THE CLOCK was turned back many centuries in Caerleon over the weekend during a special ceremony to mark the crowning of King Arthur.

In the first event of its kind, members of the Caerleon Tourism Forum recreated the court of King Arthur as part of their campaign to have their town recognised as the true location of the legend that is Camelot.

A hog roast, traditional Welsh singing, authentic costumes and a harpist all combined at the Ffwrwm Arts Centre to give visitors a flavour of what Caerleon would have looked like in King Arthur's day, some time in the first millennia.

More than 150 people attended the event which is likely to become an annual attraction for the town.

King Arthur's link with Caerleon was mentioned in Geoffrey of Monmouth's writings as early as 1133.

Dr Russell Rhys of the Caerleon Tourism Forum said: "The atmosphere is certainly Arthurian in Caerleon today and you can feel the vibes of Merlin, Lancelot and the man himself."