Portland'S boundaries are worth reaffirming and to this end members of Court Leet and their invited guests made the arduous septennial climb over Chesil Beach to reach the stone which marks the boundary between the island and Abbotsbury.

Transport over the Fleet by pontoon for the 80-strong contingent was co-ordinated by Major Peter Read, commanding officer at Wyke Bridging Camp and operated by a team of Royal Engineers from Warminster.

On reaching the Bound Stone, borough senior engineer Colin Graham confirmed that the position of the stone, verified by satellite, was correct at 50 degrees 35 791 North, 002 degrees 30 128 West and that neither nature nor the army had shifted it from its position of seven years ago.

The traditional Ascension Day Prayer was led by the Reverend Anita Thorne, Rector of All Saints with St Andrew's and a lesson was read by church warden Peter Barker.

The big, unforgettable moment came for Royal Manor head boy Darren Mounce and head girl Katie Rod when they leaned over the boundary stone to receive a whisper of a whack from the Reeve Stick brandished by Reeve Clive Saunders.

This ceremonial beating is intended to impress the importance of the bound on to young minds!

Later Darren said: "I am thrilled that I am lucky enough to be head boy this year as it has given me the opportunity to be part of this proud Portland tradition."

Katie said: "This honour makes us part of living history and hopefully I will tell my children about it one day."

Among the guests attending the ceremony and the lunch which followed at Portland Heights Hotel were John Norris, Crown Estate commissioner emeritus, Gareth Clutton, crown steward and Major Peter Read,

Borough Mayor Joy Stanley and Town Mayor Chris McGown and their escorts, Borough chief executive Tom Grainger and representatives of business, commerce and the community, were also among the distinguished gathering.

In a short address to the company Mr Norris said: "The ceremony of the Beating of the Bound helps the future by remembering the past," and he added that the Crown Estates Commissioners are committed to this part of the country.

Court Leet Bailiff and local crown agent Rowland Reynolds spoke of the importance of Court Leet in the life of the Royal Manor and he said: "We have a close relationship with the Crown Estates who have supported us in various projects."

As a memento of the day when they were given a 'public caning', island historian and author Stuart Morris presented Darren and Katie with copies of Portland - An Island History and his latest book, Portland, A Portrait in Colour.