UP to 150 re-enactors will be in Castle Park during a friendly invasion.

A two day event, which will take place during Invasion Colchester, will be celebrating all things historical.

Invasion Colchester 1648 will see historic parades, games, stalls, food, and more.

It will take place on Saturday, September 1 and Sunday, September 2 from 10.30am until 5pm.

The event is raising money for St Helena Hospice.

The Siege of Colchester ended in August 1648, being one of the major turning points in the English Civil War.

This two day event commemorates the role Colchester played.

Organisers are working with the Invasion Colchester team to host the event at Colchester Castle, and Upper Castle Park.

A shopping centre will also turn into a fantasy world as part of the superhero invasion.

Hundreds of comic book and movie characters will be wandering around to raise money for St Helena Hospice and the Colchester Hospitals Charity.

They are trying to beat last year's target of £9,000.

Culver Square shopping centre will be packed full of princesses and superheroes. There will also be a Jurassic Park area where children can dig for dinosaur bones and dress up.

Famous vehicles from films will be in the square, with the star car of the day being the Batman Tumbler.

Over at Lion Walk shopping centre characters from both Star Wars and Ghostbusters movies will be making appearances, and there will be live music.

This year the Invasion Colchester team are introducing Ghostbusters comics artist Phil Elliott, and actors Mike Edmonds and Martin Ballantyne, as well as welcoming back Nick Joseph, Sandeep Mohan, Ralph Morse and Chris Bunn as special guests.

Ace Comics in Culver Street East will be giving prizes for completed character hunt entries, and the annual prize draw and fancy dress competition will be be returning.

Anyone travelling on the Park and Ride in costume can do so for free.

Kerrie Williams, Invasion Colchester event co-ordinator, said “It never ceases to amaze me how brilliant the people of Colchester and everyone connected with this fabulous event can be.

"We have been continually breaking records for amounts raised at Invasion Colchester each year and for this I am not only incredibly grateful to the general public and businesses that have put their hands in their pockets for us, but also to everyone involved who generously donates their valuable time for free.

"Invasion Colchester is a not-for-profit event - and makes our event what it is."