A PASSIONATE teacher has launched a campaign to “make Southend great again”, with plans to make the high street a more popular destination.

Christine Hindle, a French teacher at Bournemouth Park Academy, started a petition to improve Southend High Street after feeling as though it had been “forgotten” by the council.

Ms Hindle has lived in the town for 40 years and is determined to make the high street a place for people to be proud of.

She said: “I’m French but I’ve been living in England for a very long time and Southend was always a great trip.

“In the last few years it’s going down and down and down and I’ve got some time now and I thought: ‘I’m going to fight for it.’

“If you look at the council and what they’re doing, they’re trying so hard to make Southend great but not the high street. The high street is totally forgotten.

“It’s getting worse. It’s terrible. This is the heart of the borough. We can’t leave it like that I love Southend.

“The high street could be absolutely beautiful. Let’s keep what we’ve got and make it good.”

In her proposed plans, Christine wants to remove the benches in the high street to allow for market stalls to be placed back to back, for toilets to be reinstalled, to open a community cafe and create events and wine bars to attract younger people to the town.

She added: “The children I teach, they deserve better. They deserve to have a clean high street and a high street they can be proud of.

“When it’s bright, beautiful and vibrant again, we can all be happy again.”

“I love England, I love my home, my work, my neighbours, my friends and there is nowhere else I would like to live and that is why I am so passionate about getting involved in returning Southend High Street to its former glory.”

Christine has had support from various councillors on her petition.

Councillor Alex Bright said: “Like many residents, I feel that drastic improvements need to be made urgently to Southend’s High Street and the roads leading off to make it a more appealing place to visit. Indeed, this is a matter that I have often raised in council and will continue to champion.

“That is why I very much welcome Ms Hindle’s petition calling for improvements to the High Street and for drawing attention to this important issue. I look forward to supporting Ms Hindle in her endeavour wherever I can.”