BUN throwing to celebrate the Royal Wedding will take place from the roof of Abingdon’s museum, pledged a town firm after winning the contract to refurbish the historic building.

Leadbitter, based at Abingdon Science Park, ended fears that redevelopment work would bar town councillors from carrying out the traditional ritual from the roof of the County Hall Museum.

Bun-throwing in Abingdon dates back to the Coronation of George III in 1761 and is also due to take place in 2012 to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Mike Burton, head of special projects for Leadbitter, promised that the sky would indeed rain buns come the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29.

He said: “We will make sure by hook or by crook that there will be bun-throwing.

“We will ensure that part of the roof is retained at the time, so that the town councillors can take part.

“We will obviously ensure that everything is safe for the councillors — we wouldn’t consider breaching any health and safety guidelines.”

The firm is one of the town’s biggest employers, with 675 workers, and has been chosen by Abingdon Town Council for the £3.5m project. Work will start next Monday and is scheduled to finish in September.

Three new galleries are planned on the museum’s second floor, including one dedicated to the town’s former car manufacturer MG, and there will be a cafe in the basement, plus a lift for the disabled.

The museum’s 1902 gas-powered water pump will be displayed in the basement after its renovation.

Mr Burton said: “We will be providing new windows and new floors at the museum, and replacing and refurbishing the roof inside and out.

“One of the most difficult parts of the project will be the excavation necessary to install the lift linking the ground floor and the basement.

“The lift will be installed on the right-hand rear corner of the museum as you look at it from the market place.

“We hope the work won’t cause too much traffic disruption and one of the advantages we have as a local firm is that we can store materials in our own yard, which is five minutes away.”

Town councillor and former mayor Julie Mayhew-Archer said: “It’s good news that a local firm has got the contract for this important project.”

The Heritage Lottery Fund has contributed £2m towards the £3.5m project.

Museum administrator Kay White said: “It has taken a lot of preparation to get to this stage and it will be progress to see the scaffolding going up.”

Sheila Hills, of the Friends of Abingdon Museum group, said: “We are delighted that a local firm has got the contract and the work Leadbitter does will be an excellent start.”

The County Hall was built between 1678 and 1684 by Christopher Kempster, a protegé of Sir Christopher Wren.

It was built to house the Berkshire Assize Courts, the location for 200 years of some of the county’s most important criminal trials.

Leadbitter, which has been in the town since 1971, built the White Horse Leisure and Tennis Centre in Abingdon and the Cornerstone Arts Centre at Didcot.