People campaigning to save a historic train station from demolition received a scare when fences went up on the site.

But Greater Anglia bosses confirmed work being carried out at Trimley St Mary station "to refurbish the footbridge and re-wire the station" and reassured locals "the work does not affect the station building."

Network Rail announced plans in 2019 to demolish the building but agreed to hand over the lease to Trimley Station Community Trust if enough funding was secured.

Many residents have campaigned and set up a fundraiser in a bid to save it.

Adrian Reynolds, chairman of the Trimley Station Community Trust, said a lack of communication from those involved in the demolition has left them "hanging in mid-air."

He said: "We've spent the last 10 years trying to raise money. We've done three lottery bids now and have been turned down for all three of them. As a charitable trust company, we've run out of ideas."

%image(14474753, type="article-full", alt="Greater Anglia say essential work is being carried out in order to "refurbish the footbridge and re-wire the station"")

The station building was opened in 1891 but has been closed for over half a century after its closure in the late 60s. It is thought to be the sole surviving country railway station constructed by the Great Eastern Railway in Suffolk.

A spokesman for Greater Anglia said: "The building at Trimley Station has not been in operational use for decades and we're currently working to determine its future.

"We have engaged with the Friends of Trimley group for more than a decade to see if a suitable use for the building and funding sources for any proposals could be found. However, as no viable plans have so far been put forward, we are assessing next steps."

Mr Reynolds says, if the group could have obtained the necessary funding to save the building, they would have given "everything back to the community. There was going to be a community café in there. There were a lot of things we were going to do that would have restored the building to what it was. Unfortunately, those involved in the demolition don't see it that way."

Residents can get in touch with Trimley Station Community Trust at: info@trimleystation.org.uk