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Dame Vera Lynn died at the age of 103 last month
A village procession has begun as Dame Vera Lynn’s family, friends and fans say goodbye to the Forces’ Sweetheart.
Her funeral procession through Ditchling is being accompanied by a Battle of Britain flypast by two Spitfires over the East Sussex village at midday.
Dame Vera died last month at the age of 103 and her funeral is being held at Woodvale Crematorium in Brighton.
Hundreds of people gathered to await the arrival of the cortege.
Representatives from the Royal British Legion stood with flags as they waited to honour Dame Vera.
The funeral procession will stop shortly at the crossroads in the centre of Ditchling to allow those who live there to pay their respects.
At the scene
Peter Whittlesea, BBC News
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U Music
Dame Vera’s face and the lyrics to We’ll Meet Again were projected on the White Cliffs of Dover
Every lamppost in the narrow streets of Ditchling bears a large poppy.
Union flags flutter in the breeze and shop windows display portraits of the woman who became known as the Forces’ Sweetheart.
Camera crews and photographers descended on the village along with servicemen and women who have come to pay their respects.
It is a fond farewell for Dame Vera.
A private service at the crematorium chapel is expected to include a bugler from the Royal Marines providing music.
The family said a full memorial service would be held at a later date.
A tribute was paid to Dame Vera as a picture of her, accompanied with a video, were projected on to Dover’s white cliffs ahead of her funeral.
The lyrics of We’ll Meet Again appeared as the music was played across the Channel.
The projection on to the 350ft cliffs was visible to ships and planes and could also be seen from the main road and from some back gardens.
The singer was best known for performing hits such as We’ll Meet Again to troops on the front line.
Dame Vera, who had sold more than a million records by the age of 22, was also remembered for singing The White Cliffs Of Dover, There’ll Always Be An England, I’ll Be Seeing You, Wishing and If Only I Had Wings.