THE English Civil War will come to life on the streets of Worcester today.

This year marks the 360th anniversary of the Battle of Worcester so the annual Civil War day exhibition has been expanded.

Visitors will be able to have archaeology identified, hear talks by Civil War historians and join the city’s battlefield guide Paul Harding on a detailed look at Civil War sites throughout the city.

Children will be encouraged to make a badge to support either the Royalists troops or the Parliamentarians, they can take part in crafts, handle replica weapons and dress as soldiers from the battles.

Mr Harding, of educational history organisation Discover Worcester, will run the walks from the Guildhall at 10.30am and 2pm.

“Civil War Day was born to highlight the unique fact that Worcester saw both the first and last clash of arms in the English Civil Wars,” he said.

“It’s in its seventh year, has been embraced by citizens and tourists and is now part of the city’s annual calendar.”

The event is supported by the Worcester Tourism Association and exhibitors include Upton Heritage Centre, Hartlebury Castle, St John’s Church and the Battlefields Trust.

At 11am there will be a talk by archaeologist Malcolm Atkin, at 12.30pm a talk by Tony Spicer, of the Battlefields Trust, at 2.30pm there will be a talk about 17th-century music and at 3pm there will be a talk on the ghosts of the Civil Wars by author Anne Bradford.