VOLUNTEERS at a railway museum are set to return to work after the relaxation of lockdown rules.

The East Anglian Railway Museum at Chappel is welcoming back a number of volunteers in the hope of re-opening in the next few weeks.

Museum trustees have issued strict health and safety guidance to make sure volunteers are safe.

Staff hope to re-open for visitors in July,in time for the school summer holidays.

Jobs include the maintenance and upkeep of the museum’s fleet of locomotives, continuing the construction of a new miniature railway and general site maintenance and repairs, including gardening and painting after nearly 12 weeks of closure.

A spokesman for the museum said: “This is a really positive step forward for museum volunteers who, as well as being the lifeblood of our museum and providing a vital service, really benefit personally from keeping active and from the camaraderie and social interaction volunteering provides.”

The museum has been hit hard by the lockdown and has experienced a massive shortfall in income as a result events being cancelled due to the pandemic.

Many of the museum's events including a classic vehicle show, a vintage music and dance event and the annual steampunk fair have all been cancelled along with the season of weddings, usually held in the museum’s historic Goods Shed.

The favourite Chappel Beer Festival in September is also at risk of cancellation.

Measures are currently being put in place to ensure visitors can stay safe when the museum re-opens including more hand washing and sanitising facilities, screens at reception and other high-contact points and clear signage reminding visitors to observe social distancing rules.

The seventeen-acre museum site makes social distancing easier than in some indoor museums and, when the museum does re-open, visitor numbers will be limited.

Timed tickets may be introduced at busier times.

For more information, visit earm.co.uk or on Facebook @earailwaymuseum.