FLAGS have been raised in Odiham and North Warnborough in preparation for their celebrations to mark the sealing of Magna Carta.

They include the Mayhill Flag, designed by pupils at Mayhill Junior School, in The Bury, Odiham, as the constituency flag on the Houses of Parliament website.

Other flags to be raised include the village's own flag and Hampshire county flags.

The initiative, by Odiham Parish Council and The Odiham Society, marks the final run-up to the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta.

King John is thought to have set off from Odiham Castle, now on the banks of the Basingstoke Canal, on June 10, 1215, to meet baronial leaders at Runnymede in Surrey.

It was there that he agreed to the demands of the barons, in a document often cited as establishing one of the fundamental principles of today’s legal system.

John Champion, chairman of The Odiham Society, said: "Colourful flags really lift spirits and promote community cohesion, providing an opportunity for everyone to be proud of where they have come from or where they now live.

"It has been great to work with the parish council to bring this about and especially good to engage younger people with something that is so simple yet quite different."

The festival weekend will take place from Friday, May 22 to Monday, May 25, with a whole host of events to mark the occasion.

Activities will include a medieval archery re-enactment, falconry, an art and ale trail, an archaeological dig and arena displays.

There will also be a flower festival at All Saints Church, in The Bury, and the Odiham Embroidery, stitched by a team of volunteers, will be on display.

The mayor of Sourdeval, a French town in Normandy that is twinned with Odiham, will receive the village and Mayhill flags, in a short ceremony on Saturday, May 23.