ANITIQUES Roadshow expert Marc Allum who helped put Devizes School in the TV spotlight is returning on Saturday (23) for an open day.

Money raised by tours of rarely seen parts of the school between 10am and 3pm will help pay for the giant Maria Heathcote painting that starred in the show to be restored.

Experts believe that at one time it was used as a dart board.

Mr Allum, from Chippenham, will lead the walks around the old house part of the school and new headteacher Phil Bevan will meet and greet visitors.

Mr Allum said: "I love the idea that the school children and staff essentially operate on a day to day basis in a historic old building almost oblivious to the history beneath their feet and up in the attics, all observed by the ghost of Maria Heathcote regally looking down from her canvas in the entrance hall – classic stuff which I’m hoping to bring to life on Saturday."

School publicity officer Karen Sims said: "Our attic space still features the wallpaper from when the servants of the house had to live and sleep there - long before the house was a school."

Tea and cake will be served in the quad and there will also be a display of old yearbooks and photos discovered when retired head Malcolm Irons cleared out his office.

It is thought the 18th century giant oil painting that was taken to an Antiques Roadshow filming at Bowood last year has not been cleaned since it was painted.