Scarborough residents are invited to take part in free guided tours of the war graves at Dean Road Cemetery

The free guided tours will take place on Saturday May 21 at 10.30am and 2pm at Dean Road Cemetery and will give people in Scarborough the chance to discover the remarkable stories of the men and women of the Commonwealth forces that died in the First and Second World Wars who are buried in their community.

War Graves Week provides a unique chance for the people of Scarborough to reconnect with their local history.

War Graves Week is an initiative aimed at encouraging people from the local community to come together and discover the World War heritage on their doorstep - learning about the stories of those commemorated by the CWGC in Scarborough and the skills, dedication and expertise of those CWGC staff and volunteers who work to keep their memory alive.

The tour which will start in Dean Road Cemetery will also visit the adjacent Manor Road Cemetery. More than 100 casualties from World War One and World War Two are buried Dean Road and Manor Road Cemeteries. CWGC staff will also be at Dean Road Cemetery between 10am and 3.30pm on Saturday May 21 to talk to residents about the work of the Commission and casualties it commemorates.

Most of the casualties at the cemeteries came from the local community and were buried here by their families and include the grave of Flying Officer William Hugh Coverley. Coverley, who served with the RAF during the Second World War, was killed when his Spitfire was shot down near Tunbridge wells during the Battle of Britain.

On the tours, Scarborough residents will learn about the Ordinary People, Extraordinary Times project - the focus of this year's War Graves Week.

Alongside the front-line armed forces, the CWGC will be celebrating the value those who served during the World Wars brought to key sectors such as healthcare, logistics, infrastructure and communications. To learn more about specific stories of those who served, and the parallels with today's global Britain which they helped to create, click here.

The tours will be led by local resident, Fred Fox, who is a member of the Friends of Dean Road Cemetery and is guiding on behalf of the CWGC. Fred Fox said: "We're delighted that the CWGC's War Graves Week will be taking place in Scarborough.

For the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, remembrance and the sharing and caring for World War heritage is a daily duty. Behind every name on a war grave or memorial in Scarborough is a human story waiting to be discovered and War Graves Week is the perfect opportunity to do just that.

"I'd encourage everyone in Scarborough to book to join one of the tours to reconnect with their local history to learn about the courageous ordinary people from our community who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom."

The CWGC is encouraging the people of Scarborough to seek out the stories in their local area and book onto a free tour this War Graves Week.

To book a tour, visit their website here.