The boss of Rainham Marshes nature reserve has promised the site is “not going anywhere” amidst charity-wide cuts.

Alan Johnson, RSPB area manager for Kent and Essex, has assured that Rainham Marshes will be protected as a reserve in the future after its shop and cafe were scrapped.

These were part of sweeping cuts across the conservation charity, revealed exclusively by the Recorder in October, which put several other nature reserves at risk of complete closure.

However, Mr Johnson called Rainham Marshes a “hyper important” reserve, which will not shut due to it being a “hotspot” for certain bird species and other wildlife.