GIRL Guides and Brownies in Calne have taken a giant stride towards putting on a new roof to replace the battered one at their Silver Street HQ.

The Calne and District Guides have been given a £4,850 grant from the National Lottery Awards for All.

The district wants to replace the roof, made of wood and felt, which leaks around the sides, near the windows.

District Commissioner Ann Dolman said she is anxious the roof gets repaired before next winter.

"At the moment it just leaks at the edges so before it gets any worse we need to get it done," said Miss Dolman, who lives in Heddington.

She said the work would cost between £8,000 and £10,000 and she is looking for more people to come forward with funding.

The Guides are doing much of the fundraising themselves and will have a stall at the Calne Carnival.

The group has six units. The two Guide groups, which are 1st and 2nd Calne, meet on Tuesday and Friday evenings for an hour and a half.

The three Brownie groups, which are 1st, 3rd and 4th Calne groups, meet on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings for an hour and a half.

In addition, the Rainbow group, for five to seven year-olds meets on Tuesdays at 5pm.

Miss Dolman said a surveyor is looking in to the best material to replace the roof with.

In the meantime she said she is keeping her fingers crossed that a storm does not make the leak worse.

"If it gets worse and water comes in everything else will get damaged, and we have our camping equipment in there, plus all our other equipment," she added.

Miss Dolman said the aim is to replace the hall, but that would cost up to £160,00, which the Guides, Brownies and Rainbow group cannot afford.

To make a donation, or offer funding, write to Miss Dolman at Promise Cottage, Heddington, Calne.