Angel Awards: A visit to winner Stow Maries Aerodrome in Essex Many of the 100 acre site's buildings have been restored (RII SCHROER) At the beginning it was anything but silent. Motor cars thundered down the single track road and aircraft bumped onto the grass landing strip. Occasionally there was an explosion as engineers and pilots struggled to improve their grasp of this dangerous new technology. One old lady, who had lived locally (now deceased), recalled a crash during one lunchtime when she was working in the officers" mess and the "gentlemen complaining about the smoke." But there were also great victories as these brave pilots, armed with little more than a machine gun and revolvers, took off to protect London from bombing raids by the Germans.One of the station's busiest days was "the mini-Battle of Britain" on July 7 1917, when 22 Gotha bombers headed for the capital. These stories read like something out of Biggles, yet somehow the aerodrome was forgotten. Stow Maries was abandoned after the war and used for agricultural storage for the next 90-odd years. The wooden hangars, where the Sopwith Camel and BE-2 aeroplanes were kept, collapsed, and many of the buildings were overgrown with brambles. In 2008 the 22 buildings that remained were about to be sold to a developer, possibly to be demolished and turned into a caravan site, when fate stepped in. Russell Savory, a businessman looking for somewhere to house his workshop, stumbled on the group of ramshackle buildings and "fell in love." Like everyone else, he was struck by the "atmosphere" which hovered over this group of tumbledown buildings in a muddy field. "When people arrive, they say 'wow," what an atmosphere. At first I thought it was me, but everyone says it. It is a lovely place, and the history makes it even more special. Mr Savory asked the local council to put a preservation order on the buildings to stop any developers eradicating the site. He then managed to persuade his business partner to help him buy the site for just over £500,000 in late 2008. But the task ahead was enormous. Many of the buildings needed urgent work to prevent them collapsing. Mr Savory and his business partner spent more than £2m on renovations and enlisted 50 volunteers. Many of the fixings had to be specially made to retain authenticity, such as the "wobbly glass" that provides a distorted view of the outside world, but was the only option available in 1916. The buildings give an insight into flying during the days of Downton Abbey. The officers" mess had indoor bathrooms and a room to keep the silver. In contrast, the "other ranks" mess" had toilets outside, and the men slept in tents. The "ladies" hostel," for women working in communications as well as domestic duties, had windows more than six feet above the ground to ensure "decency" was maintained. "Every building can be treated like a book, every building has a story to tell," says Mr Savory. By 2010 the aerodrome was ready to open its first museum. On "flying days," when vintage aircraft fly into the aerodrome, up to 4,000 visitors will come to the site. School children are also regular visitors, and people sent to carry out community service orders often return as volunteers. As well as social history, visitors can learn about the local wildlife including owls, snakes and migratory birds such as the hoopoe. There are regular "flying days" at the aerodrome (RII SCHROER) Mike Hall, head of the volunteers, said the reaction of local people has been fantastic - and bagging an Angel was the cherry on the cake. "Everyone has worked very hard and it is great to get the recognition," he says. The passion and dedication of Russell has been an inspiration. Six months after taking on the project, Mr Savory, 58, was diagnosed with tongue cancer. Although he is now clear, he was receiving chemotherapy through much of the time he has been working on Stow Maries. It is now his dream to see the site, which is for sale once again as his business partner is pulling out, bought by a charitable trust so the preservation work can continue. "The aerodrome kept me going [through my illness]," he says. I had started something and wanted to finish it. But it ain't about me ... it is about my volunteers. "It is wonderful for them to get some recognition for the amazing job they have done," he says. For more information visit stowmaries.com