A beacon will be lit in Douglas on Thursday, June 6 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

The landings along the Normandy coast during the Second World War, an event which ultimately led to the liberation of Europe, took place on June 6 1944.

At 9.15pm on Thursday, a short ceremony will be held in the grounds of St Ninian’s Church, when a beacon will be lit at the Church tower - one of the highest vantage points in the City.

Douglas Town Band will also perform at the ceremony, before an address by Douglas Mayor Natalie Byron-Teare.

A spokesperson from Douglas Council said: ‘Nearly 160,000 troops from Britain, the US, Canada and other nations landed in Normandy on June 6, 1944.

The landings in Northern France were key in securing victory for the allies in the Second World War and it remains the largest seaborne invasion in history.’

Other landmarks across the island will also be lit up red to commemorate the anniversary, such as Douglas City Hall, parts of the city centre, Douglas Promenade, the Tower of Refuge, the Legislative Buildings, Imperial Buildings and Ramsey Swing Bridge.

Douglas Council will also host its annual remembrance service at the Normandy Memorial in the gardens adjacent to City Hall on Thursday, beginning at 10:15am.

The memorial is situated close to a plaque which was unveiled in 2021 in memory of Hector Duff, the sole surviving Normandy veteran in the island until his passing in November 2019.

Douglas Council leader Claire Wells said: ‘We are very proud to be commemorating the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, acknowledging the valiant allied forces who stormed the beaches of Normandy, a pivotal act that effectively led to the end of the Second World War.

‘I encourage islanders and indeed visitors to attend either service which I’m sure will be poignant commemorations.’