Wales' Heritage Minister has been told about exciting plans for a £1.2 million military air museum at Carew Airfield.
Rhodri Glyn Thomas visited Carew at the invitation of local Assembly Member Angela Burns and the Carew Cheriton Control Tower Group.
The Welsh Assembly has just granted the group a £132,000 grant which will enable them to buy 3.4 acres surrounding the control tower.
The Minister was told about the 'Wings over Pembrokeshire' project which aims to restore aircraft that flew from the airfield, build a hangar to house them and a unique propeller-shaped visitor centre.
The airfield was used during both world wars and 100 airmen lost their lives while based at RAF Carew Cheriton. The control tower is already a tourist attraction which is also visited by schoolchildren from all over the county as part of their national curriculum studies. "The volunteers have created a wonderful asset for our county already and their plans for the future are very exciting," said Mrs. Burns. "If this, coupled with the Sunderland Trust project to raise the flying boat from the seabed of the Haven and put it on display, goes ahead, then Pembrokeshire will have a great military heritage tour to boast about."
The Minister was given a tour of the control tower and then a short presentation about its history and hoped-for future.
"Congratulations on everything you have achieved here," he said. "It fits in very well with what we are trying to do in terms of heritage tourism."
• The Carew Cheriton Control Tower is open every Bank Holiday weekend and every Sunday in July, August and September. See http://www.carewcheritoncontroltower.co.uk">www.carewcheritoncontroltower.co.uk for more information.