A CASKET of goodies from Marlborough, Wiltshire, has finally made it to Marlborough in New Zealand after being held up by the war in Iraq.

It was sent by Coun Margaret Boulton who was Mayor of Marlborough until Coun Bill Cavill took office in May.

Rather than posting it, Coun Boulton entrusted the casket to the care of the Royal Navy and the crew of HMS Marlborough.

The frigate left Portsmouth in January bound for the Antipodes, but was diverted to the Gulf on outbreak of war to protect an estuary vital for coalition shipping.

Now that the fighting is over, HMS Marlborough has reached New Zealand and the box has finally been delivered, a couple of months late.

Inside was a selection of books about the Wiltshire town and an invitation from Coun Bolton to the civic leaders of the Marlborough district to attend the celebrations in Marlborough, Wiltshire, of the town's 800th anniversary next year.

Marlborough is planning a variety of celebrations, including a possible visit by Prince Charles, to mark the 800th anniversary of the town getting its royal charters from King John.

The mayor of the Marlborough District Council whose main community is Blenheim, Tom Harrison, has responded thanking the town council and mayor in Marlborough, Wiltshire, for their greetings.

Mayor Harrison said: "The content of the casket from the town council of Marlborough UK will take pride of place within our chambers and I would like to thank you for initiating the delivery and in so doing cementing a bond between our namesakes."

The New Zealand mayor failed to comment on, or is leaving it to a later date, the invitation to the 2004 celebrations in Wiltshire.

HMS Marlborough was granted the freedom of the town in 1996 and its spokesman, Lt Cdr Nicholls, has written to mayor Bill Cavill to say its hoped the crew will play an active role in the celebrations.

Lt Cdr Nicholls, who flew from Auckland to the Marlborough district with the goodwill gifts from Wiltshire, said he had reciprocal gifts from the New Zealand council that will be delivered to Wiltshire upon the ship's return in August.

Coun Cavill told town councillors on Monday that HMS Marlborough was also planning to have a Marines band available for the town celebrations.

The band of the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment, which incorporates the old Wiltshire Regiment, has already been invited to play during the celebrations and bring them to a close by Beating Retreat in the High Street.