THOUSANDS of people packed onto Walmer Green for the annual visit by the Band of the Royal Marines, Portsmouth, to the Deal Memorial Bandstand.

The bandstand was built in memory of the 11 musicians killed when the IRA bombed the Royal Marines barracks in Deal in September 1989.

Royal Marines principal director of music Lt-Col Chris Davis, who conducted part of the performance on Sunday, estimated there were 6,000 people in the crowd.

In the rededication service, as part of the concert, the names of the 11 Royal Marines who died were read by the bandstand chaplain, the Rev Frank Kent.

He said: "We must remember those who died 17 years ago at the hands of terrorists."

The School of Music in Deal closed in 1996 as a result of government cutbacks.