Hundreds attend military show 'made from the heart'

Richard Dalton said the event has sold more than 700 tickets this year

More than 700 people are taking a step back in time immersing themselves in a historical military show made up of actors, film sets and historians.

The White Horse Military Show, at the Neston Park Estate south of Corsham, has been two years in the making after last year's event was cancelled due to wet weather.

The show, which ends on Sunday, covers wartime events from the 1800's right the way through to the first Gulf War in 1992.

Production director and creator Richard Dalton said the event is a joint passion with the whole team and is "made from the heart".

Roy Halsall has been taking part in wartime re-enactment events for the last 50 years

Actress Kimberly Brown, from Time Travelling Theatre, said they have "been taking people on a journey through time from World War One to World War Two".

"I love that visitors really get to partake in history. They get a sense of feeling that this is happening, that this is actually going on," she said.

"We want to give them the experience of what people felt and went through."

Roy Halsall, who has been taking part in war re-enactment events for the last 50 years, brought an American wartime vehicle that he restored to be used at the event.

"I've had the vehicle for 35 years now," he said.

"In 1941, the Americans were not actually in the war, but they knew it was going to happen so they acquired 300 of these and used them throughout the United States."

More than 55 tonnes of scenery has been used on the site

Mr Dalton, who is a TV and film production designer and art director, said that preparing for the show for two years has allowed the team to "make and put a lot more things together".

"This year we have used more than 55 tonnes (55,000 kg) of scenery," he said.

"The town square area is all made out of recycled film sets.

"We have also got more than 180 living history groups on site."

The annual event is made up of actors, film sets and historians

The event includes immersive theatrical interpretations of historical events against a backdrop of well known landmarks made from old film sets.

"The replica of Bath Abbey's tower was used for the TV series Alex Rider," Mr Dalton said.

"Amongst other bits we also have a bunker used on a production called GenZ. It's from a Ben Wheatley production that isn't out yet," he added.