WILD West enthusiasts from around the country will be pulling their wagons into Malvern next week to stake a claim to a piece of the Three Counties Showground.

The Wild West is a key part of the American Extravaganza, which also offers slices of more contemporary US life, such as cars and trucks, music and line dancing.

It runs from next Friday (August 25) until the following Sunday at the venue and also co-incides with a separate US themed event, the American Celebration concert by the Malvern-based English Symphony Orchestra.

Lining up with the orchestra will be soprano Emma Silversides, a Royal Academy of Music graduate who appeared at last year's Three Choirs Festival in Worcester.

The concert features a range of work - from Bernstein's dynamic West Side Story to the Rodgers and Hammerstein favourite Oklahoma.

Oklahoma provided one view of the Old West, but the American Extravaganza will provide a very different one.

Introducing events will be a genuine American, Daniel Diehl, from Pittsburgh, in Pennsylvania, who says he was lured to Yorkshire five years ago with "good beer and civilisation".

Mr Diehl, who writes books and television documentaries, developed the character of the Marshall when he realised how useful a genuine Old West accent was in Britain.

He has been involved in historical re-enactment in the US for around 20 years, mainly recreating the medieval period but also the US Civil War.

The move to Britain did underline one difference between the two countries, which affected the Marshall very much.

"I had good Colt revolvers but I could not bring them here," he said, "It was tricky enough getting my medieval cannon into the country."

And he has his own view on the attraction of the period, which he describes as "impossibly violent".

"I think the American Wild West has a lot of the same fascination of the medieval period, it was very clean cut right and wrong," he said, "The grey areas of political correctness, never really knowing where you stand in the world - it was far simpler. If you survived the day you could get a good night's sleep."

The early period is represented by the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry Lancers and the Texas Battalion, which will be recreating life behind the lines as well as performing drill displays, skirmishing and putting on loading and firing demonstrations.

From the latter period come The Lawmen, a Bristol-based outfit, whose display includes bringing their own Wild West town and providing a mock lynching.

The Native Americans are also represented by the Many Rivers Indian Dancers, with authentic costumes for a series of traditional dances.

n Day tickets for the American Extravaganza are available for Sunday only, priced £5.

The American Celebration concert is on Saturday, August 26, and includes fireworks and balloon nightglow. Gates open at 5.30pm for picnics with a 6.30pm performance by the ESO Children's Orchestra and Intermediate Orchestra. The main concert starts at 7.30pm.

Tickets are £14 for an adult and one child in advance or £16 on the day, additional children £5 in advance or £6 on the day. For more details ring 01684 584924.