TOWN councillors in Marlborough have given their consent for a tent and caravan camp on The Common during a Civil War reconstruction.

The 2004 committee is planning the celebrations in June for the 800th anniversary of King John granting Marlborough its royal charters.

The English Civil War Society will be staging a reconstruction of a skirmish that took place in Marlborough during the Civil War.

Its members want to set up a period camp in the Priory Gardens where schoolchildren will be able to see how an army lived in the 17th century.

Deputy mayor Graham Francis, who is chairman of the 2004 committee, told the town council's recreation and amenities committee on Monday that the Civil War society members wanted to stay on the common in tents or caravans for the duration of the living history display on June 18,19 and 20.

Councillors gave their unanimous backing to the campsite plans, although there were some reservations about the society wanting to have two bonfires on the common.

It was agreed to ask the council's health and safety consultant Gordon Heath to carry out a risk assessment on the bonfire proposal.