A veterans' organisation called in the troops when it needed help to transform a building.

The former Clouds Hill pub at Bovington has been leased to the Royal British Legion (RBL) from owners the Ministry of Defence.

It is set to house the Bovington branch of the RBL, supporting the armed forces community at the camp and in the local area.

In the four years since the pub closed down, the building had become run down and was badly in need of a spring clean, some minor repairs and a lick of paint.

An army of 43 volunteers – including local residents, RBL members, employees of gas network company SGN, teams from the MoD and its asset contractor Carillion – gave up their time to do the work.

In one day they managed to complete two weeks’ work, cleaning the building from top to bottom and painting it inside and out.

When the Bovington club opens in September it will be the first new RBL branch in 45 years.

The club has been leased with three years abatement on the rent.

Twenty employees from SGN’s southern maintenance team joined the effort.

SGN Engineering project manager Simon Thurlow, who has been asked to become the branch's vice chairman, said: “Being involved with the Royal British Legion and this new venture for the charity is an honour, and I’m confident it is going to bring so much to the community.

“There’s been a real will among residents and new Royal British Legion members in Bovington to get the club off the ground – people have been paying their membership even though there hasn’t been a club to go to, because they want to be involved when it opens.

“This ‘can do’ attitude was reflected in the volunteering day. We had a mammoth task to complete, but everyone worked like Trojans and it all ran very smoothly."

Gerry Nunn, Dorset County Chairman for the Royal British Legion, said: “One of the most heart-warming things I have seen for a long time was the SGN volunteers all working to help us get Bovington’s Royal British Legion club ready for its opening – it was like DIY SOS without the celebrities. By the end of the day the club was well on its way for the finishing touches to be made.

“When the club opens it will be as a result of the branch’s persistence to provide a hub in which its members can socialise, and a centre for activities and events to support the armed forces community, and we are very grateful to the SGN volunteers for their support in making it happen.”