A concert honouring 11 Royal Marines who died after an IRA bomb went off in Deal will take place this weekend.

Thousands of people are expected to descend on Walmer Green for the memorial, which is back for the first time in three years due to the pandemic.

Held at the Deal Memorial Bandstand, the afternoon will include music from the Royal Marines Band Service.

Derek Lindars, chairman of Deal Memorial Bandstand trust, said: "Due to Covid, it has been three years since the Royal Marines last performed in Deal and we are very pleased to welcome them back on Sunday.

"With good weather forecast, we expect many thousands to attend Walmer Green to hear a spectacular concert and join in the rededication of the Memorial Bandstand, which was erected by the people of Deal in memory of the 11 Royal Marines musicians who died as a result of the IRA terrorist bomb that exploded on September 22, 1989 in the band's recreation room.

"Although the Barracks closed in 1996, the bond between the people of Deal and the Royal Marines remains very strong and we are very grateful that the Royal Marines Band Service are able to be with us once again."

Walmer Green plays host every year to the concert in honour of the 11 musicians killed when the IRA detonated its bomb at the barracks of the Royal Marines School of Music in Canada Road in 1989.

Ten young bandsmen were killed that day and the 11th succumbed to his injuries in the weeks that followed.

Nobody has ever been brought to justice.

The first of the concerts was in June 1991.

This was before approval was granted for what is now Deal Memorial Bandstand at the end of that year.

With a raft of public support and donations, work started on August 18, 1992 and the opening concert at the 'living memorial' was on May 2, 1993.

The structure was built with 11 sides, each of which remembers a victim with a plaque.

More recently the concerts have been held on a Sunday every July at the bandstand - usually in glorious sunshine to a crowd of about 10,000 townsfolk and visitors from all over the world.

The concert starts at 3pm.