Brunel event a piece of cake (From Stroud News and Journal)

Brunel event a piece of cake

A LAVISH 10ft cake will mark the launch of the 200th birthday celebrations of engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel this weekend.

Brunel, one of the most versatile and inspirational engineers of the 19th Century, is an important local figure who created the Swindon to Cheltenham rail link.

He came second only to Winston Churchill in the recent BBC Great Britons poll.

He was born in Portsmouth on April 9, 1806.

However, the date falls on a Sunday this year so the event will take place on Saturday, April 8 between 10am and 12pm outside Stroud's Subscription Rooms.

Actor John Basset has been recruited to perform a dramatic monologue as Brunel in period costume, and poster-sized reproductions of historic tickets from Stroud to Paddington will be given away.

The birthday launch is the first of a series of Brunel-themed events that will run between now and September.

They have been organised by non profit-making organisation The Stroud Brunel Project with more than £30,000 worth of funding from The Local Heritage Initiative, Stroud District Council and Stroud Town Council.

Organiser Helen Parsons said the cake was a community effort.

It is being baked by volunteers from local WI groups and will be in the shape of a steam engine with a chain of colourful carriages.

"The cake will be an interesting affair," said Mrs Parsons. "It's going to be huge.

"It's been made to look like a First Great Western carriage but I imagine the final result will be quite mixed and fun."

WI groups who helped bake the cake include King's Stanley, France Lynch, Rodborough, Kemble, Edge and Randwick. Carol Novoth created the engine and Walker's bakery part sponsored a carriage.