A FUNDRAISING campaign has been launched to replace a camera taking live footage of Mersea’s Strood.

The only road on and off the island is routinely covered at high tides.

Residents Dominic and Phoebe Fuller bought a camera in 2007 and put it on a nearby house to show the road, allowing people to check if it was passable.

The Strood Cam broke about a month ago and they are trying to raise £2,000 to buy a new one.

Mrs Fuller, 42, said: “We had lots of e-mails asking why it wasn’t working and people saying they really needed it.

“About 4,000 people used the site every month. It is very well used, it is pretty popular.”

The couple, who have lived on the island for 12 years, used to call their friend who lives near the Strood every time they planned on driving out to see if the road was covered.

Then they researched having a camera set up and discovered it would be possible.

They funded it themselves in 2007 and have since spent about £500 a year maintaining it.

When the camera broke a month ago, they decided they can no longer fund it.

A replacement camera would cost £1,500 and the group wants to raise another £500 to cover maintenance costs for a year.

So far they have raised £270. Click here to make a donation.

Mrs Fuller, who works as a website designer and runs an online recruitment company, said: “Some businesses have said they are interested in doing something.

It is a valuable service.

“People don’t have to leave home until they have checked, which means you don’t get the big queues.

“Some of the caravan parks use it to help visitors.”