Wallingford residents are being asked to help prepare celebrations to mark the 850th anniversary of the town receiving its borough charter.

And there could be a permanent memorial to mark the event.

A working party is co-ordinating ideas under the leadership of town councillors Lynda Atkins and Simon Harrop.

But they stressed it was up to the people of Wallingford to say what celebrations they wanted and to put them into place.

The celebrations take place next year -- so 2004 is the year when everything has to be set in train.

Ms Atkins said: "I know 2005 seems a long way off but it will soon be with us.

"The working party will take care of things like insurance and publicity and the co-ordination of events, but the impetus must come from Wallingford people. We have had public meetings and they have been well supported -- now what we need is ways of putting ideas into action."

They want there to be a series of events throughout next year based on the charter which was granted by King Henry II in 1155. And in July there will be special events centred round the annual fun day.

Ms Atkins said: "We hope this mosaic of events will help people enjoy celebrating what is a very important anniversary.

"We also want to have something permanent in the town to mark it.

"We will be talking to the town council early in January to see what is appropriate."

She said many people wanted a memorial to Judge Sir William Blackstone (1723-1780) whose Commentaries on the Laws of England are a cornerstone of the British legal system and were the basis of the American Declaration of Independence.

She added: "He is much more appreciated in the USA than here and we have some American lawyers interested in a memorial to him."

There is already a plaque in the judge's memory in the town's St Peter's Church, but a more visible memorial is envisaged.

A briefing package for local businesses and organisations is being set up by Mr Harrop which he hopes will encourage sponsorship.

Ms Atkins said: "We want people to celebrate like they did with the Queen's Golden Jubilee when scores of organisations did their own thing under the umbrella of the main working party."