Thetford's growing reputation as a tourist centre - given a huge boost by the town's links to the Dad's Army TV series - has received a new shot in the arm: £5,000 of funding to help draw more visitors.

Thetford's growing reputation as a tourist centre - given a huge boost by the town's links to the Dad's Army TV series - has received a new shot in the arm: £5,000 of funding to help draw more visitors.

Breckland Council has approved the funding, which will allow the town council to carry out a range of tourism projects to promote Thetford's attractions and heritage.

Better signs are being provided for the recently-relocated tourist inform-ation centre and the new Dad's Army Museum, which fans of the series will recognise in its other guise as Walmington-on-Sea Town Hall.

Breckland's funding will help to provide signs for the museum, a white-on-brown tourism sign and new direction signs for the town's heritage signing scheme. The tourism website www.explorethetford.co.uk will be refreshed and updated and the themed leaflet series reprinted.

The Dad's Army theme has proved a real winner, with 28 coach companies taking visitors to the town last year for a themed tour. The cast of the series was based in Thetford while shooting scenes in and around the town.

Town manager Susan Glossop said: “There is a lot planned for this year, with the celebrations to commem-orate the 40th anniversary of the first filming of Dad's Army. Visitors are very important to the town's economy, and we are grateful to Breckland for their support, which will enable a number of projects to be completed.”