GREAT-GRANDMOTHER Kath Eyles who is over 80, and one of the oldest members at the Jubilee Centre in Marlborough, was helped by her great- granddaughter Raye MacMillan, nine, when she cut a ribbon to formally open £34,000 improvements.

Mrs Eyles, from Five Stiles Road, Marlborough, is one of many senior citizens who make use of the drop-in and day centre which opened during the Queen's silver jubilee in 1977.

Jubilee Centre chairman Sylvia Judge said it was appropriate that the first major refurbishment of the centre in the High Street should be in the golden jubilee year.

Steep paving which previously made access to the centre difficult has been removed, and two lime trees which left sticky sap on the path have been felled and will be replaced by two ornamental rowan trees given by David Hunter, of Thomas Free and Son.

The National Lottery Community Fund contributed £29,000 towards the improvements.

The remainder was raised by the centre in grants from Wiltshire Community Foundation and other funding bodies, and from a generous anonymous donation.

Gillian Watson, a member of the centre's management and access committees, said: "We have a much better access for members than the slippery, sloping path we had before."