TOP archers from right across the country will arrive at the Recreation Ground in Old Basing next weekend Saturday September 9 and 10 for the world record status Siege Shoot.

Organised by Old Basing Archers, this year the event covers two days of shooting.

On the Saturday, archers will compete in head-to-head shoot offs, while on Sunday there will be two rounds over 70 metres of six dozen arrows each.

The action on both days starts at 10am and ends around 5pm and spectators are welcome to watch the top archers in action for free.

The prizes of vouchers for the event are being provided by The Archery Shop (Bournemouth).

The head-to-heads will be familiar to anyone who watched archery during the Olympics.

These are where two archers take part in a winner-takes all shoot off, each taking turns to shoot one arrow at a time in sets of three over 70m.

The maximum score for three arrows is 30 and the highest score wins that set. The shoot-off is best of five sets. The winner progresses to the next round.

Tournament organiser Andy Caine said: “Archery is not the greatest of spectator sports, but the head-to-head sessions really are worth watching. I hope many will come down to the Recreation Ground.”

“It can become really tense with the pressure mounting on the archers. It really is gripping to watch.

More than 100 archers will be taking part in what is quickly becoming a favourite event on the archery circuit. Having been run successfully for some 25 years as a friendly inter-club event, the Old Basing Archers’ Siege Shoot was reinstated last year as an Archery GB-recognised World Record Status event meaning it is one of the national shoots were the sport’s top players can gain national and world ranking points.

As the name suggest, it commemorates the siege of Basing House, an important battle in the English Civil War when Cromwell’s Roundheads laid siege to the Royalist stronghold of Basing House.

The final surrender terms were shot into the grounds by a Parliamentarian longbow archer.

This year Old Basing Archers celebrated its 50th anniversary and with more than 120 shooting members it is the fastest-growing and one of the largest sports clubs in the village.