UNIQUE wartime murals – painted on the wall of an officers' mess by a US airman - are to be preserved thanks to a £19,000 grant from a heritage scheme.

UNIQUE wartime murals – painted on the wall of an officers' mess by a US airman - are to be preserved thanks to a £19,000 grant from a heritage scheme.

The murals are on the inner walls of what used to the Red Feather Club, the mess used by airmen of the US 95 Bomb Group, based at Horham, near Eye.

The group suffered heavy losses in a total of 320 wartime missions over mainland Europe during the Second World War.

After returning from raids crews would often enjoy themselves in the Red Feather Club – named after the red feather on the group's badge.

One airmen, Nathan Bindler, a talented artist, painted murals of cartoon fairy tale characters – knights, princesses and jesters – on the inner walls.

Following the departure of the military at the end of the war the building has slowly deteriorated, leaks developing in the roof and damp invading.

Local enthusiasts have been trying to protect the building over the past few years and to uncover more of Mr Bindler's art work – over the doors and windows of the mess.

Now, as a result of their efforts, the project to preserve the building and its murals is to get the cash injection it badly needs from a grant approved by the Local Heritage Initiative Scheme.

Andrew Castleden , chairman of the 95th Bomb Group Heritage Association said: "This grant will help us to preserve our wall paintings and tell the story of Horham Airfield. It proves that the paintings are unique and important."

Mr Castleden said local volunteers would be "matching" the grant money by contributing their own labour to carry out repairs and refurbishment.