There is speculation this morning that RAF Marham may be kept open.

A group of campaigners met armed forces minister Nick Harvey at Kinloss, in Scotland, yesterday and now believe RAF Marham has been spared the axe.

Although defence minister Nick Herbert told a debate in the Commons that a decision would be made 'before the summer recess', Calum Macpherson, spokesman for the Moray task force, said: 'We understand RAF Marham is now saved. It is now between Leuchars and Lossiemouth. We were told it would be too expensive to relocate Marham.'

Mr Harvey however denied that a decision had been made about Marham and said: 'I think [the task force] are overstating what I said. I simply made the point that the cost of relocating the RAF out of Marham would be very high and first and foremost the purpose of this whole exercise is to try to achieve financial savings.'

He added: 'I have not said Marham is safe but I have candidly shared the fact that the costs of getting out of Marham are high and therefore not an attractive way of making short-term savings.'

The fight to save Marham united politicians, businesses and communities across Norfolk.

In November last year, a Make it Marham delegation travelled to 10 Downing Street to deliver a petition with nearly 37,000 signatures.