WHITEHAVEN Sea Cadets have renewed their appeal to find a new home, five years after their base was destroyed by high winds.

In December 2013, the building on the town’s harbourside was battered beyond repair, so the unit was forced to move out.

The cadets have since been based in a room at the town’s police station and are now occupying the Kent House building behind Dixons department store.

But David Abbott, chairman, said the group are still on the lookout for a permanent base.

He said: “If we can somehow find a building we can take over or find some land to build something, that would be fantastic. We’d be happy to share the building with other community groups, because we’d only be there two or three nights a week, so it would be empty during the day.”

Last week the design of a new £3 million Coastal Activity Centre to be built at Whitehaven harbour was revealed. The building aims to promote the coastline using existing businesses and groups. Facilities would include a new slipway, ten rooms for overnight accommodation, changing facilities and multi-purpose rooms to be used for training courses, performances and other activities.

There had been speculation in the town about a potential home for the cadets in the new centre, however Mr Abbott said that the purpose of the building was not to become a base for specific groups.

He said: “We have been involved in the planning of the coastal activity centre, in the thinking and the layout. But that is not exclusively for any one group. We almost certainly will be using this new centre but it won’t be our base, it’s not set up for that.”

Anyone who can help the group can contact them via the Facebook page Whitehaven Sea Cadets.