RETIRED railway officer Andrew Gilitt spent his 95th birthday weekend re-enacting a historic battle for the 38th time.

The grandfather has been one of the chief organisers of the Holly Holy in Nantwich, which is a mock skirmish between Cavaliers and Roundheads, since it began as a wreath-laying ceremony in 1972.

Saturday's event involved hundreds of people from all over the country who descended on the town centre in historic costumes and re-enacted the 1644 Battle of Nantwich.

Members of the Sealed Knot Society marched from Malbank School to the war memorial in the centre of town and then on to Mill Island. There the re-enactment took place before the 'troops' formed up again to march back to Malbank School.

Mr Gilitt, pictured left, who celebrated his 95th birthday yesterday, wrote the script for the second event in 1973 which is still used today.

He started his birthday celebrations on Friday night when he took part in a Holly Holy Eve party which involved around 15 battle participants dressing up in costume for a special dinner.

He said: "We hold the Holly Holy event on the nearest Saturday to January 25 each year, so it coincides with my birthday around every six years.

"I couldn't think of any better way of celebrating it."

The father-of-one, who lives in Nantwich, joined The Sealed Knot Society – which stages costumed reenactment of battles and events surrounding the English Civil War all over the country – in 1968, the year it was formed.

He said: "Holly Holy started with a wreath-laying by a local historian. The next year I wrote the script for a re-enactment of the battle which involved around 100 people.

"Over the years it became a regular event and all surplus funds go to charity.

"Around 100 Sealed Knot Society members still come from all over the country to take part and around 1,000 people watch.

"I enjoy the comradery and the fun. I feel we are doing something to preserve British tradition.

"Many people did not know about the battle but we get thousands of people each year who come along. It helps them learn about our past."

Mr Gilitt, who has a daughter Francis, aged 69, and a granddaughter Lizzie, aged 29, added: "We make our own civil war costumes. It becomes a way of life. I travel all over the country taking part in events like these.

"We go to the battlefields as near as possible to the date where the event took place. There are several this summer."