A fencing contractor’s lorry knocked down a flagpole as organisers prepared for a grand medieval re-enactment in a park on Saturday.

About 1,000 people came to the Echoes of the Past event in Rosebery Park, Epsom, which was organised by Bourne Hall Museum and Historia Normannis society.

Knights and other re-enactors took over the park and recreated life under the reign of King John who signed the Magna Carta 800 years ago.

PICTURES: Medieval battles and falconry draw crowds to Epsom park

Jeremy Harte, curator at the museum, said his "jaw dropped" when the fibreglass flagpole was knocked down at 9am while preparations were in full swing.

Mr Harte said: "It collapsed. Our understanding is that one of the supply lorries backed into it while attempting to get the material up for the event."

The flagpole flies the park’s Green Flag in recognition of the fact it won an award for being one of the best green spaces in the country.

Mr Harte said the flag will go into storage until a replacement flagpole goes up. He added: "It has quite a lot of emotional significance because the park got the Green Flag Award so it’s nice to have it flying in the park."

An Epsom Council spokesman said: "A fencing contractor ran it over. It’s regrettable and we are trying to get it sorted to get the park back to its normal state as quickly as possible."