High Angle Battery and 'ghost tunnels' get lottery funding

High Angle Battery in Portland was built in the 1890s to help defend against a threat of French invasion

An authority is planning to rejuvenate a historic gun battery famous for its "ghost tunnels" after receiving funding.

High Angle Battery on Portland, Dorset, was built in the 1890s to support the south coast's defence against the threat of an invasion from France.

The below-ground complex, with its ghost tunnels and gun emplacements, has become popular with local people.

Dorset Council is getting £250,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

It said it would fund a project focussing on "improving the site's heritage, biodiversity, and access" and "help tell the story of the battery to a much wider audience".

Dorset Council has been awarded £250,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to preserve the site

A consultation on the site's future highlighted that locals wanted the ghost tunnels to be fully opened

Historic England classed the site as "at risk" in 2022 due to ongoing erosion, which was damaging some of the buildings and tunnels.

A consultation on the site's future highlighted that locals wanted more activities and events there, and for the ghost tunnels to be fully opened.

The council said it aimed to make the battery into a "valuable local asset where events, tours and school visits will be a regular occurrence," and would work closely with with Portland Town Council on the plan.

Ray Bryan, portfolio holder for highways, travel and environment, said the site would become an "integral part of Portland that will provide many social, economic, historic, cultural and environmental benefits to the local area and communities".

Historic England classed the site as "at risk" due to ongoing erosion and disrepair

Stuart McLeod at The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: "Heritage has a huge role to play in instilling pride in communities, and this project to save this much-loved landmark is a fantastic example of this."

A "friends of" group will now be set up to oversee the battery's long-term care, managed in partnership by both councils.

Speaking previously to the BBC, local resident Cameron Wilson described how he used to visit the ghost tunnels with his friends.

He said: "It's actually really lovely but as a kid, when the fog rolls in, it really does feel like something out of a horror movie.

"There's a few other experiences that you have growing up on the island that we all share and it's something that brings us back to the island."