A MEMORIAL to soldiers of the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) will be dedicated as part of a weekend of First World War centenary events.

The bronze statue of a DLI bugler sounding the ceasefire in Korea in 1953 has been installed in Durham City’s Market Place. The £75,000 cost came from donations.

On Sunday (September 14) at 10am a parade and review will be held followed at 10.30am by a dedication service led by the Bishop of Durham, the Rt Rev Paul Butler.

Special guests will include General Sir Peter de la Billiere, former director of the SAS and commander-in-chief of the British forces during the 1990 Gulf War, and Lieutenant General Tim Evans, commander of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.

Members of the public are advised to arrive by 9.45am.

The Durham Army Cadet Force Band will perform on Palace Green at 11.10am and a First World War commemoration service at Durham Cathedral will begin at noon.

The service will be relayed live to a marquee on Palace Green.

Tomorrow (Saturday) themed events will be held in the marquee.

These include a talk at 2pm by Sunderland-born broadcaster and former war reporter Kate Adie about her new book, Fighting on the Home Front: The Legacy of Women in World War One. She will also be signing copies.

Enter CIC Youth Theatre Group will perform extracts from Home Fires, an original musical about the experiences of soldiers on the frontline and their families back home,, between 3 and 4.30pm.

People will be able to get their First World War and Edwardian memorabilia and collectibles valued by auctioneers Anderson and Garland between 10.30am and 2.30pm

Pittington Brass Band will perform from 11.30am to 1.30pm.

The marquee will host exhibitions and displays from Durham County Record Office, the DLI Museum and Durham Art Gallery, Durham University, Beamish Museum and the Bowes Museum throughout the day.

Pictures and poetry produced by local schoolchildren as part of a competition run by the DLI Museum and Durham Art Gallery and sponsored by the Gillian Dickinson Trust will also be on display.

The marquee will be officially opened by the Lord Lieutenant of County Durham, Sue Snowdon, at 10.30am on Saturday and will close at 5pm.

On Sunday it will be open from 9am to 3pm.

Visit dlidurham.org.uk for more information about the weekend.