The campaign to save Elvington Airfield was gathering momentum today as MP John Grogan pledged to take it to the top.

The future of air displays, including the annual Air Spectacular in August, has been thrown into doubt after the Ministry of Defence decided to sell the former Bomber Command airstrip, near York.

Mr Grogan, MP for the area, said he was today contacting the Defence Secretary George Robertson to seek assurances on the sale.The trustees of the museum, which is next to the airfield and relies on it, are trying to put together a consortium of businesses and individuals to buy the land.

Mr Grogan said: "Elvington Airfield and Selby Abbey are the two big tourist attractions in the area. If the airfield was sold to a developer and the museum's activities were threatened then it would be a big blow to the area.

"I am writing to George Robertson today pointing out the importance of the museum. I want to establish whether the MoD has to accept the highest bidder or whether the importance of the museum to the local community can be taken into account."

The airfield was home to RAF and French Air Force squadrons during the Second World War and is now used for leisure purposes, such as air displays and record speed attempts.

The MoD is selling the airfield because it is "surplus to operational requirements".

Although it has not stated an asking price for the 400 acres of land, it would be worth £1.2 million if valued the same as farmland.

The chairman of the trustees, Ian Robinson, said the airfield was very important to the adjoining museum because they used it for air displays and other shows throughout the year. Last week it was used to smash the UK land speed record in an electric car.

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