Tilbury residents are to be given the chance to speak out on plans to spend more than £1 million on a historic fort.

People are being invited to have their say on the future of Coalhouse Fort at an exhibition this weekend.

Thurrock Council, the Coalhouse Fort Project and Cory Environmental Trust have teamed up with Landscape Design Associates to see if the fort can be restored.

The plan also includes making improvements to the park and better footpath connections to other areas of interest along the river Thames.

An exhibition will be held at East Tilbury Village Hall on Saturday, September 19 from 10.30am to 3pm, giving interested parties the chance to examine the project and express their own opinions.

The study is being made to assess how best to spend £1.2 million, granted by the Cory Environmental Trust.

It will also to look at the potential of further financing from the Heritage lottery funding.

Thurrock mayor Arthur Bennett said the exhibition would be a great chance for people to have their say.

He said: "Please come along to have a look at the ideas for the improvement of Coalhouse Fort and the surrounding park. This is a real opportunity to give your ideas - or express concerns."

The Purfleet Heritage and Military Centre is opening its doors for an extra weekend following the success of last weekend's Battle of Britain exhibition.

"Unfortunately we will not be able to have the Spitfire display again," said centre vice-chairman Richard Smith.

"But we will have Battle of Britain pilots at the centre." The show, at the centre in Centurion Way, Purfleet, will be open between 10am and 4.30pm on Saturday, October 3, and Sunday, October 4.

Prices are £1.75 for adults and 50p for accompanied children.

Other dates planned for October include an El Alamein exhibition on the weekend of October 17 and 18.

Prices and times will be the same as for this weekend's event.

For more details on these events, contact either the centre chairman, Alan Gosling on 01708 866764 or vice chairman Richard Smith on 01708 523409.

Next year the centre is hoping to open every Sunday.

Picture: Gunning for a revamp - some of the historic weaponry at the Coalhouse

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.