BELSTONE Millennium Committee is making an appeal for old photos and reminiscences of the village to use in a book which will form the basis of its projects for the year 2000.

With the assistance of a £2,500 'Help The Aged Millennium Award', the committee is hoping to produce the 'Book of Belstone' charting the history of the village, a video, audio tapes and a map which will all be presented in a box for sale next year.

Marion Walpole, who is one of the people behind the project, said the idea came out of a public meeting on ways to mark the millennium.

'Several people have been talking about writing about the history of Belstone for years and have never quite got around to it,' she said.

'We have decided to use the millennium as the push for getting it done.'

A good response to a questionnaire asking people about their family history and the history of their houses has meant that the project is now well under way — but it's Mrs Walpole's view that you can never have too much material.

'I am sure there is a lot of information out there and we want people to come forward if they have old photos or reminiscences of Belstone which could add to the content of the book.

There may be people who have moved to Okehampton or Tavistock who may have some memorabilia of the place.'

Between 150 and 200 boxes are expected to be produced in the summer of next year.

Grants from 'Help the Aged' are given to community projects carried out by people over 60 and because four of the six members of the committee were over 60, it qualified.

Mrs Walpole said Belstone was very much like the English traditional country village. Being in the National Park there had been very little development in Belstone since the 1960s.

The majority of the housing had been built at the early part of the century just after the army and the railway arrived and the large houses in the village were built by the army colonels, she said.

Anyone who can help with information should make a telephone call to Mrs Walpole on 01837 840498.

Other millennium projects planned include mugs, a Victorian style street lamp, an oak tree and another boundary stone.