A NEW edition of the Devizes Town Trail has been produced to mark the 50th anniversary of a group that fights to preserve the history of the town.

Copies of the Trust For Devizes' revised booklet are on sale at outlets throughout the town priced at £2.50.

The first edition of the trail was published in 1975 to mark European Architectural Heritage Year after the ideas was put forward historian John Girvan.

He was helped by fellow committee member Frank Scrivener and had a fold out zig-zag layout so it could be used as a poster in schools.

Philippa Morgan from the trust said: "Some of the text was originally published by Wiltshire County Council but was revised and illustrated with help from Richard Sandell at the Museum Devizes.

"The trail has undergone six design layout changes. After the first edition a new line drawing by G.A. Renvoize was used on the cover adopting the same layout with the selling price increased from 15p to 30p.

"By 1992 a 4th revised edition was published as a booklet and still retained the artist's line drawing cover. In 1997 a completely revised booklet trail was published as the 5th edition with a blue coloured title cover. The cost had further increased from 40p to 60p."

In 2008 a 6th edition hit the book stands and by now was in full colour and the centre spread was a street plan complete with the town's blue plaque buildings. The cover of the Market Cross was changed to show that trees had been removed.

Each new edition, including the new 7th revision, has been printed by Springford and Rose who still have the original printing blocks. Copies are available from Devizes Books, Wiltshire Museum, Ducks of Devizes, Brittox News and WH Smith.