The revolution, one year on

In Sussex, the peasants have revolted

Twelve months ago a village in a sleepy corner of England declared independence from the "oppressive" United Kingdom.

What started as a joke became serious business on Millennium Eve.

We are pleased and proud to announce that we are no longer pawns of the government, we are now PRAWNS in our own right

Declaration of independence

On the first minute of the first day of 2000, the residents of Ashurst Wood, West Sussex, declared their independence from the UK. Or at least a handful of them did.

The People's Republic of Ashurst Wood Nation State - Prawns for short - issued spoof passports and set up border patrols on the road from nearby East Grinstead.

Nine locals signed a declaration of independence, but it was not ratified until 7 January 2000, as the Ministry of Propaganda - the Post Office - was closed for the festive season.

One year on the revolutionary spirit is still alive, Mark Eichner, the self-styled "King Prawn", says. But there's no denying the spirit of defiance has mellowed.

The nation state's coat of arms

"Border patrols have since come down because we were not getting a lot of resistance from the UK.

"The revolutionary council has since given way to an elected parish council."

His comrade, Joe Taylor, points out that as the parish council is answerable to the former oppressor - ie: Her Majesty's Government - "we only support them when we agree with what they want to do".

But like many a nascent state, Ashurst Wood has found independence poses tough challenges.

"We've had a bit of difficulty with our currency, the eurinal. We floated it on the international currency market and it went into freefall - you now only get one good pee to the eurinal."

Passport controls

And hopes that Harrods boss Mohammed al Fayed would open a branch of his world-famous department store in the village - in exchange for a passport - have yet to be realised.

Part of the "declaration if independence"

But the core of revolutionary villagers have kept themselves busy, releasing a CD of their national anthem, the Prawn Chorus, some time during the past year.

"Sadly, it's struggling to hit the charts," Mr Eichner says.

The "revolutionaries" took their lead from events dating back 1,000 years.

Apparently King Ethelred, who came to the English throne in 989, granted the village immunity from taxation after he narrowly escaped death in the area.

It's your funeral

Legend has it the people of Ashurst, as it was then known, presumed the king was dead and prepared a funeral pyre. He woke up in the nick of time, just as the torches were ignited.

Travelling to West Sussex? Don't forget your passport

So relieved was he to be alive, he granted locals tax immunity.

Thus paying and collecting tax in the state is illegal, Mr Taylor says.

"You have to have the correct documentation to enter the state - and I can assure you that tax collectors will never be issued with the correct documentation."

Strong words, but the fighting talk has failed to make much of an impact on the majority of Ashurst Wood residents, whose daily lives have gone on much as before.

What, just a joke?

"It was all done as a bit of a joke. I think they got more publicity than they expected," says local district councillor Stephen Barnett.

"This is an area where we have got a lot of less-than mainstream organisations and people with independent views. It's really just a reflection of that spirit."

And Mr Taylor's claims about scaring away the taxman are nothing but bluster.

"They're all very law-abiding people," says Cllr Barnett. "They all pay their taxes, no matter what they say."