One of the first serious Covid sufferers in Essex has realised his dream to supply specialist coffee through his own business.

Jason Mageehan was the first person to be discharged from Colchester General Hospital in April 2020 after being ventilated after catching the disease - and he is now fulfilling a dream he had while laying in bed during the early days of his recovery.

The 37-year-old, from Little Bromley near Manningtree, has always been a coffee-lover, but two health crises in the last few years helped convince him to take this new step.

He said: "Five years ago I had a kidney transplant after suffering kidney failure. If you have kidney failure you have to be very careful what you eat or drink - and one of the worst things you can have is coffee.

"I hadn't been able to drink it for years, so the first thing I wanted when I recovered from the transplant was a really good coffee. Then my wife bought me a coffee-maker and things went on from there."

After he recovered Mr Mageehan became an expert in different coffee flavours - and how they tasted different according to the altitude the beans were grown in and various other factors.

"When I was in hospital with Covid in April last year I thought that when I got over this I'd have to go ahead with this and see what happens," he said.

Now he has launched The Old Chapel Coffee Company from his home and is selling his products online. He is hoping to sell through independent stores in Colchester, north Essex and south Suffolk.

He said: "We've just started production and I'm doing this alongside my other work." He works in advertising and his wife Eleth is a photographer.

And the good news is that despite his serious condition with Covid, he is able to enjoy his coffee: "The doctors were concerned that the Covid could damage the kidney but it is still working I am able to carry on and hopefully grow this new company as well."