SOME of the most weird, wonderful buildings opened their doors to the public during two heritage open days.

The days gave the public a chance to visit some of the most interesting and otherwise inaccessible buildings for free.

The aim was to increase people's awareness of architectural heritage.

Over the weekend, the Science Museum at Wroughton was among the venues to open up hidden areas.

English Heritage experts were on hand to give people the chance to see one of the Blue Peter lifeboats as well as some 20,000 other artefacts kept in storage. There were also guided tours of the display areas.

Lydiard House, the former ancestral home of the Bolingbroke family, also staged open days.

More than 1,000 people visited and Sarah Finch-Crisp, the Keeper of the House said: "Our special free events and exhibitions included a guided walk around the park with landscape historian Dr Stephen Harding."

She said the heritage open days were always popular because there was so much to see in the park, the house and at nearby St Mary's Church.

The Royal Military College of Science in Shrivenham, also opened its doors, as did Coleshill Model Farm, near Highworth.