TWO members of the public will get the chance to join Abingdon councillors in the town’s traditional bun-throwing to celebrate the royal wedding next month.

For the past 250 years only councillors have had the privilege of throwing 4,000 buns off the roof of the old County Hall to eager crowds below to mark royal events.

But this year, they are inviting two members of public to join them in the ceremony to celebrate the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29.

The council will hold a raffle to find the lucky duo after a councillor’s daughter had the idea while sitting in on a meeting.

Julie Mayhew-Archer, chairman of the council’s museum committee, said: “This is a much easier way to get the unique opportunity to do the town bun-throwing without having to stand for election and do four years of council work.

“It is a unique opportunity and a way of supporting the County Hall conservation work and the new museum.”

She added: “It really is a different sort of raffle and very special for Abingdon — and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

The bun throwing on April 29 at 6pm will be the 32nd in the town since the 1761 coronation of King George III.

It last took place in 2006 to mark the 450th anniversary of the Abingdon Charter and a visit by the Princess Royal to the town.

It is also due to take place next year to mark the Queen’s diamond jubilee as monarch.

The museum is closed until spring next year as it undergoes a £3.5m renovation and the raffle winners will have to be 18 to comply with health and safety regulations.

Mrs Mayhew-Archer said: “What is unusual is we will be standing on the scaffolding, so it is not for the faint-hearted. But nothing stops Abingdon throwing buns.”

Councillor Samantha Bowring’s nine-year-old daughter Emma Fawcett came up with the idea in a museum committee meeting last month.

The Carswell Primary School, Abingdon, pupil said: “I was listening in a meeting to what everyone was saying and they wanted an idea for how to get more people to the bun throwing. So I wrote it down on a piece of paper and gave it to Julie, and she thought it was a good idea.”

She added: “My mum is a councillor and sometimes i have to go to meetings because I cannot stay at home on my own.”

Raffle tickets are available at the town council offices in Old Abbey House, Abbey Close, and the competition will close on April 12 — the winners will be drawn on April 15.

Sheila Hills, chairman of the Abingdon Museum Friends, said she hoped the raffle would raise at least £2,000 for the museum.

She said: “Since the bun-throwing in the town is so rare, to own a ticket for two people would be really quite something.”

She added: “The bun throwing is absolutely special.”