ONE of the most prominent exhibits at Bromsgrove's premier tourist attraction is in need of urgent repair work and an appeal has been launched this week to carry out the task.

The 19th century windmill, one of the most popular attractions at Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings at Stoke Heath, needs major repairs to its huge sails.

The work will incur huge cost for Avoncroft as a charitable organisation, and an appeal has been set up to carry out the essential maintenance.

However, there is one ray of sunshine.

Chase Norton Construction who are currently involved in the new Buntsford Hill development nearby have offered their expertise in both manpower and support for the project.

They will assist next week in the highly delicate task of removing the sails from the mill so allowing the work to start.

The windmill was rescue from Danzey Green, Warwickshire, where it had fallen into disrepair. Windmills have been recorded in the area since 1560, although it is known that a certain well-know millright from Tanworth-in-Arden, Robert Summers, built the Avoncroft mill at some point after 1830 using 19 sturdy oak trees.

The mill ceased working in 1874 when a sail was blown off in a gale.

In June 1969 the windmill was dismantled by volunteers and reassembled at the Stoke Heath site where it began milling flour in 1976.

Chase Norton Construction's experience and skills cover a wide rang of the building industry. The firm undertakes projects in the commercial residential, retail, health, education and industrial sectors.