WHERE should a blue plaque to commemorate Bob Pelham of Pelham Puppets be placed was the question at the Marlborough Town Council meeting last week.

Resident Nigel Kerton said Mr Pelham had shown him the place was upstairs at 3 Kingsbury Street. He said: "He was categoric it was at number three which I have also seen as recorded as Victoria House in old documents."

With him was Lars Peter Bevan who has researched Pelham Puppets for a book. He said: "I'm concerned the blue plaque will go on the wrong building. I've interviewed former members of staff and they all confirmed with me that 3 Kingsbury Street is Victoria House.

He said he had collected the puppets since a young lad and he then produced photographs and documents from the 1940s to prove his case to councillors.

Cllr Andrew Ross: “None of this research is necessary as my mother was an employee from the beginning and as a small boy I had to spend half of my life there as I had to be looked after and went there with mum. So I can tell you exactly where the offices are."

The Mayor Cllr Lisa Farrell thanked him for his presentation and he and Mr Kerton left the meeting.

The item came up again later in the meeting when the issue was debated.

Cllr Ross said: "I couldn't understand what the hell was going on. What were they talking about? The only thing I can say is the wording in our report may be slightly erroneous.

"The buildings I know are new but I can tell you exactly where it was and that is the round windows which are now flats. I was a little boy in short trousers aged five or six."

The town clerk Shelley Parker said the council had been working on the plan for a blue plaque but with another expert called Mr Leach. She said he assured the council he had identified the correct address and had it confirmed by a former employee.

Cllr Mervyn Hall said the council was in danger of being sucked into a battle of two experts. Cllr Susie Price said the wording could indicate the workshop was close by at one to three and it should be at eye-level although a member of the public said the plaque could be higher up between the numbers.

The wording agreed was: "Pelham Puppets were created in 1-3 Kingsbury Street by Bob Pelham and a small group of employees in 1947."