It was buried more than 70 years ago to confuse the Nazis if they invaded Norfolk.

Eastern Daily Press: Ben Skillings sits by the milepost after he found its burial spot. Picture: Nigel FordBen Skillings sits by the milepost after he found its burial spot. Picture: Nigel Ford (Image: Courtesy of the Milestone Society)

But it was so effective that the milepost was lost to generations of villagers in Great Snoring, near Fakenham.

Now, finally, it has been renovated and reinstalled in the village.

It is one of two mileposts that were rediscovered in December 2015 by Milestone Society member Ben Skillings.

They were both buried during the war as a security measure but their location was lost until Mr Skillings began his search for them using a metal detector.

The Milestone Society believes that the Great Snoring milepost may have been buried because of its proximity to Little Snoring airfield, where a German pilot allegedly landed and surrendered.

Members of the group were surprised to find that the first one they found had sustained almost no damage, despite being buried for 70 years. Nigel Ford, a member of the Milestone Society, said: 'It is extremely rare to find one that is fully intact. Across Norfolk we found around seven buried in the final months of 2015 and almost all of them were damaged in some way.'

After it had been dug out of its burial spot members of the society took the milepost to Walsingham Primary School to give pupils the chance to be the first to see and touch a piece of their roadside heritage. The milepost was later taken to Burnham Market Primary and Fakenham Primary.

Mr Ford said: 'Finding the milepost is a part of history, both local history and national history. It's very much part of the village's heritage and children should be aware of that.'

The milepost went through an extensive restoration process, which was overseen by Mr Ford, Mr Skillings and his mother Miranda Skillings and funded by Norfolk County Council, Great Snoring Parish Council and the Village History Fair.

With the restoration work completed members of the Milestone Society reinstalled it in the village on Wednesday, April 5.

The second milepost that was found was damaged and missing its top section but the group is confident it can be restored.

The process, which could take up to six weeks, will involve a laser scan being taken of the first milepost so that an exact replica can be made to replace the missing section.