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Plans to display WW2 fort excavated from airfield

Federica Bedendo
BBC News, North East and Cumbria
Google The replica of the Lockheed Hudson plane sits on top of a pole above a flower bed on Silloth Green. There is a large expanse of lawn with relatively small trees at the far end. In the distance is a mountain. In the foreground, two cars are parked, sideways to the camera, and there is a blue sign containing a rainbow and the words "thank you NHS" in a throwback to the Covid pandemic. Other cars are parked in the distance and a couple of small groups of people are visible on the green.Google
A replica of a Lockheed Hudson plane was unveiled in Silloth to mark 100th birthday of the RAF in 2018

Plans have been lodged to display a World War Two fort excavated at an airfield.

Silloth Tourism Action Group has applied to Cumberland Council for permission to display a Hamilton-Pickett fort on the town's green.

The organisation said it was excavated from the nearby airfield in Silloth, Cumbria, and was one of just 48 existing forts of this type, which are in a pillbox style unique to airfields.

Planning documents said: "We want to put one of these forts on display and have trained personnel operate the fort on predetermined dates to show off this amazing bit of World War Two technology."

Hamilton-Pickett forts, of which two others remain underground at Silloth Airfield, were designed as defence from Paratrooper Luftwaffe attacks.

The group added the display would be part of a local military trail and would include an information board to explain its use.

Peter Skynner/Geograph A Hamilton-Pickett fort at Headcorn Airfield in Kent. The structure is shaped like a cylinder and has a grassy bank around it. Sandbags are built up around the entrance and light aircraft can be seen in the distance, standing on a flat expanse of grass.Peter Skynner/Geograph
A Hamilton-Pickett fort at Headcorn Airfield in Kent

The forts could be hydraulically raised to about 4ft (2.1m) above ground level to defend a runway.

Historic England said about 240 of these structures were built on airfields around the country, usually in groups of three.

Silloth Tourism Action Group wants to display the fort next to a replica of a Lockheed Hudson plane which sits on top of a flower bed on Silloth Green, unveiled in 2018 to mark the 100th anniversary of the RAF.

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