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South Tyneside will shine a light as it prepares to take part in an historic national event marking the 80^th anniversary of D-Day.

Communities across the UK and France will come together on Thursday 6 Juneto commemorate the special occasion with the lighting of thousands of beacons.

Activities in the Borough will begin at 8am with a Proclamation being read out by the Mayor of South Tyneside, Councillor Fay Cunningham, on the steps of South Shields Town Hall. The proclamation will be livestreamed on the Council's Facebook page and available for playing back on its YouTube channel.

An hour-long event will also take place starting at 8.30pm that evening, with a beacon lighting ceremony at the Lawe Top in North Marine Park in South Shields at 9.15pm. A special tribute will be read out by the Mayor while the Lord Lieutenant Ms Lucy Winskell OBE will light the beacon.

The beacon overlooks Littlehaven Beach which will be lit with lanterns and World War II characters representing air, land, sea and an 'unsung hero' will tell their war stories. Boats representing groups including the RNLI, Sea Cadets and others, will also form a flotilla watching from the harbour.

The Mayor said: "On Thursday 6 June, communities will come together to mark 80 years since D-Day and pay tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of all those who lost their lives during the Allied invasion and helped to secure the freedoms we enjoy today.

"We are incredibly proud to play our part in this momentous occasion. The event in South Tyneside will be a fitting tribute on this prestigious anniversary and will give people an opportunity to come together, reflect and pay their respects. It will be spectacular."

Communities are encouraged to join the celebrations from 8.30pm at the Lawe Top and engage with the actors in character at Littlehaven Beach.

D-Day, on 6 June 1944, was the largest naval, air and land operation in history. It involved many hundreds of thousands of brave men and women who had to leave their families at home, not knowing if they would ever return home.

The heroism of those who landed on the shores of the Normandy beaches represented a beacon of light for the world during a dark period of war.

Further information about D-Day in South Tyneside is available at Follow on Facebook @STynesideCouncil