AT daybreak on June 6 1944, Allied forces began landing on the Normandy beaches and changed the course of the Second World War.

This year’s Erith Riverside Festival, also being held on June 6, will mark the D-Day anniversary with a 1940s theme.

Jeff “Two-Tone” Boogie will play wartime favourites in the festival area, and will be joined by the Erith Old Timers showing off their Forties dance skills and inviting others to join in.

History will run through this year’s festival, taking place in the town’s Riverside Gardens and High Street on Sunday from 10am to 4pm.

Themesvikings, a re-enactment groupwill be back in the arena and festivalgoers can vist them in their encampment.

Bexley Archaeological Group will show off finds from its borough dig and will try to identify items brought along by members of the public.

The Medway Queen Preservation Society’s exhibition includes a replica of the Thames estuary paddle steamer which rescued 7,000 men from Dunkirk.

A model of another famous ship, the Titanic, will also be on show and its artist will be doing pencil portraits.

As well as stalls, sideshows, food and drink, entertainments include displays by Europa Gym Club, dancing from Erith’s Russian school, martial arts from Nemesis Gym and baton twirling from Riverside Reflections, and Mickey the Magician.

Erith Playhouse will be running backstage tours, there will be drumming workshops from Erith Drum Club and Erith Rowing Club on the riverfront will also be open and will be showing films submitted for this year’s Rob Knox Film Festival.