Inside the nuclear bunker that could be yours for as little as £24k

A rare piece of Cold War history has been put up for sale for just £24,000 – an underground nuclear fallout shelter built to protect three people.

Situated near Alford in Aberdeenshire, the discreet Royal Observer Corps post is located beside an unnamed minor road in the countryside.

Constructed in 1962 to monitor fallout from a nuclear attack and house three occupants for up to two weeks, the bunker contains a monitoring room and a chemical toilet.

It remained operational until 1991, at which point it was closed, secured and padlocked.

Described as an extremely rare listing, the bunker remains “very neat and tidy” and retains many original items inside.

Among them are a WB1401 carrier receiver and WB1410 filter unit, which formed part of Handel, the UK's national nuclear attack warning system during the Cold War.

Other preserved items include a tool board, wall-mounted shelf, mirror, visitors log, papers, ROC magazines, fire blanket, dustpan, original canvas folding chair, kettle, saucepan, washing bowl, pickaxe and a newspaper cutting about the post.

Some objects have been donated to the Alford Heritage Centre, which features an ROC Room with artefacts from other local posts and Aberdeen Group HQ.

On the wall inside, “Stand Down – Best Post 29 Group” is still visible, marking the official stand-down order issued to the Royal Observer Corps in September 1991.

A wooden sign also displays the words “47 Post Alford”.

The auction listing says that the bunker was never required to fulfil its nuclear war role, and it was sold on a freehold basis after the British government cancelled plans for an upgrade as international relations changed.

It remains secured by a padlock, with the surface features intact, although some of the khaki paint is flaking.

The listing describes Alford as a Donside village with local shops, public transport and primary and secondary schools, with access to Aberdeen and surrounding countryside.

The Lecht Ski Centre and School is around a 30-minute drive away, it says.

The bunker is being listed by Glasgow-based Future Property Auctions with a guide price of £24,000.

Bidding will take place via an online auction on Thursday 8 October.