MUSEUM bosses have vowed to add a set of historic bricks to their collection following a public plea to save them from destruction.

The foundation stone at Braintree Bus Park, in Manor Street, will be carefully removed and passed over to Braintree District Museum when work gets underway in creating a new bus interchange.

The work forms part of the Manor Street redevelopment and will see the existing bus station knocked down and rebuilt from April 23.

Members of the public had asked the council to preserve the foundation stone, which was put in place in the waiting room to commemorate the opening of the bus part nearly 90 years ago.

And council bosses have confirmed the stone will be carefully removed, along with several other red bricks which were marked by US airmen stationed at Wethersfield during the Second World War.

A photographic record of all the etched bricks linking back to the Second World War will be kept in case any cannot be salvaged.

The council's corporate transformation boss John McKee said: "Preserving the foundation stone and stories that go with the etched bricks will help record a fascinating part of Braintree’s history.

"It will allow us to pay fitting tribute to the site and to the airmen who came to our aid during the Second World War."

Tom Austin, Project Manager at Kier Regional Building Eastern which is in charge of the Manor Street redevelopment, said: "Kier are pleased to be able to assist in preserving the foundation stone and bricks during the demolition stage of the Manor Street re-development project.

"This is an important part of Braintree’s local history and we’re happy to be able to help."

Braintree Museum is inviting residents who may have a connection with these bricks to come forward and share their stories

Manager Robert Rose said: "We would love to hear from the relatives of the airmen who may have etched their names into the brick work during the Second World War.

"We have found several bricks which are of interest and if we can connect them with a story we can pay apt tribute to the history of the site."

Residents with connections to the bricks should email their stories to: museum.info@bdmt.org.uk or marketing@braintree.gov.uk before Thursday, 19 March.