War Horse author Sir Michael Morpurgo has thrown his weight behind the last-ditch campaign to save a historic military stable block.

The building, which is now the last surviving link between horses and the Shorncliffe Garrison in Folkestone, is earmarked for demolition by developers Taylor Wimpey.

But it has also been identified by the Shorncliffe Trust charity as a potential location for an exhibition space telling the tale of equine involvement in war.

During the First World War, Shorncliffe was home to the Canadian Army Veterinary Corp which cared for thousands of wounded and sick horses, with an 80% rate of recuperation.

The Trust has lodged a second appeal to Historic England to list the building and save it from being torn down.

Sir Michael Morpurgo, a long-standing supporter of the Trust, said: "Without horses to support the war effort in the First World War, the war would have been lost.

"They were vital to supplies, to the ambulance service, to the artillery, to the cavalry, and they died in their hundreds of thousands as the men, the same way too. Machine gun and shellfire, wire, exhaustion and disease.

"Shorncliffe contributed hugely to the war effort, providing veterinary attention and care alleviating the suffering. It is a place that played a significant part in the story of the First World War, and that is a story that must be told in all its aspects and passed onto the next generation."

The Shorncliffe Trust was set up in 2006 with the aim of preserving and developing features of historic interest at the base, which is widely considered to be the birthplace of the modern British Army.

A housing development of around 1,200 new homes is being built on the former military land by Taylor Wimpey, but a number of buildings and features of historical interest have already been protected as part of the scheme.

These include the Sir John Moore Library at Somerset Barracks and the gates on Royal Military Avenue - but not the stable block.

A spokesman for the house-builders said: "We recognise the importance of preserving the heritage of Shorncliffe Garrison.

"Throughout the planning process, we worked closely with Historic England and other expert consultants to determine which of the historic buildings would be retained as part of the redevelopment of the site.

"While the stable block is not currently a listed building, we are aware that this is currently being reviewed.

"We will remain in close contact with Folkestone and Hythe District Council on this matter and will not begin any demolition of the stable block until the review is complete."