The brave pilots of many nations who defended Britain's shores more than 70 years ago were remembered on Sunday in a service in the heart of Falmouth.

The Falmouth Branch of the RAF Association held its annual Battle of Britain parade and service at the parish church of King Charles the Martyr, where they were joined by the mayors of Falmouth and Penryn as well as local MP Sarah Newton.

Lance Smale, county chairman for the RAF Association, said: "It was a thanksgiving commemoration of the 76th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. It went very well overall, we had a good congregation and we had some VIPs, the Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall and the Lieutenant Commander of Culdrose.

"We had three standard bearers, one from the Naval Association, one from Falmouth RAF Association and one from the county RAF Association."

He added: "It is particularly important to remember the Battle of Britain as it's a big day in our history.

"It is especially important to remember during these troubled times."

The Battle of Britain, which took place during the summer of 1940, involved more than 2,900 RAF pilots, including 2,350 from Great Britain and others from countries including the Commonwealth, Poland and Czechoslovakia and France, and the USA.

Together they fought to defend the country's shores from attacks from the Luftwaffe, ahead of a planned invasion by Hitler's Germany.

The battle, which preceded the later period known as the Blitz, claimed the lives of over 1,500 RAF and associated pilots, and another 2,500 men from Germany and their allies.