Largest Festival of Remembrance in the north takes place tonight in Durham

Festival of Remembrance Concert at Durham Cathedral. Credit: Durham Cathedral

The largest Festival of Remembrance in the north of England takes place at Durham Cathedral tonight.

This year, 26,000 poppies will be dropped from the tower onto the assmembled parade, with one poppy representing one British soldier killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme (19, 240), and one British sailor killed at the Battle of Jutland (6,784).

The Festival of Remembrance Concert is an annual event and includes a muster parade; performances by military, emergency service and community bands and choirs and the now famous poppy drop from the Cathedral tower.

Performances this year will come from The Band of The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, 102 Battalion Pipe Band, Durham Musical Theatre Company, George Colley Singers and Hartlepool Community Choir and singers John Rowland and Julie Pendleton.

Hundreds of hand-painted pebbles have been placed at the foot of the Tommy Statue in Seaham, Co Durham, to mark Armistice Day on Friday 11th. Credit: PA

A mother, whose son was killed in action in Afghanistan will give the tribute at this year's event.

Jaquie Holloway's son Captain Richard Holloway RE was killed on 23rd December 2013 while on a special operation East of Kabul.

Also reading at the event will be a group of students from St John's School and Sixth Form College in Bishop Auckland, who were among the 300 students from across the UK selected to go out to Thiepval for the official event marking the centenary of the battle of the Somme.

Major Eric Ingram added: