AN abandoned UK village will open to the public for a limited time at the end of the month.
The town, which has been frozen in time since World War II, remains cut off from the world for most of the year.
For just 12 days out of the year, history fans and nature lovers travel to the village of Imber in Wiltshire, which has not been occupied since 1943.
During the second World War, the town’s 150 residents were given 47 days to evacuate their homes so the village could be turned into a military training area for American troops preparing for D-Day.
While they were promised they would be able to return after the war, the village is still occupied by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to this day.
Once every few months, the public is invited to visit the town for free, with roads opening through Imber until 6pm during the August Bank Holiday weekend.
Public access has been granted to the village as well as the Grade I-listed St Giles Church, which will be open from 11am to 4pm daily.
The original surviving building is free to visit during open days with any donations going towards the Churches Conservation Trust (CCT) for maintenance and restoration.
Along with an old pub, the church is one of the few remaining original structures in the village.
Most of the larger stone buildings were damaged during military training, and were subsequently demolished.
Meanwhile, houses in the village are either hollowed-out shells or have been converted into windowless buildings to simulate urban environments for military training.
Those who once lived in the village have the right to be buried on the church grounds, with undisturbed wildlife now the only living residents.
Imber also holds open days during the Christmas and New Year period as well as at Easter, with all visitors required to adhere to the public rights of way and designated areas, and comply with signposting.