BEACONS will be lit in Gwent today as part of celebrations to mark the 90th birthday of the Queen.

More than 1,000 beacons will be lit across the UK for the special event, on Thursday, April 21.

In the outskirts of Abergavenny members of the public are invited to watch the lighting of a beacon on the Little Skirrid Mountain to celebrate the occasion.

In Newport, a beacon will also be lit by the Lord Lieutenant for Gwent, Brigadier Robert Aitken, at Queens Field in Ringland.

They are just two of beacons to be lit by 255 local communities across the UK, Channel Islands and overseas territories.

It is part of the Beacon Project and the Queen has agreed to light the first beacon.

Beacons can either be a traditional bonfire style, a beacon brazier on a post which has already been put up for occasions like this, or a gas-fuelled beacon as were used for the Queen’s diamond jubilee.

At the Newport event, which starts at 8pm, the Lord Lieutenant for Gwent will read out a message from His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales.

The mayor of Newport, councillor Herbie Thomas, will be among those attending the event and entertainment will be provided by Ringland Primary School and Greater Gwent Youth Brass Ensemble.

In Abergavenny, charity worker and hot air balloonist Christian Brown OBE will light the beacon at 8.30pm in front of the Raglan Scouts group and members of Llanover Community Council.

Mr Brown, of Llanvihangel Gobion, previously lit the beacon in the same location to mark The Queen’s diamond jubilee in 2012, along with the-then High Sheriff Elizabeth Murray.

Bruno Peek, LVO, OBE, OPR, Pageantmaster, The Queen’s 90th Birthday Beacons said: “It has been an enormous privilege to be able to organise this amazing community event to celebrate the 90th Birthday of Her Majesty The Queen.”