MALMESBURY Abbey is to feature in a three-part series of 15-minute worship programmes.

The vicar, the Rev David Littlefair, will give the reading in the first programme, recorded on October 16 and being broadcast on HTV at 11.30am on Sunday.

The programme will feature the Bath Camerata and is on the theme of a priceless treasure.

The second programme is being screened on November 25 and features a reading by Lavinia Burn, one of the contributors to thought for the day on Radio 4's Today programme. The third programme is being screened on December 5.

Rev Littlefair said it was a good opportunity to attract tourists to the town and put Malmesbury on the map.

"We have had Songs of Praise at the abbey on a Sunday evening and a few years ago, before I was here, travel programmes were filmed featuring the abbey," said Rev Littlefair.

"It gets Malmesbury on the map and people will watch it and think, that's a pretty place."