TWO audio tours to the former GWR works and Railway Village will help people with disabilities appreciate Swindon's railway history.

One of the tapes, the basic language tape, is aimed at people with learning disabilities as well as those who would like a shorter tour. The other, which has directional aids, is for the visually impaired.

"You need masses and masses of clear, accurate detail for people who can't see," said Jane Lovett, 35, who walked the course four times with her husband Mark to help make the tour safe. "You need to know when there's going to be a steep kerb down or a fire escape on an outside wall you could bang into. And, when it's not a circular walk, you need to be told how to retrace your steps."

As the tour covers a fairly wide area and involves crossing some open spaces, Mrs Lovett advises blind people to do it with friends.

"There's a lot of interesting information on Brunel and Gooch and the Mechanics' and it's good educational value," said Mrs Lovett. "It's the sort of thing school parties of visually-impaired children could do."

The Health Hydro, GWR works tunnel and National Monuments Record Centre are among the buildings covered in the tour.

Funded by the council, English Heritage and the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet Centre, the tapes were produced by the Libertas charities' group and disabled access staff in the council"s environmental services.

Leaflets and tapes can be borrowed free from the information desk in the South Mall of the Outlet Village.