The 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings has been marked with events and services in Bishop Auckland.
On Thursday morning Bishop Auckland mayor Cllr Mike Harker read the proclamation from the war memorial in the Market Place. A service at St Anne’s church followed with residents and members of the Durham Light Infantry in attendance.
A further service was held on Thursday evening with readings, prayers and the lighting of a beacon next to the war memorial. Beacons were lit at 9.15pm in towns and villages in County Durham and across the country to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
During the service the remembrance and the Kohima were read by George Campbell, secretary of the Durham Light Infantry Association of Bishop Auckland.
“The meaning is basically that we’ve just got to remember, as it said at the end, ‘When you go home, tell them of us, and for your tomorrow, we gave our today’,” said George.
“It’s very, very poignant. People have given their lives up for freedoms that everybody has nowadays”.
The service on Thursday evening was led by Reverend Matt Keddilty with short readings by the 8th Rifles and Dr Bob McManners.