A meeting is due to take place about the future of a historic sawmill after volunteers were told it was unsafe to operate its main machinery. 

In June, volunteers at Gunton Park Sawmill, between Aylsham and Cromer, were told to cease using its saw, following health and safety concerns raised by Norfolk County Council. 

It has led to the site being temporarily closed, as its website says.

The county council says it will soon meet with the volunteers and discuss the results of a health and safety audit.

It is believed the meeting will be held on August 15

A spokesman for the council said: “We are working closely with volunteers to review operating procedures at Gunton Park Sawmill.

"Regular risk assessments and reviews are necessary to ensure that both volunteers and visitors to the mill remain safe.

"We are meeting with the team in the coming weeks to discuss the review's findings and agree updated working practices.

Volunteers at Gunton Saw Mill in 2013. Volunteers at Gunton Saw Mill in 2013. (Image: Anthony Kelly)

"In the meantime, other activities that don’t use the saw can continue as normal.

Wendy Yeomans, an ex volunteer who has left the mill due to the controversy, said: "Me and my husband Russel have left the mill after 17 years. We can’t fight it I don’t think.

"We don’t know if we’re going to be able to open in August. There's only two open days left this year before we close for the winter.

"We’re in the dark.

"We used to risk assess before all our open days and then do our maintenance in the winter".

A volunteer involved in the running of the mill who did not want to be named said: "I’ve been really angry it’s been shut. The feedback from the council on how we worked was always positive, but they went back on it.

"Even now there has been another assessment, it’s still closed.

"Some people don’t think the mill will open this year."

This article originally appeared in our sister title, the Eastern Daily Press.