A race to save irreplaceable Second World War artwork at a former USAAF airfield has reached a major milestone after emergency repairs stopped decades-old roof leaks.
The USAAF Heritage Trust had launched an appeal to protect wartime-painted squadron insignia inside the American Red Cross Aero Club at Station 125 near Bungay.
It has announced that the building is now largely watertight after urgent waterproofing work.
Trustees had warned last month that rainwater entering through the roof was threatening some of the last surviving examples of original wartime artwork painted by American servicemen stationed at the site during the war.
Two insignia have already been lost to water damage over the years, prompting concerns that more could disappear without immediate intervention.
In an update, the trust revealed that waterproofing work on the rear sections of both roof valleys had been completed, allowing the repairs to be tested during recent rainfall.
The organisation said the result was something it had hoped to see for many years.
What is believed to be for the first time in decades, rainwater no longer entered the rear section of the Aero Club, where pools of water had previously formed beneath the historic paintings.
Describing the achievement as a major milestone, trustee Kerry Wilmot said: "It may sound like a small thing, but to us, and to the history entrusted to our care, it means absolutely everything."
She added that the surviving paintings, created more than 80 years ago, "are part of the history of this remarkable place, and once lost, they can never truly be replaced".
The repair work was put to the test during recent rainfall, which Ms Wilmot said trustees had unusually hoped for.
While celebrating the success, the trust said further work remains.
Minor guttering issues still need attention, and a structural survey of the Aero Club is under way.
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