JANET Duffield, a 42-year-old mother-of-two has been appointed as town centre manager by the Devizes Development Partnership to spearhead a campaign to revive retail and community life.

Mrs Duffield, who works for Royal Mail in Swindon, has lived in Devizes for 15 months. She was born in Dartford, Kent and took a degree in Modern English Studies at Cardiff University before entering the world of advertising sales in regional and then national newspapers.

She joined a major advertising agency as its media buyer, and has been working for Royal Mail for the last eight years.

She was the successful candidate chosen from 16 other applicants.

She said "I hope my background in sales will give me credibility with traders in the town."

Mrs Duffield and her family enjoy living in Devizes and she said it was love at first sight.

"We were looking to move out of Swindon and happened to pass through Devizes one day. I hadn't realised how lovely it was."

She said Devizes' status as a market town is both its saving grace and its handicap. "There is a good variety of small independent retailers but it is difficult to attract the larger national chains. I try to do all my shopping in Devizes but there are some things you just have to go elsewhere for."

Mrs Duffield said she looked forward to working with the traders and local councils.