Spion Kop steps in Salcombe has a new sign after the old one became unreadable over time.

The well-known route, which consists of 213 steps, links Bennett Road to Devon Road and is a steep and uneven climb that is still used by residents and visitors.

Local resident Susan Blackmore, who spent childhood holidays at her grandmother’s home on Fortescue Road, said she used to run up and down the steps to visit Cranch’s shop for sweets.

Recently she began using them as training for fitness and saw that the ancient sign she remembered was now a rotted plank with no words visible at all.

She asked her husband, Adam Hart-Davis, to create a replacement.

Mr Hart-Davis said: “I enjoy carving old oak and found a piece from one of our trees.

“After lots of smoothing with a draw knife came the challenge of fitting the three words on the curved surface, the curly letters being much the hardest, I started at the end, where people are less likely to see my mistakes, and am happy with the result, although I can still see several places where I could have done better.

“With permission of the Town Council, we fixed it in place on the old metal frame at the bottom of the steps.”

The story has it that in the late 1800s and early 1900s, wealthy people returned from South Africa and bought land in Salcombe.

The steps are said to have been named after the battle of Spion Kop in the second Boer War in 1900.

Opinions vary on just how many steps there are.

Figures of 203 and 211 have previously been suggested, while some automated sources have claimed there are 121.

Susan said she had personally counted and recounted the steps and confirmed there are 213.

She said: “Rubbish! I have counted and recounted and there are 213. If you’d like to check yourself, you can find out. Enjoy the climb.”

The new sign has now been installed at the base of the steps with permission from the Town Council.