THE Longest Yarn, a 3D re-enactment of D-Day put together by more than 1,000 knitters and crocheters, is to come to Llandudno later in 2024 to mark its 80th anniversary.

D-Day, on 6 June 1944, saw the Allies land on the Normandy beaches to bring an end to the Second World War in Europe.

Commemorations will be taking place across Europe and beyond, including in Llandudno and Conwy, where the Mulberry Harbours were built and which played a pivotal role on The Longest Day, as D-Day is often known.

To mark this moment, people from France, the UK, Germany, the USA and New Zealand have come together for months to work on this project, done in the style of many of the post box toppers that have appeared in towns across the UK.

The project was featured on BBC Breakfast, and the exhibition will make a special visit to a church centrally located in Llandudno later this year.

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Support for the project is being encouraged from across North Wales, Cheshire and Merseyside.

Called the Longest Yarn, it retells in 80x1 metre square panels the events leading up to, during, and following the two-and-a half months that led to the liberation of Paris from D-Day.

Friends of Mostyn Street has led the way in securing this exhibit to come to Llandudno from October 2-28 and have worked directly with the creators to negotiate this visit to the town.

Llandudno will be one of only a handful of places in the UK to host it following its opening display in Normandy this summer.

Other locations include Wells and Southwell in the South-West and East of England respectively.

Gini Rivers, of Friends of Mostyn Street, said: “This is a real coup for the town of Llandudno and we plan to put veterans and needleworkers at the heart of our October hosting period, ensuring we recognise and salute their service in every way possible.

“We plan to explore our history of building the miraculous Mulberry Harbours and our local wartime Home Front efforts, including the Costal Artillery Training School, the fact the Inland Revenue and Ministry of Food were based locally and the story of the relocation of sections of the BBC to the area.

“At all times, we will be commemorating and thanking those surviving veterans, now in their 90s and early 100s.

“They will in turn also be remembering their fallen comrades, who paid the ultimate price for our freedom in the largest successful amphibious invasion ever undertaken.”

There will be further events planned alongside the exhibition of the Longest Yarn and plans will be made public as soon as plans are confirmed.

Gini added: “We will need knitters and crocheters to join our growing group to tell our side of this amazing story and, nearer the time, we will be recruiting volunteers to greet and support the visitors as they view the 80-metre-long tribute.”

“We will be asking businesses to strongly support our efforts and warmly welcome all who wish to view it.

“Above all, we ask that people respect this event as the region’s opportunity to pay homage to the greatest generation, and the price they paid for our freedom.”

It is envisaged that the display in Llandudno will be a project for the whole region of North Wales, and needleworkers are already at work in Llanberis, Criccieth, Penmaenmawr and Holyhead.

Support is also encouraged and sought from Cheshire and Merseyside to make this something for the whole of North Wales and the North West.