A survey on Second World War decoy bombing sites has received £5,000 in funding from the Essex Heritage Trust.

The survey is being supported by a number of authorities.

Essex County Council's heritage conservation group is conducting the survey which will identify and record decoy bombing sites in the county in a bid to create a permanent record.

During the war hundreds of decoy bombing sites were constructed all over Britain to persuade German bombers to drop their payloads on the open fields of the dummy rather than their intended target.

The county council has been carrying out the survey across Essex for several years now and the extra cash means this study will continue.

There have been 15 separate sites identified so far and detailed reports will be made and records kept to preserve exceptional examples.

Joan Lyon, chairwoman of the Heritage Trust, said the war-time defences were an important part of our heritage.

"We at the county council are very grateful that the Essex Heritage Trust is able to help us undertake this valuable work," she added.

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