THERE could be plenty of 'rioting' in Camelford, if the town council agree for new by-laws to be introduced, as part of the town's 750th anniversary Charter celebrations!

During the public participation section of the March 17 town council meeting, Eddie Mc­Cormick, a member of Charter 750 (the group organising the programme of events) addressed the council — in full medieval dress!

Although it was a few weeks too early for April Fool's Day, he asked for a number of new by-laws to be introduced, in the hope that there will be appropriate 'rioting' at the Reading of the Riot Act event on June 30.

Addressing the council, Mr McCormick said: "Felicitations and good evening Mr Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Councillors, Burgesses, Lords, Ladies, Scribes and Gentlefolk of Camelford.

"I am charged by my fellows of the Charter 750 group to ask that you give vigorous consideration to enacting new by-laws to help us commemorate the anniversary of the good King Henry III granting a Royal Charter to the village of Camelford in 1259 and thereby designating Camelford a town with the right to hold a weekly market and annual fair."

He said the four-fold proposals were, with effect from July 1, to ban children between the ages of 5 years and 16 years from: watching TV after 6pm; playing computer games; using mobile phones and asking for more pocket money.

He added: "We understand that such grave matters will require that your deliberations take place in privy and we therefore accept that your answer cannot be given this night. Thank you for giving attention to this plea. Farewell and adieu."

Councillors will consider the request and reveal their decision at the next meeting of the council.

Everyone is encouraged to get into the spirit of the celebrations, and it is understood that children appearing in costume will have a better chance of over-turning the new proposals!

Plans for the Charter celebrations started last summer, when Camelford's local historian, Joanna Raymond-Barker gave a presentation to Camelford Town Council about the Charter, which was granted in 1259, and effectively turned it from a village to a town.

The Camelford Association of Residents (CAR) straightaway booked Camelford Hall for a medieval banquet on June 12, the date of the actual signing of the charter. The celebrations have spiralled from there; ideas kept coming and the group settled on those they could handle.

A Charter 750 spokesman said: "From the beginning the idea had been to give the people of Camelford, their families, friends and visitors a good time at minimal cost, to learn a little of Camelford's history and have a lot of fun doing it.

"The other objective was to support local organisations, to give them a high profile and to hopefully increase their membership."

The group applied for grant funding and have been able to cover all budgeted costs from two very generous grants and a number of equally generous smaller ones.

The group is now in the final few months of planning the celebrations for Camelford Charter 750, and they expressed thanks to Camelford Town Council for coming into partnership with CAR for this purpose.

The spokesman added: "Its support has been fundamental to the success of this project and, moreover, it voted to underwrite the events with a very generous amount of money, which we hope not to use. We are deeply grateful to all our contributors and we continue to raise out own funds through quiz nights and fundraising evenings."

The celebrations start with the medieval banquet and continue with Beating the Bounds; the reading of the charter; an ancient craft day; jousting and manly sports; a pageant and a concert of medieval music, to name a few!

To keep up to date with the Camelford Charter celebration programme of events, visit the new website at http://www.charter750.org">www.charter750.org.