Zara HealyEast Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
BBC NewsA former nuclear monitoring station in Lincolnshire is to open to visitors this weekend.
Built in 1964, the bunker, near Holbeach, was staffed by members of the Royal Observer Corps.
If the threat of nuclear war became significant, three people would have been sent to the structure to measure the scale of a bomb blast and radioactive debris, known as fallout, before reporting back to the government.
It closed in 1991 and is now managed by Heritage Lincolnshire, which described it as being of “international historical importance”. Guided tours – run as part of the England-wide Heritage Open Days scheme – will take place on Saturday.
Stewart Ingle, 76, a former member of the Royal Observer Corps, said: “We monitored fallout and the power of the bomb, if it [a nuclear attack] happened. I was bit apprehensive leaving my wife and children on top. It makes you think.. I am down here, if things happened.”
Heritage sites will open their doors for free
According to Historic Lincolnshire, there are 28 such bunkers in the UK – and Mr Hagen thinks Holbeach is the best preserved.
Dave Hagen, 78, who helped restore and refurnish the bunker, added: “I am proud to say I am the caretaker of this one that is still in good condition.
“Our role was so important but people just did not realise we even existed. Our role was so important, should there have been radiation, getting people out of the way of the nuclear plume of fallout.”
Alice Ullathorne, head of Heritage Lincolnshire, said: “This was secret for absolutely years and years and years. People didn’t realise there was this network of different monitoring posts across the country to see what would happen if there was a nuclear war – and to monitor the after effects.
“It is pretty scary, I can only imagine what might have been going through their [Royal Observer Corps] heads when they were training for that.”
Tours, which last 90 minutes, will take place at 10:30, 12:30 and 14:30 BST. Booking details can be found here.
