TOWN hall bosses played host to the Secretary of State for Defence to discuss plans for the redevelopment of the former RAF Burtonwood airbase.

The Rt Hon Geoffrey Hoon MP, Defence Minister, had a working lunch with town hall bosses and Helen Southworth, MP for Warrington South, to discuss plans for the urban village Chapelford at the former airbase.

He said: "Across the country the Ministry of Defence owns an enormous amount of land and we need to look at it to see if we still need it.

"If we don't, then it is important we put it to use for the benefit of the community.

"It is important that we find a solution which is useful locally and is supported by the people and Chapelford seems to be a model of that kind of consultation."

Consultations are already well under way and will continue as Chapelford is developed.

RAF Burtonwood was famous for being one of the largest military airbases outside the USA and was known during the Second World War as "Little America".

It was the focus of a special exhibition at Warrington Museum and Art Gallery.

Efforts are now being made to rescue memorabilia from the site for a special heritage centre within Chapelford, once it is completed.

For more information check out the website www.rafburtonwood.co.uk.