Ipswich ceremony marks 70th anniversary of Dunkirk

A ceremony is taking place in Ipswich to mark the 70th anniversary of the evacuation of Allied troops from Dunkirk.

The event at the Waterfront in the Suffolk town is believed to be among the biggest of its kind in Britain.

Suffolk-based veterans of the 1940 evacuation from France are taking part in the day.

More than 300,000 Allied troops were rescued from the port in northern France in the mass evacuation.

The commemorative day has been organised by the Royal British Legion and Ipswich Borough Council.

Among the veterans attending is Ipswich man Bernard Sharpe, who spent his 21st birthday on the Dunkirk beaches and who will be celebrating his 91st birthday on Sunday.

Altogether, about 338,000 troops were evacuated from Dunkirk's beaches between 26 May and 4 June 1940.

The troops, who included French, Canadian and Belgian soldiers as well as British service personnel, were rescued after they had been driven back to the coast of northern France by the German army.