West Worcestershire MP Dame Harriett Baldwin joined dozens of well-wishers and even a pilot who flew at RAF Defford to celebrate the tenth anniversary of a popular local museum.

A series of buildings in the National Trust Croome Court estate have been allocated to marking the work and achievements of the airbase which played a vital part in helping secure victory in the Second World War.

Local dignitaries including Pershore’s Mayor Richard Grantham were joined by friends and family of people who were based at the secret buildings set in the Worcestershire countryside developing applications for radar – which was invented in Malvern – and microwave, which enabled the very first automated plane landing in 1945.

The museum has recently been expanded and has welcomed 500,000 through the doors since it was opened in 2014.

Dame Harriett said:

“The museum is a wonderful tribute to the work carried out at by the RAF at Defford and Pershore which clearly helped us to win the Second World War.

“I attended the official opening and since then there has been so much more memorabilia added to the collection from local people and families of people based there.

“It is a moving and fitting recognition of RAF Defford’s efforts during and post-wartime and I strongly urge anyone who hasn’t, to go and visit this amazing museum.”

Photo: (centre left to right) National Trust’s South Worcestershire General Manager Michelle Fullard (holding birthday cake), Mayor Richard Grantham and Dame Harriett Baldwin MP.