Glorious sunshine beamed onto a satisfied audience at today's concert of the band of HM Royal Marines on Deal Memorial Bandstand.

Crowds of between 8,000 and 10,000 packed onto Walmer Green to witness the return of the Portsmouth band followed by the annual rededication of the bandstand.

John Perkins, chairman of the Deal Memorial Bandstand Trust, said: "We've had one of the most remarkable concerts of recent years with a huge turnout."

Prayers, hymns and the laying of wreaths remembered the 11 soldiers who were killed by the IRA in the bombing of the Deal Barracks on September 22 1989. Many family members made the trip back to Deal to remember their lost loved ones.

Pre-concert entertainment by the Deal and Herne Bay Sea Cadets, jazz band Jazzed Up and a spectacular fly over by a Spitfire and a Hurricane plane paved the way to a fabulous programme of music which the Royal Band opened with the National Anthem.

Deal opera singer Rebecca Robinson was guest vocalist, projecting Ave Maria, I Dreamed a Dream, and Do You Hear The People Sing to awe struck spectators.

To read the full story and see pages of pictures, see this week's East Kent Mercury.