D-DAY will be commemorated in Sherborne with a lighting of the beacon.

During the evening of Thursday, June 6, the Sherborne Beacon will be lit to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day landings on the five Beaches in Normandy, France, which took place on June 6,1944.

Hot chocolate and cake will be available from 8pm at the Sherborne Beacon site of the Terrace Playing Fields.

The Sherborne Town Band will be playing from 8.30pm and the beacon will be lit after the Mayor of Sherborne’s reading of The International Tribute at 9.15pm.

During the morning of June 6, the Royal British Legion will be manning a pop-up stall on the Conduit from 9am, with a display, including some D-Day commemoration pins and other merchandise.

At 11am there will be a wreath laying at the War Memorial with the Mayor of Sherborne and Chairman of the Sherborne Branch of the Royal British Legion in attendance, this will include The Exhortation and Kohima Epitaph. The Standard will be paraded.

Sherborne Abbey will be lit up red, white and blue for the evening of June 6.

Evensong at The Abbey on Sunday, June 9, will be devoted to the D-Day 80 commemoration and the Standard will be paraded as well.