PEOPLE in Lyme Regis painted the town red, white and blue as they commemorated the 70th anniversary of D-Day.

A three-day programme of events ran from June 6 until June 8, beginning with an outdoor service on the cliffs at dawn and finishing with a full civic march and service on the seafront on Sunday.

Scores of people and veterans packed onto the seafront for the service of thanks and salute at Jubilee Pavilion on Sunday.

The town’s D-Day commemorative events have raised more than £1,100 for the Royal British Legion so far.

A civic march with the full town band was led by mayor of Lyme Regis, Sally Holman, and Lyme and Uplyme primary schoolchildren also recorded a commemorative roll of honour.

Commemoration committee chairman David Manners said: “The events have made a lasting impression on many people. I can’t remember an occasion when the town has felt so unified.

“Thank you to everyone who helped to make it a success and the hundreds of people who decorated their homes, businesses and public areas of the town.”

The wartime heroes of Lyme Regis were also officially honoured by the United States Army in the town’s D-Day commemorations.

Lyme’s hospitality to the Americans based in and around the town during the preparations for D-Day was heralded for giving strength to the soldiers who landed on Omaha Beach in the assault on Normandy of June 6, 1944.

A plaque commissioned by the 16th Infantry Regiment Association to mark its special bond with the town, was unveiled by the Mayor at a ceremony at Bell Cliff on Sunday, June 8.

The plaque was presented with a citation for Lyme Regis from Colonel Ralph Kauzlarich, Honorary Colonel of the 16th Infantry Regiment Association. It states that soldiers of the 1st Battalion on April 25, 1944 departed Lyme Regis with ‘optimistic, courageous hearts’ due to the town’s generosity.

Thousands of troops of the 16th Infantry Regiment were stationed in West Dorset from November 1943 to June 1944.

A screening of 1942 war film Went The Day Well? at Regent Cinema in Lyme Regis also raised £82 for the Royal British Legion.

Cinema manager David Johnson said 48 people attended the special showing on June 7. He added: “This was a good audience for a film that was over 70 years old and there were many positive comments.

“It was also lovely to see some young children attending with grandparents, making it a real family event.”

THREE teenagers fell victim to the weather after sitting in the sunshine for the service of thanks and salute at Jubilee Pavilion.

Members from the Lyme Regis coastguard team rushed over to the teenagers – who began to feel unwell at approximately 2pm on Sunday – and supplied them with water before moving them to a shaded area.

Lyme Regis harbourmaster Grahame Forshaw has now issued a safety warning for events taking place outside during the summer.

He said: “It’s very important that organisers of events think about an alternative venue if the weather gets too hot now we are approaching the summer.

“We would urge people to take care in the heat and ask them to have plenty of water and not spend too long in the warm weather.”

Commemorations committee chairman David Manners thanked the coastguard team for their quick thinking in administering water and medical support to the teenagers.