A historic pub site in west Suffolk has been purchased by the Ministry of Defence. 

Pub giant Greene King announced the closure of The Bird in Hand in The Street, Beck Row, in June this year. 

It has now been revealed that the venue, which is just a stone's throw from the RAF Mildenhall base, has been purchased by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

On Monday, a Greene King spokesperson said: “After exploring all the options available to us, we made the extremely difficult decision to sell The Bird in Hand.

"The property is no longer under our ownership," they confirmed. 

An MoD spokesperson said they have now purchased the land but that there are currently no firm plans for its future use. 

An RAF Mildenhall statement reads: "RAF Mildenhall has a historic past filled with strong links to the local community and businesses. One of these ties is to the Bird in Hand pub, which has welcomed airmen and families across generations.

"Savills, the agents acting for Greene King, listed a portion of land adjacent to RAF Mildenhall for sale. When the Ministry of Defence became aware of this, they sought to purchase the land, to bolster Royal Air Force Mildenhall base defence, gain additional space to accommodate security measures, and create more space around this entry and exit gate."

They also confirmed there will be no firm plans for future development "until a full survey and assessment of the property and land is undertaken."

"The addition of fencing around the area will increase security, as it will support shared security interests at the exit to RAF Mildenhall," they added.

Described by the Campaign for Real Ale as a 1930s pub with a 57-room motel, the pub was popular with visitors - with a four-star average on TripAdvisor.