Campaigners hoping to save a village station from the bulldozers and turn it into a community hub are close to signing a lease for the building.

Directors of the Trimley Station Community Trust say securing the lease will trigger £10,000 of emergency and remedial works to make the building secure and watertight.

A spokesman for the trust said the lease offered by Greater Anglia for the redundant station buildings was essential.

He said: “This will allow two years to finalise plans for the refurbishment of the buildings and secure long-term funding for restoration.

“The trust has commissioned an inspection structural survey and schedule of works with the Morton Partnership and a preliminary budget estimate with Gill Associates.

“As anticipated, these indicate that emergency works are required within the initial two-year period to secure the buildings and prevent further decay.

“This includes making the buildings watertight and completing remedial work to the roof, doorways and the south wall facing the platform.

“Greater Anglia has been very supportive and they are providing a letter of intent to extend the initial lease and assist in future funding applications.”

One option is a lottery grant.

The trust, which has more than 200 registered “friends” and has held a series of successful fundraising events, aims to transform the station on the Ipswich to Felixstowe line into a café, information centre, offices and meeting room.