SPITFIRES for many sum up the brave fighting spirit of the Second World War but few people realise Trowbridge was at the very heart of the production of these amazing machines.

This week is the 70th anniversary of the first Spitfire aeroplanes and there are calls for a permanent memorial in the town to mark the impact the legendary planes had in the town.

Town councillor Jeff Osborn said: "It has always been one of my aspirations to get an official name plaque at the Spitfire Retail Park at Bradley Road. "People call it that and it would be great to get some sort of recognition of that, such as a plaque to mark its past."

Spitfire parts were built in various locations around the town, including Bradley Road, Fore Street and Hilperton Road, and in Southwick, after bombing forced the works out of Southampton in 1940.

The body and wings were made in the Bradley Road factory while other parts were built elsewhere in the town before the planes were finally completely assembled and flown to where they were needed from the nearby Keevil airfield.

For amateur historian Stan Jones growing up in Trowbridge was the beginning of a lifelong fascination with the tough little planes. He said: "I was only a child but my interest has grown over time. The Spitfire factories were very important in the town and now I can look at the history books and see how they tie in with my own memories."

Mr Jones, now 71 and living at Horse Road, Hilperton, remembers the war savings weeks held in the town, including a Spitfire week, in which townspeople raised money towards buying an aeroplane.

Mr Jones also fondly remembers the royal visits made to the town by Queen Mary.

"It wasn't like a royal visit now. She would just come along unannounced and visit the factories."

Production of the planes at the Bradley Road factory continued after the war until the early 1950s when it was sold to engineering firm Hattersley Heaton.

The old building was later demolished to make way for today's retail park but the legacy of the war years carries on in peoples' memories and in the names of both the Spitfire Retail Park and the Merlin Retail Park, named after the engine that went in the planes.

Local historian Andy Milroy said: "There are still some flying today and it would be great if one of the Spitfires built in the town could come back, even just to fly over."