It was another euphoric afternoon of music and memories for thousands of townsfolk and visitors at the annual concert of the Royal Marines on Walmer Green on Sunday.

For the second time, the Band of HM Royal Marines. Collingwood, made the trip to Deal, giving the town a priceless gift of musical entertainment in the glorious sunshine.

And the crowds turned up in their droves for the occasion, with numbers estimated between 8,000 and 10,000 people, organisers think it's the most they have ever seen before.

Always smart, professional and satisfyingly talented, the musicians did it under the expert direction of their director of music, Major Andy Thornhill, who made his first appearance on the Deal Memorial Bandstand, introduced by charismatic Lt Col Nick Grace OBE RM - the conductor who spectators have come to love for making the yearly concerts his own.

With a packed programme of performers including the bands of Deal Air Cadets and Dover Sea Cadets, the pre-concert entertainment was a show in itself with the Folkestone Military Wives Choir, who performed for the first time, and the Victory Wartime Band featuring Deal soprano Rebecca Robinson.

The perfectly timed flypast of the Hurricane and Spitfire of the RAF Battle of Britain Flight commanded all eyes to the skies just before the headline musicians took to the bandstand at 2pm.

After hearing the show, the mayor of Deal, Cllr Marlene Burnham said: "It was euphoric. Mind blowing."Maj John Perkins, chairman of Deal Memorial Bandstand, the organisers of the annual spectacular, said: We were lucky with the weather.

"I think that was the most people we have ever had, even for the 20th anniversary concert in 2009," he said.

To see our 16 page souvenir edition, get a copy of the East Kent Mercury on Thursday, priced 95p.