WHEN it comes to spring cleaning the volunteers at the Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum at Flixton have a much more difficult task than most.

The exhibits on display are not only in buildings on the site but more than 20 aircraft are kept outside permanently.

Pam Veale, of the museum, said: “The winter months take their toll on the aircraft which are kept outside so we have to give them all a thorough clean.”

Unfortunately there are not enough volunteers to do all the work but last weekend help was on hand when a group of American servicemen and women and their families from Lakenheath joined in to get the job done.

“We have close links with the American servicemen and women in the area and special part of the museum’s exhibits is dedicated to the USAAF 446th Bombardment Group stationed here during the Second World War,” said Pam.

“We asked if any of the present day service personnel could help us and they came along on Saturday and were simply brilliant.

“Everyone, including the children, worked very hard and now we have a collection of historic aircraft that are really gleaming in the sunlight,” she said.

The volunteers at the museum would like to thank their American friends for all the help they gave in getting the outside aircraft so clean.

The museum is now ready to welcome visitors throughout the busy summer months.

The museum which is off the B1062 road at Flixton, near Bungay, is open during the summer from 10am to 5pm Sundays to Thursdays.

There are also special displays featuring RAF Bomber Command, RAF Air Sea Rescue and Coastal Command and the Royal Observer Corps No. 6 Group.

Admission to the museum is free but donations are warmly welcomed