EXCITED fans waited for hours to get a glimpse of a reality television star at the grand opening of a town centre nightclub.

Joey Essex, who shot to fame in the hit show The Only Way Is Essex, dropped in to officially open the new nightspot called The Loft in Clacton on Saturday night.

Clubbers lined Pier Avenue in wait for a chance to meet the perma-tan celebrity, who quit his role in TOWIE last year.

Since leaving the show he has appeared in I'm A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here, where he came fourth, and has launched his own hair care and fragrance ranges.

The loveable character, who coined the catchphrase reem – meaning really cool, was greeted with cheers and hoots when he arrived at the club at midnight.

For the full story and pictures see Thursday's Clacton Gazette