A TOP secret chemical weapons site in Flintshire was earmarked to store 4,700 tons of gold during the Cold War, the Leader can reveal.
Rhydymwyn Valley Works, a former Second World War weapons site near Mold, was to have stored the entire UK gold reserve from the Bank of England vault in the event of a Russian attack.
Soldiers in 10-ton lorries would have made the transfer journeys over 14 days.
Rhydymwyn Valley History Society made the sensational discovery after two years of dogged research.
A Freedom of Information request to The National Archives produced government documents which confirmed their suspicions.
Society chairman Colin Barber told the Leader: “It confirms suspicions we have had for many years. We always knew that something was going on at that place.
“We think it’s fantastic and we’re very pleased that we have discovered this.”
The Valley Works opened in 1939 when the Ministry of Supply ordered a factory and storage area in the Alyn Valley.
From 1941-1945, it produced mustard gas for the war and took part in research into the first atomic bomb.
Until 1980 it served as a buffer depot site storing food and supplies in case of an emergency.
It had more than 120 buildings, 94,000 sq ft of tunnels and seven miles of secure fencing.
“We had one enemy during the Cold War and that was Russia,” said Colin. The Russians’ main target was London and we thought they were going to nuke us.
“When the Cuban Missile Crisis came about, they had to think fast.
“Although we never did store it, Rhydymwyn was a secure site and would still be very safe in times of war.”
Today, the site is a nature reserve and harbours dozens of varieties of birds.