Box tunnelCHIPPENHAM NEWS: CHIPPENHAM has been left out of a year-long party to celebrate railway engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel's 200th birthday.

The West Country engineer is famous for designing and building the Western Arches, the Box tunnel and having a drawing room at Chippenham Railway Station.

But a programme of events launched by Brunel200 has planned nothing in the town where he left much of his heritage.

The Bristol-based charity said it has not snubbed the town but received no applications from Chippenham to host any birthday celebrations.

Martyn Heighton, regional project leader for Brunel200, said: "It's not a snub, it doesn't work like that. My job is to get people involved and get people to come forward with ideas to see what they would like to do.

"It's not like I'm keeping Chippenham out. I'm urging people to come forward with ideas. We just haven't received any applications from the town."

Brunel200 had provided funding and organisational help for dozens of birthday celebrations.

Events are planned in Swindon, Bristol, Glouc-estershire, Weymouth, Weston -super-Mare and many other towns.

Tony White, of Chippenham Civic Society, said; "From our point of view we would like to think Chippenham would play its part in the celebrations in some way.

"From this snub it appears Chippenham has been left out of these celebrations."

Chippenham Museum and Heritage Centre has missed out on funding after only discovering Brunel200 can help earlier this week.

Curator Mike Stone said: "The trouble with Brunel is that he has done so much work in the West Country where do you stop?"

The museum is planning a Brunel exhibition next year and Chippenham Town Council wants to illuminate the Western Arches.

Events manager Emma King said no celebrations have been confirmed.

"It would be unfair to say we haven't arranged anything," she said.

"We are going to see what other events are going on in the local area first so we don't do the same thing.

"Chippenham has a very important historical connection with Brunel. We are still investigating linking up with Brunel200."

The deadline for cash and support from Brunel200 passes next week.

Chippenham boasts Brunel's Western Arches, the embankment, his drawing room and Orwell House, where his designers stayed.

Brunel's birthday will be celebrated on April 9, 2006.