Ahead of a busy tourist season the public viewing area at RNAS Culdrose has been given a spring clean by some of the station’s personnel.

Members of 820 Naval Air Squadron gave some of their time to help prepare the area, which is on the eastern perimeter of Culdrose airfield.

It is a popular site from which the public watch the comings and goings of aircraft flying around Culdrose, and includes a small café and a shop selling naval and aviation souvenirs.

Rubbing down paintwork, sanding wall surfaces and generally getting things clean and shipshape were the tasks and after two days of hard work the officers and ratings of the squadron had successfully helped shop manager Margaret Kelly get ready for what is hoped will be a bumper season. She said: “It’s fantastic getting this help from 820 Squadron. It makes things a lot easier and better for me as the 2010 season gets going.” The personnel were able to give their time after arriving back at Culdrose, having been on operations in the Middle East.

The 820 Squadron is the longest serving squadron in the Royal Navy, which helped sink the German battleship Bismark in 194, provided cover for the Sicily landings in 1943 and was involved in the attacks on Japan in 1945.

In 1982 it received royal help when Prince Andrew joined the squadron as part of the Falklands Task Force.