Dates have been confirmed for the English Civil War-themed Sealed Knot Society's return to Ashby de la Zouch.

Monday's meeting of Ashby de la Zouch Town Council's Finance & Events Committee was told that the oldest re-enactment society in the country would be back on the weekend of August 2/3.

Sealed Knot last visited Ashby in 2018 - and before that, it was here in 1995.

It was revealed in October that the organisation had made it known it wanted to come back to Ashby.

But the exact venue for the event has still to be settled on.

Sealed Knot says it will be a 'slightly scaled down' occasion compared to previous years - and favours the Prior Park Fields rather than the Bath Grounds.

While that would be in the shadow of Ashby Castle, there is still a possibility that it could be held at the Bath Grounds if it were combined with food vendors.

Town Centre Manager, Stuart Benson, said: "I've met with an arm of Sealed Knot and done a site visit.

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"Their preference was for Prior Park, the reason for this is there are not as many members as they had in 2018.

"That's due to Covid, which hit them quite hard, others have left for family reasons.

"It would be a slightly scaled-down version but they would want to run it over the two days.

"Unless we put it on the Bath Grounds as part of something larger.

"There'll still be cannons going off and riders on horseback in a dedicated arena.

"But ultimately, they know it's our final say and if we want it on the Bath Grounds, that's where it'll be."

But Cllr Murrae Blair-Park added: "Prior Park is in the shadow of Ashby Castle - every photo taken there would have the castle as its backdrop."

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Committee chair, Cllr Chris Smith, warned that safety concerns would have to be addressed where there is a big crowd coupled with a live re-enactment event such as Sealed Knot.

The council will now explore which is the best venue for that weekend.