Civil war comes to Suffolk

BIG-scale civil war antics and death-defying stuntmen were just some of the attractions that saw more than 10,000 people flock to the Eye Show.On the first day of the Suffolk extravaganza, 1,000 'soldiers' from English Civil War reenactment group, the Sealed Knot Society, clashed amid heady swirls of musket and cannon smoke as the steel-on-steel sounds of hand-to-hand combat rung out across the show ground at Eye.

By James Fraser

civil war action and death-defying stuntmen were just some of the attractions watched by 10,000 people who flocked to the Eye Show.

On the first day of the Suffolk extravaganza, 1,000 'soldiers' from English Civil War re-enactment group, the Sealed Knot Society, clashed amid heady swirls of musket and cannon smoke as the steel-on-steel sounds of hand-to-hand combat rung out across the showground.

There were even a few minor injuries – accidents, of course – and some participants were treated for dehydration.

The Sealed Knot Society, which carries out research and re-enacts battles from the English Civil Wars, chose the Eye Show for its biggest muster of members this year.

They were back on parade for the show's climax today.

Other entertainment at the show included spectacular freestyle motorcross displays by the Bolddog Lings team, led by Andy Godbold, chariot racing, sheepdog demonstrations and a display from the Suffolk Junior Cavalry Squadron and the City of Coventry Corps of Drums.

A parade of historic traction engines and displays of cars and other vintage vehicles offered visitors another glimpse of the past.