A pioneering tale of struggle will be re-enacted in Malvern.

Around 120 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints will dress in American period costume and haul 12 hand-carts up Worcestershire Beacon.

The event, on Saturday, April 9, marks the 175 years since the foundation of the church and commemorates the historic trek by its early members from Illinois, across the Rocky Mountains to settle in Salt Lake City.

Around 80,000 people emigrated from England to America to join the church in the mid-1800s, nearly 2,000 of these were from the Malvern area.

Church elder Alec Mitchell, of Gadfield Elm Chapel, near Staunton, said: "People had to leave their city and travel thousands of miles across the Wild West, pulling carts.

"A large proportion of those people went across to America from this area, thinking they had found their new home, only to have to make that journey."

Mr Mitchell said a re-enactment of this kind had never been done before and they were hoping for good weather.

"We don't exactly have the Rocky Mountains but the Malverns are the nearest thing," he said. "Everyone will be dressed up and it should be quite a spectacle."

The group will set off at 11am from the Abbey Hotel, with commemoration speeches made at the top of the hill. Celebrations will continue with displays, information and activities at Gadfield Elm Chapel at 3pm.