north Suffolk town close to the border with Norfolk

Claremont Pier is one of two piers in the town

Alongside the growth in the town's renewable energy industry, a £94m river crossing plan was approved last month.

Joshua said he hoped the film would promote Lowestoft as a destination.

He urged residents to film and share short stories of their lives under the pandemic.

"We've already received a number of videos and we really want to get as much of the community involved as possible," he added.

The town is known for its fishing industry but relies on tourism for much of its trade

Britain's most easterly town

The Darkness rock band hail from Lowestoft

• Lowestoft is home to Ness Point - the UK's most easterly extremity

• It has a population of about 50,000 and famous sons include composer Benjamin Britten and rock band The Darkness

• Fishing has traditionally been the town's dominant industry