Swindon has a new tourist attraction, an intricate maze that will be open to the public until September. We sent ANTHONY OSBORNE to Lower Salthrop and told him to get lost.

MANY readers will remember the BBC television series Blackadder Goes Forth where that military master-mind General Melchett comments about the back of a map, saying: "God, it's barren featureless desert out there isn't it?"

"It's the other side, sir," replies Captain Darling.

However many times I see that sketch I crack up in laughter until today anyway.

I had always considered myself quite able to navigate even in the most testing of conditions, so I felt pretty confident that a maze wouldn't beat me.

I was wrong. During my short visit to the maze, organiser Lynda challenged me to find my way to the victory bridge and could I? Not a chance!

I have a selection of excuses I could use.

First, I was completely over-dressed for the occasion, I would recommend a pair stout walking boots or shoes. Second, the challenge was against me from the start. I had effectively started in the middle of the maze and I could have gone in any direction. At least from the start, you know which direction to go in.

They are pathetic excuses I know, but it seems that my GCSE in Geography let me down.

But I refused to let it beat me, promising to return and fight off this spectre hanging over my shoulder. But does this mean that there is a bit of General Melchett in all of us?

Certainly the maze is worth a look, even if you don't dare venture inside.

The Great Western Maze is the first maize maze in Swindon. It has been in the planning for around half a year and has been designed using satellite technology.

Situated near junction 16 of the M4, the maze hopes to attract thousands of visitors.

Designed by Tom Hockaday of Adrian Fisher Mazes Ltd, one of the only firms in the world that design mazes. The firm has designed several other mazes.

The maze has a total of three and half kilometres of paths, or just over two miles for those imperialists out there.

These paths have been cut out of a living maize crop and form an intricate maze monkey puzzle, themed on an exciting jungle adventure, incorporating towers and viewing bridge to give visitors a 3D panorama of the maze,

Observation towers sited within the maze are connected to the maze "control tower" via speaking tubes for fun intra-maze communication.

Visitors enter the courtyard where there are various activities including a maths maze and an upstairs-downstairs maze that will please some of the younger at heart.

The aim is save the clumsy Prof Lostalot, who has been kidnappd by an angry tribe of monkeys and it's your mission to get him back.

Before visitors enter the maze, they will be given a red flag, so if visitors get frustrated, they can give the maze staff a wave and they will show them the route.

It should take visitors around an hour and a half to two hours to complete the trek. Upon completion visitors have to make the climb onto the victory bridge.

Currently the maize stands at about 50 centimetres in height, but it grows quickly and is expected to grow to around 150 centimetres.

Lynda said: "It will be forest-like in August and by early September we are expecting the maize to be about seven to eight feet high."

A survey firm using the Global Positioning System or GPS, which pinpoints a person using a triangulation method, carried out much of the groundwork for the maze.

It has been fun and hard work for Lynda

TODAY'S opening marked the end of an exhausting few weeks for maze organiser Lynda Warren.

She explained: "The maze has been a huge undertaking. This is the first time I have ever done anything like this.

"I have had to learn about seeding, crop growing, but the most difficult job was getting the maize in a straight line - it is a real art.

"I was dreading having to go along and pick the maize by hand for the paths, but its turned out okay and we are ready to open."

Lynda, 44 who lives in Broad Town, has been taking on yellow-uniformed staff to help out visitors as they traverse its miles of paths.

She said: "All the staff met yesterday for the first time. They were all really surprised though when they came for their first interviews, which we conducted in the field.

"The staff will hopefully know the maze really well, although when they first had a go, with maps, which incidentally visitors won't get, it took them some time to get around.

"I have had so much fun making the maze, no regrets at all, and it certainly beats working in an office. Maze operators are so helpful we all work together and they all offer advice on the best methods to use. It is quite unlike any other industry."

Would Lynda do it again? "Absolutely, if this year is successful and I can regain the costs hopefully the maze will return again next year."