The mayor of St Albans will lead the tributes on a day of special events to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

The event will take place on Thursday, June 6 and will allow people to pay respects to those who took part in the Normandy beach landings and subsequent battles.

Recently elected Mayor Jamie Day will lead the commemorations, which begin at 9am at the War Memorial on St Peter's Street. The Mayor and Town Crier, Stephen Potter, will lead the customary minute's silence.

Throughout the day, the Union flag will be flown from the roof of St Albans Museum and Gallery.

In the evening, as darkness falls, the Mayor will attend a beacon lighting at the village green by Highfield Park Centre at 9.15pm.

Beacons will be lit across the country at the same time, including at Harpenden Common.

The Mayor said: “The 80th anniversary of D-Day is a time when we will come together as a nation and I am sure people throughout the District will want to mark the occasion.

“It will be our way of saying thank you to the veterans of D-Day whose heroic service liberated Europe from Nazi tyranny, ensuring our peace and freedom.”