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Richard III reconstruction to go on show in York

A reconstruction of the head of Richard III

A reconstruction of the head of Richard III will go on show at the Yorkshire Museum this summer.

The replica head – made using detailed scans of the king’s skull – will take pride of place in a new display looking at what is really known about the last Yorkist monarch.

Last week relatives of Richard III launched a legal challenge over plans to bury him in Leicester Cathedral.

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Soldiers awarded medals after Afghanistan tour of duty

Nearly 400 soldiers have been awarded medals following a six month tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Many were handed out by His Royal Highness, The Duke of Edinburgh. The troops, from 1 Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, had been in Helmand Province, as the handover of power to the Afghan National Police continues.

The presentation was at Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire.

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Richard III reburial divides Leicester and York in Parliament

An MP from York has laid out the city's claim to the body of Richard III in Parliament today.

The monarch's remains are due to be reinterred at Leicester Cathedral, but campaigners in the former King's home of York, want him buried there.

Hugh Bayley MP for York Central, claims burying the king in York would reconcile the north and south of the country.

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Debate on Richard III "needs calm"

A York MP has appealed for calm in the debate over where the remains of King Richard III should be buried after the Dean of York had to refer hate mail to the police.

Hugh Bayley MP says the Government needs to appoint an independent panel to rule on where the remains should be re-interred.

The debate appeared good-natured at first but, according to Mr Bayley, it has now taken a more sinister turn after the Dean of York, the Very Rev Vivienne Faull, until recently the Dean of Leicester, received such abusive letters she had to pass them to the police.

I received many letters and emails from members of the public about this, supporting burial in York.

Most are thoughtful and well argued and based on scientific facts but some are frankly inflammatory and talking yesterday to the Dean of York, some that she has received at the minster are so extreme that she has referred the correspondence to the police.

I would say to everybody: calm down. Let's all respect the memory of a former king of our country. Let's discuss where his remains should be put to rest in a dignified and sober way. We don't want to reignite the Wars of the Roses.

– Hugh Bayley MP, York Central

Nine of the monarch's descendants have called on the Government to return the remains of the king to York for a "formal and ceremonial" burial, while a petition calling for his remains to be transferred to the northern city has been signed by more than 23,000 people.

Mr Bayley said:

The decision should be taken on independent national advice and not delegated to archaeologists from Leicester who clearly support the Leicester cause. They would find it outrageous if the decision was delegated to people from York. We need the decision to be taken nationally, in the national interest by people who are independent of the vested interests of either York or Leicester.

– Hugh Bayley MP, York Central

Richard III reburial to be raised in Parliament

A York MP will use a Parliamentary debate later to urge ministers to set up an advisory committee to recommend where and how to rebury the recently excavated remains of King Richard III.

The monarch's 500-year-old skeleton was uncovered during an archaeological dig at a council car park in Leicester last year.

It is due to be re-interred at Leicester Cathedral next year. But there are calls to bring them to Yorkshire after claims he wanted York to be his final resting place.

Hugh Bayley, the MP for York Central, said that some people "are sill fighting the War of the Roses" over the monarch's reburial.

He added: "I want the Government to set up an independent committee to decide how, where and when the reburial takes place, and to involve both cities and people from both North and South.”

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