Sirens sound for Churchill's 'Blitz experience' museum

A museum offering a taste of London during the Blitz is under threat.

Network Rail wants to demolish the building that houses Winston Churchill's Britain at War Experience as part of a £450million redevelopment of London Bridge station.

The museum employs 20 people plus volunteers and is run by a charitable trust. Trustee Don Robinson said 2,400 schools visited for history lessons last year. He added: "It has been built so our visitors can take part in the war. People walk straight into the Blitz with bombs exploding.

"Network Rail wants to turn us into shops. They are using bully-boy tactics to try to get rid of us." The wedge-shaped building in Tooley Street was designed by Charles Barry Jr, whose father designed the Houses of Parliament. Network Rail wants to knock it down to create a new passenger entrance.

Network Rail, which owns the building, said: "We have done a lot to retain London Bridge's heritage but retaining this building is simply not compatible with the improvements that passengers and businesses need." Southwark council will decide the planning application next month.