More than half of those who signed the book at the textile and art exhibition were from elsewhere, including Norwich, Bury, Bungay and even London.

The next event is a free display by the Norwich Early Dance Group at the Mere's Mouth on Easter Saturday, 11 April.

They last appeared here during the 2004 Skelton Festival and have devised a programme of 18th Century dance for the current commemoration.

Watch out for them at 10.30am, 11.30am and 12.30pm. If it is a wet day they will perform at the Park Pavilion.

The same day there is an event to commemorate a piece of wartime bravery at an East Anglian airfield.

It is April 11, 1944, and a US B17 bomber is not going to make it back to Knettishall after a raid on Germany.

The aeroplane is called Tom Paine, after the Thetford-born author of Rights of Man.

His words: "Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered," are inscribed on the nose.

The bomber is in a bad way, with the nose canopy blown off, no instrument panel and hardly any hydraulic fluid. The co-pilot is badly wounded.

Two fighters, communicating by hand signals because Tom Paine's radio has been disabled, lead the stricken aircraft to Ellough near Beccles.

The pilot is 22 year old 2nd Lt Robert McWhite.

Looking down, he realises that some children are playing in the wreckage of a Flying Fortress which had crashed a few days earlier.

He makes a ground-loop landing, using his one brake so that the 20 ton plane spins three times on its wheels.

So the lives of the children and co-pilot are saved.

That pilot's skill and heroism are now commemorated each year at Ellough airfield.

Basil Abbott is manager of Diss Museum. The museum is in the Market Place and open Wednesday and Thursday 2-4pm; Friday and Saturday 10.30am-4pm. Telephone: 01379 650618.