Astronaut Tim Peake accepts the Freedom of Chichester

Major Tim Peake returns from his space mission in June. Picture by the ESA

The astronaut gratefully received the invitation delivered to the International Space Station via the European Space Agency.

Due to obvious reasons, the time and place of the freedom ceremony has yet to be decided, Chichester City Council said.

However it seems likely that the ceremony will be moved from its traditional venue to one of a greater capacity, with Chichester Cathedral or The Chichester Festival Theatre being the likely options.

“Hopefully the ceremony will be held later in the year or sometime in early 2017,” town clerk Rodney Duggua said.

Former Chichester High School for Boys pupil Major Peake, who grew up in Westbourne, is the first British born European Space Agency astronaut to live aboard the Space Station.

In January he became the first Briton to take part in a space walk.

The Freedom of Chichester is an honour that was adopted by Chichester in 1901 but has its early origins in the 12th and 13th centuries.

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