Plans to commemorate the historic 80th anniversary of VE Day in Tenby are being finalised with the seaside town set to mark the occasion with a parade and beacon lighting ceremony at Castle Hill.

The Town Council have been in discussions with the local branch of the Royal British Legion to put together a programme of events for VE Day on Thursday, May 8.

At a recent meeting of the Town Council, Cllr Colonel James Phillips told fellow members that he hd been liaising with chair of the Tenby branch of the RBL, Shane Roberts.

The Town Clerk said that his understanding was that the beacon lighting, official proclamation etc were on May 8 and had spoken with Tenby’s Mayor, Cllr Dai Morgan and Mr. Roberts, to consider a plan for proceedings.

This included the reading of the Proclamation by the Town Crier at 9am immediately followed by the raising of the VE Day flag.

The Mayor has asked for a wreath laying at the War Memorial at 11am. There is to be a peal of church bells at 6.30pm but everything else could be centred around the beacon lighting at 9.30pm, with the Proclamation being red again, pipes and community singing of ‘I Vow to Thee My Country’ as requested.

The Mayor told his fellow members that Mr Roberts had suggested that the parade to the beacon start in Tudor Square, rather than Castle Square as it would make more people around the town, aware of what was going on.

The Clerk said he was aware that Tenby Male Choir had a concert in St Mary’s Church that evening too.

Cllr. Phillips remarked that, although Tenby Male Choir may not be available, they were always planning to invite other choirs along as well, like the church and schools, for the community singing.

He agreed that it made sense to condense everything into one event around the beacon lighting.

The Mayor asked if the Signing of Armed Forces Covenant could still be carried out as part of this.

It was suggested that it would be nice if the Chamber of Trade could encourage businesses in the town to decorate individual frontages.

The full schedule for the day’s line-up is as follows:

• 9 am, The Town Crier to read the VE Day Proclamation on the town walls turret, to be followed by the raising of the VE Day flag.

• 11 am, a wreath laying ceremony at the War Memorial on South Parade.

• 6.30 pm, Peal of Bells from St Mary’s Church to coincide with a national peal.

• 9 pm, a parade, forming up outside St Mary’s Church to make its way through the town centre up to Castle Hill

• 9.20 pm, community singing of ‘I Vow to Thee My Country’.

• 9.25 pm, The Town Crier to read VE Day Tribute at Castle Hill.

• 9.30 pm, The Mayor will light the beacon to form part of a national chain to be followed by the singing of the National Anthems.