Wickham villagers have arranged a music festival to celebrate the part played by local people on the Home Front in the Second World War.

There will be a series of concerts, dance, carnival, picnic and folk singing for the second annual Wickham Music Weeks.

Wickham, close to Southwick House where D-Day was planned, was a marshalling area for forces bound for France.

The village provided a maternity unit for naval wives at Beverley, an army motor transport workshop at Rookesbury Park and a mobile laundry for troops behind Chesapeake Mill.

Women made camouflage nets in the bus garage in Mill Lane and sorted aircraft parts at Park Place.

Wickham also had its own Home Guard company.

Organiser Sue Rutherford said: "This is a wonderful opportunity to involve people of all ages in the village and link memories across the generations by running a music-based celebration on the Home Front.

"It's been brilliant. The whole village seems to have got involved."

There is an exhibition of memories, photographs and parish registers at St Nicholas Church until April 29. It will then move to the Chesapeake Mill museum for the May Day weekend.

May Day celebrations are on the theme of the 'victory parade' and will see performances from maypole and morris dancers.

Visitors will have the chance to play the church organ themselves and enjoy folk and jazz concerts.

Performers include The Chris Walker Swingtet, Forest Folk, Southampton Jazz Guitar Society and North Hampshire Organists Association.

Profits will go towards a fund to help restore the church. For more details, call Sue Rutherford on 01329 833609, email fitzgted@aol.com or visit the Internet site www.anapublishing.co.uk.