Rehearsals are well underway for a concert to be held at Monken Hadley Church on Thursday 6 June to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

The finale there will be a ceremonial lighting of the beacon at the top of the church tower.

Beacons are to be lit across the country on 6 June as part of the D-Day 80 celebrations and the Monken Hadley commemoration will end with the official reading on The International Tribute.

In the build-up to the beacon lighting, the Monken Hadley concert aims to recapture the spirit and companionship of life during World War II.

A repertoire of the much-loved songs and tunes -- which helped carry people through those difficult years-- will include many of the war-time favourites.

All proceeds from the event will go to the Church House restoration fund. Doors open at 7pm and the ceremonial lighting of the beacon at 9.15pm Tickets, from £15 to £30, are available at www.ticketsource.co.uk

Events co-ordinator Katie Morris (far right) – seen here (from left to right) with Angela Henckel (soprano), Sarah Roth (soprano), Elaine Padmore (host and narrator), Charlie Morris (baritone) and Martyn Noble (organist/pianist) – said the programme was designed to revive memories of yesteryear.

Among the well-loved numbers they have chosen are songs and tunes by war-time favourites such as Noel Coward, Eric Coates, Irving Berlin, Vera Lynn, and Ivor Novello.

The concert opens with Spitfire Prelude (William Walton) to be played by Martyn Noble. He opens part two with the Dambusters March (Eric Coates).

Solo performances by the vocalists will include La Vie en rose (Edith Piaf) by Sarah Roth; Roses of Picardy (Frederick Weatherly and Hadyn Wood) by Angela Henckel; and La Mer (Charles Trenet) by Charlie Morris.

There will be a poetry reading by the host Elaine Padmore -- The Day of Little Ships (Cicely Fox Smith).

The reading of The International Tribute will be by Deputy Lieutenant Martin Russell.