Reward to find hate mail sender

9 June 2010, 14:46 | Updated: 9 June 2010, 16:19

An Essex businessman's now offering a substantial reward for help to find whoever is behind a hate campaign that's been going on for nearly a year now.

Derek Govey and his wife Toni have been talking to Heart about numerous letters sent out claiming they and their staff at the Lord's Golf & Country Club in Rayleigh were paedophiles, when they're not.

Many letters posted contained very personal details about the Govey family including their home address, phones numbers and car registration plate.

The latest was just a week ago and claimed to be from Essex Police, who've confirmed it was not from them. It was sent to people locally and schools in what the couple believe is a campaign aimed at trying to ruin their business.

Derek reckons it's had a reverse effect: "In the early days we were very concerned that this was gonna be very damaging to the business. In actual fact it's had a complete opposite effect."

Wife Toni says it's their family she's most worried about: "Our main concern really are our children, it must affect them because one's still at school and they hear it from their friends that these letters have been going around."

As well as the hate letters, graffiti's been sprayed across the wall of a building within the grounds of the golf club.

Essex Police say they are investigating but no-one's been charged over it yet.