RBrewster

Last updated 01:00, Tuesday, 03 April 2007

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Muncaster Castle ,Tomfoolery Day April 1st. Jester Paolo Garbanzo skilful and entertaining. pic submitted by Christopher Warner

MUNCASTER Castle handed over its keys to a modern-day jester on April Fool’s Day to help celebrate the most foolish day of the year.

Maynard Flip-Flap became king of Muncaster Castle for the day, taking centre-stage with his own special brand of madcap antics, acrobatics and comedy.

He is the latest successor to Tom Fool, who was the castle’s jester more than 400 years ago.

Muncaster is believed to be the only castle in the world that appoints a modern-day jester.

Maynard Flip-Flap performed at the Queen’s 80th birthday celebrations last year.

Muncaster’s Peter Frost-Pennington said: “As Muncaster was home to the original Tom Fool we decided to mark the most foolish day of the year by handing the castle over to the biggest fool in the kingdom.”

Tom Fool, aka Thomas Skelton, was Muncaster’s Fool in the 16th century and was the inspiration for the fool in Shakespeare’s King Lear.