BOSSES at the Bursledon Windmill will be praying for the wind to drop for a few weeks next May.

It might seem an unusual request, but calm conditions are needed so that major work can be carried out on repairing the cap and sails and repainting them at the same time.

Curator Gavin Bowie says: "Hopefully it will be reasonably dry next May without too much wind!"

About every 15 years a detailed assessment is made of the condition of the windmill in a joint project between Eastleigh Council and Hampshire County Council.

So far £1,000 has been spent on a

survey and report. The repair and maintenance work is expected to take between three and four weeks and it is estimated that repairs will cost £10,000.

Painting will cost another £10,000, hiring of the cherry picker £1,200 and scaffolding £1,600.

Mr Bowie says they are looking for sponsorship to cover the cost of paint.

The new paintwork should be good for six to seven years and further major mill work should not needed for 15 years.

New sailcloths, which were bought last November, will last 15 years if valeted annually.

The windmill's visitor figures have been soaring. For this year up to the end of August the numbers were 6,732 - an increase of 1,368 compared with the same period last year.

Mr Bowie says this increase is mainly due to the extra 991 visitors which resulted from opening Wednesday to Friday during the spring and summer school holidays.

Pre-booked educational and general group visits totalled 34 this year compared with 25 for last year.

And the windmill has been spreading its sails with other big events - including becoming a unique setting for wedding receptions.