A SERVICE of thanksgiving to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Queen's Coronation is to be held at Bury Parish Church on Saturday.

The Manchester branch of the Prayer Book Society is organising the service, which will begin at 4pm. The service will be sung by the parish church choir who provide the music for so many civic occasions throughout the year.

Music will be taken from that used at the Coronation in 1953, including Parry's great anthem "I Was Glad", written for the Coronation of Edward V11 in 1902, as well as Handel's Coronation anthem "Zadok the Priest", written for the Coronation of George 11 in 1727. Both anthems have been sung at all coronations ever since their first performances.

The service will be led by the Rev Dr John Findon, Rector of Bury Parish Church, and the sermon will be given by the Rev Hugh Bearn, vicar of Tottington. Among the hymns sung will be "I Vow Thee to My Country" and "Now Thank We All Our God."

Organist for the service will be the Parish Church's resident organist, David Kemp. There will be refreshments afterwards in the Parish Hall.