BOLTON will turn the clock back 753 years at Saturday's mediaeval festival -- thanks to a Bolton Evening News reader.

Council bosses decided to hold a weekend of festivities celebrating the granting of the town's market charter in 1251 following a plea from Dilys Taylor in the Letters page.

It follows the hugely-successful mediaeval market held in January last year to celebrate the anniversary of Bolton becoming a free borough in 1253.

It was such a success that the council decided to repeat it -- and planned one for Churchgate over the May Day bank holiday.

But in her letter, Dilys called on the council to abandon the plan in favour of one marking the anniversary of the Earl of Derby's charter allowing the town to hold an annual fair.

The charter permitted the historic event to be held each year on "the eve, and the day and on the morrow of the feast of St Margaret the Virgin", between July 19 and 21.

"It is wonderful to think that this weekend people will be attending a July fair, enjoying a cider in Ye Olde Man and Scythe," said Dilys, of Belmont Road, Sharples, who is a keen amateur historian.

"As I see it, Bolton was born in 1251 and got its birth certificate with the charter of 1253."

The street's historic past will be brought to life with the mediaeval market on Saturday and Sunday.

There will be stalls, a woodcarver, spinner and willow weaver, and mediaeval-style entertainment.