THE final steps in the enhancement of Okehampton town centre got under way this week with the placing of smart banners on the new lamp-posts in Fore Street.

Peter Woodgate, the designer of the enhancement concept, said the blue and gold 'town banners' would go up on the new lamp-posts initially — but he hoped other banners would also be used throughout the year.

Mr Woodgate said: 'I hope the artistic and creative people in the community will get together, so you have all sorts of things on show.

'There can be variations on lengths, shapes — I hope the schools get involved too.'

Mr Woodgate said the banners could reflect events which take place in and around Okehampton during the year, for example, Ten Tors, the Arts and Music Festival, Sportsweek or Edwardian Evening.

He said the wider pavements and new benches were an attempt to allow greater scope for people to stop and socialise, and during the next couple of months, plaques would be placed at different locations in the town centre, detailing the history of each particular area.

One will be placed in the pavement in front of St James Chapel and another in front of the town hall.

Trees will be planted in the centre of Fore Street this Saturday, weather permitting, to link visually with the trees on the western skyline above Okehampton.

A metal piece of artwork illustrating the history of this end of the town will be placed at West Bridge, which Mr Woodgate hopes will be illuminated at night.

'There was a foot ferry here in 1530, the first Okehampton School was here in 1610, there was a tannery in 1822, in the centre of where the road is now, and by the river was Okehampton Prison, in 1623,' he said.

A granite and oak seating area has been placed by the river, where the wall in front has had iron bars set into it, to resemble the bars of the prison which once stood on the spot.

The overhead cabling in Fore Street will soon be removed, as new underground cables have been installed.

Mr Woodgate said he was very pleased with the way the enhancements had gone.

He said: 'It's all beginning to gel now. The scheme principles are based on the friendliness and the history of the town — from my point of view, that's what I've been trying to achieve.

'There's quite a lot to do yet, but it's all falling into place. When you think 12 months ago, it was a blank sheet of paper, it's amazing. There's been terrific co-operation between the four councils involved.'

He said, weather permitting, the bulk of the enhancement work should be completed by February.

The enhancement programme in West Street and Fore Street has been funded by European grants, West Devon Borough Council and Devon County Council and has cost around £200,000 in total.