16989/1CHIPPENHAM NEWS: FOUR months after mourning the death of 10 men from RAF Lyneham, the airbase has been marking a new hope with radio station birthday celebrations.

This week 13 airmen held a 24-hour live show to mark the first birthday of Lyneham Radio.

In January 10 airmen from the base died in Iraq when an RAF Hercules crashed.

OC at Lyneham Radio, Jon Stevens, said: "On the morning we heard we felt it was inappropriate to play happy tunes, it was part of the mourning process, but the radio station and the airbase has pulled through so we are moving forward but remembering what happened."

The station has proved popular at the airbase and village with many people asking for requests and Commanding Officer Group Captain Paul Oborn has used it to make statements to the whole airbase.

Organisers are hoping for a new licence to broadcast on FM. Lyneham Radio can be found at 1449kz AM.