Stunning pictures inside forgotten Cold War bunker in Suffolk with instructions of what to do during a nuclear attack

FASCINATING pictures have emerged of a forgotten Cold War bunker abandoned for 27 years – and it features fascinating instructions on what to do during a nuclear attack.

The hidden relic – deep in the heart of the Suffolk countryside – was built in 1958 when tensions between the West and the Soviet Union were growing towards their height.

During the Cold War, the bunker – one of many spread across the UK – was manned by volunteers from the Royal Observer Corps who were charged with monitoring the skies for signs of a nuclear attack.

The bunker was abandoned in 1991 after the fall of the Berlin Wall and has lain largely untouched for the past 27 years.

But a series of fascinating images have now given an insight into what life would have been like in the bunker for the brave volunteers who staffed the outpost.

Anyone brave enough to venture down the narrow 14-ft narrow ladder shaft into the depths of the bunker is rewarded with a scene that’s barely changed in three decades.

On the walls are three sets of instructions for volunteers – including details of what should be done in the event of a nuclear attack.

The A4 paper, pinned to the wall, tells volunteers what to do during ‘Transition to War’ – including preparing monitoring devices and preparing tools.

During the attack stage volunteers were instructed to “report explosions and maintain diary”.

The tiny space – compromising a monitoring room alongside a store and toilet – has much still in place from when it was operating as a monitoring post.

Mattresses are propped up against the wall and a canvas chair, thought to be from when the post first opened, is gathering dust.

There is also a series of maps, notices, tools and even the spilled contents of a first aid kit.

One recent visitor commented on the incredible “claustrophobic sensation” inside the bunker.

He said: “Accessing the bunker takes a bit of bravery as you’re not quite sure what to expect when you go down there.

“It was really cramped going down the ladder to get in – I can only imagine how hard it would have been for volunteers with their kit.

“I was blown away by all the Cold War paraphernalia which is still in place.

“It’s as though time has stood still whilst the rest of the world has moved on.”

The subterranean explorer also praised the volunteers for their bravery at the post.

“I only spent half-an-hour down in the room and it soon felt quite claustrophobic – fair play to the volunteers who spent many hours and even days down in these things at a time when people really did think there was a chance of nuclear war.

“It’s amazing to think that this bunker is just hidden here in the Suffolk countryside. Most people would not even know of its existence.”

Royal Observer Corps Monitoring Posts can be found across the UK and were originally constructed as a result of the corps’ nuclear reporting role and operated by volunteers during the Cold War between 1955 and 1991.

Almost half of the total number of posts were closed in 1968 during a reorganisation with the remainder shut in 1991 when the majority following the break-up of the Communist Bloc.

Earlier this month, another Cold War bunker emerged after being put on the property market for £3million.

The property in Chislehurst, Kent, was transformed into a luxury pad complete with an indoor swimming pool, a contemporary designer kitchen and a large conservatory.

And this summer, incredible pictures emerged of the amazing underground bunker that would have saved the lives of the Royal Family and top Government officials in the event of a nuclear attack.

Hidden from site in an overgrown, graffiti-strewn area near Edinburgh, Barnton Quarry was designed to act as a base for operations in the event of a Soviet attack and would also have served as a final refuge for the Queen, Prince Phillip and their four children.

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