An historic event in Buriton has been brought forward to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

There will be a special exhibition at this Saturday’s Bygone Buriton event showing how the milestone event affected the parish.

Hundreds of Canadian troops were camped in and around the village ahead of the 1944 landings.

Research by the Buriton Village Association has generated some fascinating stories and first-hand accounts about their time in the parish and activities around the period.

They include stories from villagers and veterans about landing on the beaches, parachuting into Normandy, the capture of Pegasus Bridge and an amusing account from someone “with an inside track” who missed it all.

The D-Day exhibition aims to highlight the “scale, complexity, secrecy and bravery of Operation Overlord through local eyes” with the BVA also releasing a special publication.

Help is needed to identify which Canadian units spent time in the parish, with anyone with information urged to contact Doug Jones on 01730 231326 or [email protected]

The annual Bygone Buriton event from 1pm to 4pm in the village hall will include the usual treasure trove of displays, photographs and information about life in the parish from years gone by.

Expect a wealth of nostalgia with sections devoted to hop picking, the chalk quarries and lime works, the village school, leisure and farming.

Visitors to the free event are also encouraged to bring any old photos, newspaper cuttings or memorabilia relating to Buriton, Weston, Nursted or Ditcham.