Hi-tech view of half a century of town life

12:31pm Thursday 23rd February 2006

THE rich heritage of Calne will meet the 21st century when two touchscreens are unveiled this Saturday.

The latest technology will enable visitors to the centre to see the town's development in the last decades since the Second World War.

The screens, one fixed and one standing, will depict changes in Calne over the past 50 years.

They will also feature specific events in the town's past, such as the visits of Queen Mary, Prince Charles and the Queen.

There will also be information about the Wilts and Berks Canal and various aspects of the Harris factory.

The advanced system will be switched on by mayor Cathy Bowyer in a ceremony at 11am.

The event will also be attended by Calne Heritage Trust chairman Tony Trotman, Calne Heritage trustees, and district and county council officials.

The interactive system has been installed in partnership with Calne-based computer company Rascom IT.

Rob Stokes of Rascom said their screens would help enhance the experience of those who visit the centre, both visitors to the town and residents He said: "With the Calne Heritage Centre, we saw an opportunity to expand on the information already available on the display boards by offering interactive systems, such as pictorial archives and video footage."