FEW who saw the dramatic TV pictures of the fire which destroyed much of Windsor Castle in 1992 could have failed to have been saddened at the loss at a stroke of so much of the nation's history and heritage.

The story behind its painstaking renovation and restoration to its former glory as one of Britain's finest castles was recounted by two men at the heart of the project when they gave the 15th Bromsgrove Lecture on Friday.

The lecture is an annual event organised by the Bromsgrove Society.

Co-ordinating architects Donald Insall and his colleague, Peter Riddington, of London-based Donald Insall Associates, kept their large audience at Routh Hall, Bromsgrove School, enthralled as with the aid of slides they told how the formidable task was achieved.

One of the first problems confronting the huge team of specialists brought in to do the work was to deal with the 1.5m gallons of water the 200 firefighters used to bring the blaze under control.

After a temporary roof was put on to protect the 100 gutted rooms, including St George's Hall, the job of sifting through the debris for anything that could be cleaned and recycled or used as a guide to making new items began.

The project, which involved hundreds of craftsmen and women, was completed on time and within its £40m budget.

Following questions, society chairman Jean James, from Norton, Bromsgrove, thanked the speakers and presented them with gifts of books published by the group.