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Beach hut owner's joy at winning national award

John Fairhall/BBC Jayn Willis wearing a leopard print jacket. Behind her is the sea and a pier. She has glasses with black frames and grey hair. She is smiling.John Fairhall/BBC
Jayn Willis purchased the beach hut in Walton-on-the-Naze in memory of her daughter

A woman who lets cancer patients use her beach hut free-of-charge said "never in a million years" did she expect national recognition for it.

Jayn Willis renovated the seaside cabin in Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex, a year after her daughter Gemma died from cervical cancer in 2021.

The building's impressive transformation caught the eye of the Love Your Hut website, whose judges crowned it their hut of the year.

Awards organiser Alexandra Sandberg said all involved were deeply moved by Ms Willis's story.

She said: "The loving story - the sad story - moved us all really deeply and it was a landslide of a win."

John Fairhall/BBC A picture taken by a drone of a man and a woman sat on a balcony in front of a green and white-striped beach hut. There are several other colourful huts in the same row.John Fairhall/BBC
The hut is found on Southcliff Promenade
John Fairhall/BBC Inside the beach hut, which has green cupboards. There is various crockery on the wall above a sink and there are curtains with leaves on. To the right of the image is a table with food on top of it. A bench seat with pink pillows surrounds it.John Fairhall/BBC
Ms Willis was praised by judges for her "intricate detail"

The hut, on Southcliff Promenade, was described as a "beautiful sanctuary" made in Gemma's name, who was 30 years old when she died.

Ms Willis said it was inspired by her daughter's favourite places in the US - Palm Beach, Florida, and Beverly Hills in Los Angeles.

She offers it up to people undergoing cancer treatment who are in need of a break - as first reported by the Clacton and Frinton Gazette.

Referencing the award, Ms Willis said: "I never in a million years expected anything like this to happen.

"We purchased the hut in Gemma's memory and because we wanted to gift it out to other cancer patients… Just for them to get away from everyday life."

The beach hut was painted with green and white stripes, as well as flamingos and lots of pink.

John Fairhall/BBC The view outside the beach hut, which looks at the sea. Inside the hut is a table which is surrounded by a bench seat. It has food on top. The bench seat has a black and white-striped pillow. There are also pink pillows.John Fairhall/BBC
The hut offers views over the North Sea in Essex

Ms Willis was praised by judges for her "intricate detail" and design inside.

"We're delighted that it has helped many people suffering from cancer," she added.

"For us as a family it has been the perfect spot to indulge in the memories of our amazing daughter."

Jayn Willis Gemma Willis, who is smiling and wearing black sunglasses. She has long blonde hair and is on a beach. A large hill is over her shoulder, with the sea also behind her. It is a sunny day.Jayn Willis
Judges said the hut was a "beautiful sanctuary" in Gemma's memory

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