TRIBUTES to the nation’s Battle of Britain heroes will be paid at the home of Kent cricket this weekend.

Spitfire Sunday, at the St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury, marks the last home one-day match of the season, when the Kent Spitfires take on Northamptonshire Steelbacks.

The day has been dubbed Spitfire Sunday in honour of the pilots and ground crew - most now in their 80s - who will be at the match as guests of team sponsor, Faversham brewer Shepherd Neame.

Spectators will also be invited to sign up to The Friends of the Few, which raises funds to help maintain the national Battle of Britain Memorial at Capel le Ferne.

Brewery boss, Robert Neame - this year’s High Sheriff of Kent, and a trustee of the Friends - aims to recruit 100 new members on Sunday.

Mr Neame said: "We need to make the people of Kent aware of the Battle of Britain memorial and of the debt of honour we owe to 'The Few'.

"People should be reminded of how important winning the Battle of Britain was. If Britain had not held out at that stage, the course of Europe would have been totally different."