A CHANCE sighting in a television programme has led to a two-year labour of love by two south Wiltshire men in restoring a dilapidated 1939 searchlight to its original condition.

Keith Brigstock, IT manager at the headquarters of the Director of Royal Artillery, Larkhill, was watching the Scrapheap Challenge series in 2002, when he spotted an old searchlight in the background of several scenes.

He traced the scrapyard through the programme-makers and soon found himself the owner of a rusty heap of metal that had started life as a 130mm Ack Ack Searchlight (AASLs) - and is the only one in this country known to have survived.

A keen researcher on WW2 history, Keith is a member of Artillery in Action, a group of re-enactment historians that has a large number of female members who re-enact the wartime role of the Auxiliary Territorial Service, which included operating AASLs.

"Acquiring an AASL means that our women members can form a detachment," said Keith.

"A searchlight is relatively easy to move around, no licence is required and a light with a range of several miles will be great fun to play with."

He and a fellow re-enactment enthusiast, RAF electronics technician Cpl Andy Dawson, of Amesbury, who is due to return from Iraq this month, have spent more than two years working on the mammoth restoration project.

Help has come from a number of directions, including the Reme wing at the School of Artillery, Larkhill, as well as local engineering and transport firms.

The Larkhill-based team has already acquired a working 1941 Lister generator for the searchlight and a 1942 GMC US army truck for use as a towing vehicle.

Keith is hoping to complete the restoration in time for the 60th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day in July, but the project is currently very short of funds.

Anyone willing to help can contact Keith at Larkhill on 01980 845793 or at home on 01672 564562. Further information can be found at www.projectoraa150

cm.co.uk

A reunion of personnel who served with 93 Searchlight Regiment RA during World War II will be held at Larkhill on June 29. It was the army's only all-female operational regiment.

Anyone who served in the regiment should contact Keith, who is also looking for information on searchlight sites in south Wiltshire during World War II.