PLANS are well under way for more than 300 cricketers from all over the world to descend on Worcester next year.

The city is to stage the World Police Cricket Festival next August, with teams from the West Indies, Australia, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Canada among those taking part.

It's the second time the city has hosted the festival, having staged the inaugural event in 1996.

The two-week tournament will be played on a round-robin basis, and most of the games will be played on club grounds in Worcestershire with the final and a six-a-side competition expected to be played at Worcestershire CCC's New Road ground.

Worcester City Police Cricket Club are organising the tournament, and event secretary Kevin Powell said: "We hope it will be quite a spectacle plus some good cricket into the bargain.

"The important thing behind the festival is bringing police officers around the world together to be in sport and to make some friends."

There are several social events planned for the tournament, while the world's most famous umpire Harold 'Dickie' Bird will be a guest at the final, where he will present the man of the match award and speak at the end-of-tournament dinner.

Powell added: "I think to get somebody of world status like he has is great. People from all over the world have heard of Dickie Bird and for them, it will be quite something to come and see him."

Some of the cricket will be of a very high standard with several players having first-class experience - indeed in the first tournament, the Barbados side was managed by none other than the legendary Sir Garfield Sobers!

Already teams from Dominica, St Kitts, Western Australia, Bermuda, Barbados, New South Wales and Canada have signalled their intention to take part, along with several force teams from around the United Kingdom.

University College Worcester will be providing all the accommodation while its Conference Centre will be used as the media centre and as a venue for team meetings.

UCW are delighted to be involved. Principal David Green said: "We can offer a wide range of facilities for events such as these and we're looking forward to welcoming all the players to the campus next August.

"No doubt we can expect crime rates in Worcester to be 'hit for six' for two weeks, with more than 300 policemen 'on duty' here!"