SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                                  July 10, 1998
                                  -------------
                        (Date of earliest event reported)

                       New England Community Bancorp, Inc.
                       -----------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                                    Delaware
                                    --------
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

             0-14550                                     06-1116165
             -------                                     ----------
     (Commission File Number)                (IRS Employer Identification No.)

        Post Office Box 130, Old Windsor Mall, Windsor, Connecticut 06095
        -----------------------------------------------------------------
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

                                 (860) 610-3600
                                 --------------
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)


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Form 8-K, Current Report
New England Community Bancorp, Inc.
Commission File No. 0-14550

         Item 5.  Other Events

         Pursuant   to  the  terms  of  Plan  and   Agreement   of  Merger  (the
"Agreement"),  dated  February  10, 1998,  by and between New England  Community
Bancorp,  Inc.  ("NECB") and Olde Port Bank & Trust  ("OPBT"),  a New  Hampshire
state-charted bank and trust company,  on Friday,  July 10, 1998 (the "Effective
Time"),  NECB acquired all of the issued and outstanding common stock, $1.00 par
value, of OPBT ("OPBT Common Stock").

         At the Effective Time, OPBT was merged with and into NECB Interim Bank,
an interim New Hampshire  bank  organized by NECB as a  wholly-owned  subsidiary
solely for the purpose of  facilitating  the  acquisition  by NECB of OPBT--with
OPBT being the surviving bank.  OPBT continues its corporate  existence as a New
Hampshire  state-chartered  bank and trust  company and is NECB's  fourth wholly
owned banking subsidiary.

         Under the terms of the Agreement,  for each share of OPBT Common Stock,
holders were to receive  NECB Common  Stock with a market value of $200.00.  The
exact exchange  ratio was computed based upon the average  closing price of NECB
shares for the ten (10) days preceding the last regulatory approval.  Based upon
this average  ($23.075),  at the Effective  Time each share of OPBT Common Stock
outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time was converted into the right
to receive  8.6674  shares of NECB  common  stock for each share of OPBT  common
stock owned. The resulting transaction value totaled $13.7 million

         Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and 
                  Exhibits.
     
         (a)      None.

         (b)      None.

                   (c) Exhibits.
                     
                  Exhibit No.        Description
                  -----------        ------------------------
                  99                 Press release dated July 10, 1998.

                                           New England Community Bancorp, Inc.
                                           -----------------------------------

Date: July 17, 1998                  By:   s/s Anson C. Hall
                                           -----------------
                                           Anson C. Hall

                                           Vice President and Treasurer
                                           (principal financial officer)





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                           Exhibit Index

               Exhibit No.           Description                         Page
               -----------           ---------------------------         ----
                    99               Press release dated July 10, 1998     3

Exhibit 99