A Woodchester church are to commemorate a man who is believed to be the only bellringer to have died on D-Day.

Bernard Cordwell died on June 6 1944 aged 22.

He was part of the Woodchester, Gloucester and Bristol Diocesan Association and served with the Royal Engineers, 80 Assault Squadron.

On Thursday, the 75th anniversary of the Normandy landings, St Mary's Church will ring a quarter peal in his memory.

This will last 45 minutes from 7.30pm.

Bernard is believed to have been part of the landings on Juno beach. The Royal Engineers were among the first to land and were particularly vulnerable.

It is thought Bernard was killed early in the operation along with his commander, Lieutenant Jack Hornby. They are both buried at the Bayeaux War Cemetery.