A band of former Royal Marines will be hitting all the right notes on Sunday for the second biggest performance of the year on Deal Memorial Bandstand.

The music from The Old Comrades starts on Walmer Green at 2.30pm and the concert is sponsored by the Royal Marines Association Club on The Strand, Walmer.

Band founder Stephen Misson said: "Programmes are free but donations are gratefully accepted and will be used for the upkeep and promotion of future concerts on the bandstand, which is entirely dependent upon public donations."

The Old Comrades was originally billed as a one-off performance, without rehearsals, but proved to be so successful it is now part of the programme of concerts. It attracted 2,500 people for the first one in 2005.

Mr Misson added: "We realised that we had really caught the imagination of the public, willing us to play as we use to when sitting there in our high-necked uniforms, oh so many years ago.

"As we progressed through that first programme, we were getting a terrific feedback from the audience - they didn’t just like us; they loved us!"

* The visit from the Royal Marines Band from Portsmouth attracts the biggest audience of the year, about 10,000 people.

* For full story see the East Kent Mercury, August 4.