AN airfield museum is celebrating after being highly commended by judges at a national heritage awards ceremony.

Ridgewell Airfield Commemorative Association Museum was shortlisted for the Museum + Heritage project on a limited budget award.

Based in a 75-year-old Nissen hut on the airfield’s former hospital site, the museum underwent a refit last year. Volunteers from the museum attended the awards ceremony in London but missed out on the top accolade.

Hallaton in the Great War Research Group, based in Leicestershire, picked up the prize but the airfield museum was named runner up by the competition judges.

Chairman, Paul Bingley, who collected the highly commended certificate at the awards ceremony last week, said: “They would be the first to admit that it is not about them. Everyone has had one aim – to create a worthy memorial to those who served at RAF Ridgewell. But this national commendation clearly demonstrates what they have achieved with minimum outlay and maximum effort.

“I’m very proud to be part of such an extraordinary team.”

The museum opened in 2000 and last year volunteers helped transform the displays and appearance.

A timeline of RAF Ridgewell’s key events now gives visitors a chance to learn about the Allied airmen who were based there during the Second World War.

Mr Bingley added: “It is humbling to know that events which took place 75 years ago still resonate today.”

The Ridgewell Airfield Commemorative Association Museum is open from 11am to 5pm on the second Sunday of each month between April and September. Admission is free.