HUNDREDS of warriors from Britain's ancient past returned to life to fight in an epic battle at the weekend.

For the three-day Siege of Wareham re-enactment returned once again to Dorset's beautiful Corfe Castle, drawing thousands of visitors in to watch the spectacle.

It was the 10th anniversary of the annual event, which saw Viking marauders lock horns with Saxon warriors in the year 876AD.

And Mark Talbot - who was a Saxon archer this year- said for many the Siege is a highlight of the calendar.

"This is a real favourite, and people come from around the country to take part," he said.

"This year, we have had around 300 doing battle, with around 200 others taking part in different roles. I'm an archer, which is a lot of fun - I stand at the back and shoot down the Vikings."

Mark, a health and safety consultant who travels from Essex to participate in the event, has been practising archery since 1992.

He said that although all have fun during re-enactments, the battles often feel extremely realistic, both to participants and onlookers.

"It feels very real when you're toe-to-toe with somebody desperate not to be defeated," he said.

"We all train very hard for this, so when you're in the battle, it is against people who are often skilled attacking and defence."

And he said despite the emphasis on safety, people can get hurt.

"We are using steel weapons which have been blunted," he said.

"They are designed to break your arm rather than cut it off. When you're filled with adrenaline, often you don't feel injuries - it's only afterwards that you realise you're covered with bruises. My arrows can give you a bruise the size of my fist."

One of the biggest aims of the event is to educate members of the public about the lives of Britons during the time, Mark said.

"We have a lot of camps where visitors can watch different crafts and skills from the era being practised," he said.

"We all love talking about this to the public. It's taking us a long time to get up to the castle because on the way you get stopped so many times by people wanting to ask questions. It's really fantastic. We don't get paid for this - we do it because we really love it."

Events will be taking place throughout May at Corfe Castle.

For more information, visit nationaltrust.org.uk/corfe-castle