Shoppers who attend a weekly town market will have the chance to win prizes twice a month in new regularly held competitions being launched this month.

The new bi-monthly competitions are being introduced by Epping Town Council to attract more customers to the Epping market along the High Street held every Monday.

Kicking off the first round of prizes, a £30 Tesco voucher will be up for grabs on Monday, June 10, by simply guessing correctly how many balloons are in a vehicle.

Visitors to the market will then be challenged to find a cuddly toy hidden among one of the stalls to take home on, Monday, June 24.

Town clerk Beverley Rumsey said: "The town council has decided to hold regular competitions - two each month - to add some variety and fun to the weekly market.

"We have welcomed some new stallholders in recent weeks and see the competitions as another way of reinvigorating the market which has been a focal point for shoppers and visitors to the town for many decades."

Also starting today (Monday, June 3) pupils from Epping St Johns School will be trading from their own stall for five weeks.