Hundreds of residents and visitors attended the lighting of a Beacon in Stafford to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day yesterday evening (Thursday 6).

The Mayor of Stafford Borough lit the Beacon in the award-winning Victoria Park as part of commemorations for the D-Day landings on the five beaches of Normandy on 6 June 1944.

The event got underway at 6pm with music, singing and poetry taking place before a performance from the Stafford Military Wives Choir leading into the beacon lighting ceremony. Then just before 9.15pm the Last Post was played and a two-minute silence impeccably observed before the beacon was lit.

Mayor of the Borough, Councillor Frank James, said: “The borough has a long history of supporting our military and this was a demonstration of how grateful our community is to those who have served our country across the globe, protecting the freedoms that we enjoy today.

“It was an honour to light the beacon to mark the anniversary of such a poignant date in our history on behalf of our communities across the borough.”

Hundreds of people lined the park’s bowling green where the lighting took place.

A service organised by the Stafford Branch of the Royal British Legion takes place on Saturday 8 June at the town’s St Mary’s Church at 11am to mark the anniversary.