FREE funfair rides, balloons and flags will be up for grabs in Tavistock next week, enabling the community to enjoy a bit of fun in celebration of the royal wedding.

Tavistock Town Council this week agreed to subsidise the Easter fair, currently in operation in the Meadows for the school holidays, on the extra bank holiday on Friday, April 29.

Works superintendent Wayne Southall told members of the town's finance committee that paying for the fair rides between 3pm and 8pm, plus supplying flags and balloons and up to £500 for free refreshments, would be within the £5,000 the council had already agreed, in principle, to make available to mark the occasion. He said he was also hoping to provide some live music entertainment on the day.

Mr Southall told the committee that to hire in a fair for the day would cost £12,000 just in equipment, but that the fair operators were willing to run the operation in return for the council waiving their rent.