THE 350th anniversary of the Battle of Upton Bridge could be marked this August by visits from two different Civil War re-enactment groups.

Troops from the English Civil War Society will be camping around the Pepperpot, the only remaining part of the church where the battle raged.

Meanwhile, a regiment from the Sealed Knot Society plans to camp at Upton on the march from Gloucester to Worcester, where battle re-enactments are also being staged.

Upton's former tourist boss Mike Booth had hoped to arrange an anniversary re-enactment of the Battle of Upton Bridge, which took place on August 29, 1651, but the idea had to be scaled down.

"We haven't got the capacity or the funding to do it because it would coincide with the Water Festival," said events organiser Sue Walker.

Instead, the English Civil War Society has been invited to stage a "living history" encampment in the old churchyard during the festival weekend of August 25/26.

The same weekend, the Sealed Knot will be in Gloucester, re-enacting the siege of the city.

"They are going to march to Worcester in period costume and they will pass through Upton on their way. The plan is that they will camp in farm buildings near Upton and we're expecting them on the 28th," said John Henderson, who is organising the Battle of Worcester re-enactment at Lower Wick on September 1 and 2.

Royalist defenders were driven out of Upton in 1651 by Cromwell's troops, who crossed the river by stealth and barricaded themselves in the old church, where the fighting was concentrated.

Cromwell himself visited the town to congratulate his soldiers on their victory, which sealed the fate of King Charles II, who was defeated four days later at the Battle of Worcester.