Brunel 200 project gets £528,000

Celebrations will stretch from Swindon to Cornwall

A year-long celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Isambard Kingdom Brunel has received a £528,000 boost from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Bristol's Brunel 200 initiative will lead region-wide projects.

Jeremy Payne, vice-chairman of Brunel 200 said: "The celebrations this year will create a lasting legacy for a great engineer and architect."

On Brunel's birthday on 9 April a new lighting scheme on the Clifton Suspension Bridge will be switched on.

The celebrations - including exhibitions, heritage trails, restoration schemes, community workshops, performances and festivals - aim to tell the story of Brunel's achievements and his continuing impact upon the South West.

Projects are under way from Swindon in the east to Porthcurno in the west.