The 90th birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth will be marked by the lighting of the beacon at the Prospect in Ross-on-Wye at 8pm on Thursday, April 21st.

Over 1,000 beacons are being lit up and down the country, with the Queen lighting the Principal Beacon at Windsor.

Major Patrick Darling, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire, will read out a message from Prince Charles and members of the Ross Town Band will lead the singing of the National Anthem and Happy Birthday.

It is hoped that dozens of young people from the scouts, guides, brownies and sea cadets will be at the ceremony and members of the public are invited to come to the Prospect to join them at 7.30pm. Following the lighting of the beacon by a local resident who is also ninety this year, everyone will be able to share in birthday cake which has been made especially for the occasion by Sue Kirby.

The beacon will also be clearly visible from Long Acre in Wye Street and hopefully many miles around. The evening will be preceded by a quarter peal from the St Mary’s Church bellringers at 6.30pm. The actual lighting of the beacon will be at 8.00pm and the bells will ring out again once the beacon is alight.