Town's 'white knuckle' Magic Roundabout celebrated

From the ancient mystery of Stonehenge to the towering grandeur of Salisbury Cathedral's spire, Wiltshire is rich in iconic landmarks.

These attractions often top guidebooks to the region, but there is another landmark that inspires awe, amazement and sometimes even fear that has drawn visitors from around the globe.

Swindon's Magic Roundabout, five mini roundabouts encircling a central island, has just been announced winner of the coveted UK Roundabout of the Year award, honouring the "white knuckle ride" of infrastructure.

UK Roundabout Appreciation Society chairman Kevin Beresford said: "Something just amazing happens when you approach it. You're dazzled by all this choreography of cars."

A feature of the town for many years, generations of Swindon residents have used it day in, day out, but word of the legendary road layout has spanned continents.

But what is it that draws people from near and far to admire it?

Despite its mind-bending structure, former taxi driver Barry Cook, 49, from Swindon, said he had driven across it every week for 35 years and had "rarely" seen a crash on it.

He told the BBC that during his time driving in the town during the 2000s, he had picked up a family from the railway station who had travelled from New York to London and on to Swindon so they could "experience the magic".

"They then paid me to drive across it eight times," he said. "I actually stopped in the middle on hazards to make their experience more memorable - the dad said it was more interesting than Times Square."

Mr Beresford, who is also self-proclaimed 'Lord of the Rings', said he had visited the landmark many times, had taken film crews from around the world across it and had even sold merchandise featuring it.

"But what we've never done is actually named it Roundabout of the Year," he said.

"It's the white-knuckle ride of all roundabouts, those islands packed with testosterone," he added.

Mr Beresford said some members of the appreciation society preferred what they call Titchmarshes - green roundabouts featuring wildflower and other verdant displays.

And while they may not find the Magic Roundabout particularly aesthetically pleasing, he said it was its "quirky" nature that drew him in.

The roundabout is widely praised in Swindon for moving thousands of cars every day through a busy part of town, but things do not always go smoothly.

Mary Woodman, 60, from Swindon, told the BBC how she had been involved in a crash on the roundabout in 1983 when a car failed to give way and collided with her.

"The accelerator stuck and I headed straight for the fire station, hitting their doors.

"The firemen came to our aid and they said at the time that they amused themselves on a daily basis just watching the confusion and many accidents but never had they had a car hit the station," she said.

Her car was "written off" but found a new life as a vehicle for firefighters to practise on in the yard.

"I had to go to work by bus then, and from the top of the double-decker bus would see the further demise of my car being cut up by the fireman," she added.

The roundabout, which opened in 1972, has always been known locally as the Magic Roundabout, in homage to the BBC children's programme of the same name.

But the local authority originally named it something quite different, and so it started life as County Islands.

The credit for its official christening as the Magic Roundabout lies with David Glaholm, now 77, who introduced a motion formalising the name in the early 1980s, during his time as a councillor in Swindon.

So what is it like to be responsible for setting the name of a local icon in stone?

"I'm pretty chuffed, but I don't seek any plaudits for it," he said. "I'm just pleased that the name 'Magic Roundabout' has spread around the world, which means the name Swindon has travelled around the world too."

Swindon Borough Council’s cabinet member for the environment and transport Chris Watts said those who live in the town "know it is a much-loved, iconic landmark which has put our town on the map across the globe".

He said: “I’m extremely proud it has been given the coveted ‘Roundabout of the Year’ award because Swindon wouldn’t be Swindon without its roundabouts.

"I’d like to thank Kevin and the UK Roundabout Appreciation Society for finally awarding the roundabout its top accolade as they have confirmed what we have known all along – the Magic Roundabout is number one.”

Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.