Richard III campaigners stage march through York

Supporters of the Plantagenet Alliance, a group of descendants including Richard's 16th great-niece Vanessa Roe, gathered at Clifford's Tower this morning before parading through the city centre to raise awareness of the issue.

The monarch's skeleton is due to be re-interred in Leicester Cathedral after being found under a car park in the city in 2012.

But the Alliance has brought a judicial review in an attempt to have the burial licence quashed and a consultation launched on where he should be interred.

Its legal representatives will argue during a two day hearing that the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), which granted the licence, failed to consult the public.

Vanessa said: "York has very strong connections with Richard. This is where he grew up, his family is from the north of England.

"He only spent nine days in Leicester, which was a Lancastrian place. It has no connections with him whatsoever."

She said Leicester's argument was just one of 'finders, keepers.'

Mary Ann Dearlove, from York, said she was taking part in the march because 'this is where he belongs, not under some car park or even some cathedral a long way away.'

Another marcher, Kate Wescombe, from York, said: "He should be buried back here. He had some connections with here in life. His connections with Leicester were only in death... It's about doing the right thing."

The University of Leicester, which found the remains during a dig and wants them to be re-buried in Leicester, said it looked forward to a final outcome to the case brought by the Alliance, adding: "We continue to work in partnership with Leicester Cathedral and Leicester City Council for a reinterment of King Richard III with dignity and honour in Leicester."

The Ministry of Justice has expressed disappointment that the Alliance was granted permission to challenge the licence, which it said had been granted by the Ministry following due process.