Compliment returned for pigs that put town on the map

London's East End has its Jack the Ripper trail, Canterbury has its pilgrims' pathway and in Liverpool fans can visit the haunts of The Beatles.

Now Malmesbury in Wiltshire has become an likely member of this select group with its "trotter trail".

Inspired by the publicity, nay hysteria, surrounding the escape, hunt, capture and eventual tabloid buy-up of two local pigs, tourist information officers are preparing maps tracing the footsteps of the animals.

The two pigs, quickly nicknamed Butch and Sundance, grabbed attention last month when they escaped from an abattoir. Their escape across a swollen river and their return to the wild for a week before being caught, inspired yards of newsprint and some of the worst pig jokes imaginable.

While nationally the excitement surrounding the pigs has died down, the Malmesbury Tourist Information Office is still deluged by calls about them. Tourist manager Sandra Pell said the "trotter trail" maps will be ready in a few weeks. "The reaction has really been amazing. We are still getting calls from the public, and from the media wanting to do more coverage."

Cuddly toy versions of the two pigs have been rushed out by toy company Gosh International. Meanwhile the real-life heroes are enjoying a life of peaceful luxury at a sanctuary in Chippenham.