WOOTTON Bassett needs more bench seats and one of the town's civic leaders is appealing for donations.

Coun Percy Miles thinks that the seats are helpful for elderly people in the town, as they can take a rest if they feel tired.

He said: "It can be quite a long walk for people walking from one of the estates to the High Street, especially if they have bags of shopping. If anyone wants to donate a bench seat then they should contact me."

The issue of who should maintain the seats was discussed at a meeting of the amenities committee of Wootton Bassett Town council.

Confusion arose over who should repair benches installed by North Wiltshire District Council on land owned by Westlea Housing Association at Lime Kiln. Westlea has agreed to repair two seats and remove another one.

Councillors formulated a policy to avoid confusion in the future:

When adopting a bench seat, the council will undertake minor maintenance.

If a seat requires major repairs, the council reserves the right to remove it or invite the original donor to fund the replacement.

The council will only consider funding the replacement if it is in the public interest.

Coun Miles can be reached on 01793 851038.