FEARLESS Freddy Parker is to take pride of place among the guests at a North-East commemoration of Britain's wartime fliers.

The annual Battle of Britain service at Durham Cathedral takes on extra significance as this year represents the 60th anniversary of the Second World War's conflict in the skies, which helped to deter a German advance.

It will be marked with a special evensong service on Sunday, September 10, with representatives of local Royal Air Force Association clubs, Air Training Corps squadrons and the Royal British Legion in attendance, each parading their respective standards.

A special invitation has gone out to Mr Parker, who joined the RAF as a 19-year-old in 1939, initially based at airfields in Essex.

He eventually saw service in the British advance after the D-Day landings with the Special Air Service.

While he lost many colleagues, Mr Parker served through to the end of the war in Denmark, returning to his RAF station near Southend before being demobbed, by then a corporal, decorated five times.

He is on the guest list for Sunday's service in his role as president of the Durham City RAFA club.

An RAFA member for 28 years, he has served as president for the past ten, and now has the badge of office to go with the post.

It was recently sent away to a jeweller to have the names of all 12 past presidents engraved, but has just returned in time for the service.

"It really looks the part and I'll be wearing it with pride at the service," said Mr Parker, a widower, who has made several donations to help with the upkeep of his local RAFA club.

The service will feature RAF chaplain, the Reverend Richard Lee, formerly based at Leeming in North Yorkshire, who will be preaching, while the Dean of Durham, the Very Reverend Dr John Arnold, will also give a sermon.

The Buxton Madrigal Singers, making their 20th annual pilgrimage to Durham, will perform at the service.

It will be followed by a parade and proceedings will end with guests returning to the RAFA Club, in Crossgate, Durham, for refreshments.

l Before then, Britain's finest hour will be commemorated by the RAFA in spectacular style on Sunday.

Their Battle of Britain commemoration at the Yorkshire Air Museum has become the largest of its kind in the North of England.

The event, due to start shortly after 1pm, is expected to have an added poignancy this year.

Many senior figures from the RAF will be taking part in the events at the museum, at Elvington near York, and regimental standards will be paraded.

The Band of the Royal Air Force Regiment, Cranwell, will be providing the music and there will be flypasts by a Spitfire, a Hurricane and Bulldogs from the Yorkshire Universities Air Squadron