14471/2RETIRED council chairman Steve Pascall has taken steps to insure visitors to Marlborough get a bird's eye view of the town.

The steps in question are those leading to the viewing platform on top of St Peter's Church.

Mr Pascall, who moved to live in Silverless Street two years ago, has joined the volunteers who look after the church which was turned into a community centre after it was declared redundant in 1974.

During the summer he takes visitors up the tower's 134 spiral stone steps, but the staircase narrows and the headroom reduces as it ascends and people have to stoop for the final few yards.

On a busy afternoon each volunteer can take as many as five groups up to the top of the tower.

Mr Pascall often has to go up and down well over 1,300 steps on average day but makes light of it because of the breathtaking views reaching as far as the Cherhill monument.

He said: "It's a shame that more people do not come along to have a look round. This really is Marlborough's best kept secret."

There are now plans to use the disused ringing chamber as a small museum of church archives.