PLANS for a town pageant in Somerset got underway this month when a meeting was held to recruit committee members. More than 30 residents turned up to the Axbridge 2010 Pageant meeting to discuss and start organising the event.

PLANS for a town pageant in Somerset got underway this month when a meeting was held to recruit committee members.

More than 30 residents turned up to the Axbridge 2010 Pageant meeting to discuss and start organising the event.

The pageant, which is held every 10 years, tells the story of the town's history and was first started in 1967 after a bypass was built around the town. As traffic was no longer using The Square to get from one end of Axbridge to the other, someone suggested using it for a pageant.

The event is usually held on the August Bank Holiday. After the first pageant in 1967 organisers held another in 1970 but decided it took so long to plan that it would only be held every 10 years instead of three.

One of the organisers, Roy Fisher, said: "The meeting went really well and we have had some people volunteer to be on the committee. It looks as though the pageant is definitely going ahead in 2010 and in 2008 we will be holding further meetings to discuss fund-raising ideas."

More than £1,000 was left over from the last pageant but organisers will need to raise much more to pay for seating, costumes and stage equipment.

Around 300 people are expected to stage the performance with an additional 100 residents helping behind the scenes.

A video of the last pageant in 2000 was made and organisers are currently transferring them on to DVDs for residents.