American enthusiasts for Richard III are attempting to recreate his funeral.

Members of the International Foundation of Richard III will be in Ripon, North Yorkshire on Saturday to mark the 550th anniversary of Richard's birth.

The foundation is based in New Jersey.

Richard had strong connections with North Yorkshire and spent many years living at Middleham Castle.

Holy communion

The climax of the day will be a solemn requiem mass in Ripon Cathedral in memory of Richard.

It is believed to be the first time since 1549 that a complete holy communion has been celebrated in the way it would have been in Ripon before the Reformation.

The clergy will wear spectacular medieval-style black vestments which were embroidered in 1870

The Ripon Psalter of 1418, which is normally kept in the Brotherton Library in Leeds, will be on display.

Died in battle

This illustrated manuscript was painted three years after the Battle of Agincourt in the reign of Henry V.

Preaching at the service will be the Dean of Ripon, John Methuen.

"The solumn requiem mass will be as near as possible to that at Richard III's funeral in 1485 after he was killed at the Battle of Bosworth," he said.

"He was the last king of England to die in battle and his death marked the end of the War of the Roses.

"This is an historic as well as an historical act of worship."