First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says she is honoured to represent Scotland at events in Portsmouth and France to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

Tomorrow she will attend a service of remembrance at Bayeux Cathedral and a commemorative service at the Commonwealth War Grave Commission's Bayeux war cemetery.

"It is important that current and future generations continue to learn of the events that took place on this day 75 years ago, so that we can strive to ensure that such conflict is never repeated", she said.

"It is also important the generations to come understand and recognise that it is the actions of those who served that allow us to enjoy the freedoms we now take for granted."

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D-Day veteran John Eden, 94, from Lancashire, is in Normandy to watch the parachute drop.

As part of the 12th Devonshire Regiment he was supposed to come over by glider on June 6 1944 - but the plan was abandoned at the last minute and he and his comrades were sent over by landing craft instead.

He said: "Nobody told us what was happening. Suddenly we were put out on a landing craft from Essex.

"I would have liked to jump out as planned so I was a little sad not to get the chance. We got very, very wet instead."

He said he wanted to view the parachute drop to celebrate the success of D-Day and to remember those who died, adding: "I've been very fortunate.

"I've been lucky. Many weren't."

He is pictured, below, on Pegasus Bridge, which crosses the Caen Canal, and which was the scene of fierce fighting during the Normandy landings.

Image source, Reuters

On President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump's third and final day of the UK state visit, they joined the Queen, Prime Minister Theresa May and 15 other world leaders in Portsmouth to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the largest combined land, air and naval operation in history - the D-Day landings.

• Day two of state visit in pictures
• Day one of state visit in pictures

Here are pictures of some of the events on Wednesday.

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The Red Arrows Twitter account posted this stunning shot of Portsmouth from the air taken by Corporal Ashley Keates during today's flypast.

Thousands of people descended on an area of the common in Portsmouth to watch large screens broadcasting the 75th anniversary service.

They cheered and clapped loudly as the Red Arrows flew past.

A mass parachute drop has begun in Sannerville, Normandy.

The display started with flypasts by the Battle of Britain Memorial Spitfire and Battle of Britain Memorial Dakota.

Six paratroopers descended from the Dakota.

The first parachutist out was Brigadier John Clark, commander of the British Army's 16 Air Assault Brigade.

Four C130 Hercules aircraft then flew over. Two British and two French paratroopers also emerged.

Some 280 paratroopers are taking part in the event.

The parachutists are landing in fields which were used as a drop zone for the 8th (Midlands) Parachute Battalion, who went on to destroy bridges in a bid to restrict German movements during the missions in June 1944.

Crowds of people lined the road nearby to watch the display and have been cheering the parachutists.

President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have left Portsmouth, marking the end of their three-day state visit.

Marine One took off from Southsea Common in the last few minutes.

Image source, Parliament TV

Tory leadership hopeful Michael Gove has said his expected meeting with President Donald Trump did not go ahead.

Speaking to the Commons Scottish Affairs Committee, the environment secretary said he exchanged "a few words" with Mr Trump on Monday.

But he added: "I'm afraid I didn't see him today. I saw him on Monday evening. I had an opportunity to say a few words to the president on Monday night."

The BBC's North America editor, Jon Sopel, shared this emotional story about a veteran:

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Click here to listen live to 5 Live's D-Day coverage.

Share your family story: Text 85058 / @bbc5live, external

The Trumps are due to depart for the Republic of Ireland later this afternoon.

A US veteran has visited the D-Day beaches ahead of being awarded France's top honour.

Harold Johnson, 97, served in France with the 82nd Airborne Division and has now returned to the country for the first time to be presented with the French Legion of Honour.

He is due to receive the award in a ceremony at the US cemetery in Colleville Sur Mer, overlooking Omaha beach on Thursday, 75 years after D-Day.

Mr Johnson, from Hobart, Indiana, said: "I was drafted, I had to go to war, and I volunteered as a paratrooper.

"I've got five battle stars, three invasions and two purple hearts for being wounded in action.

"I'm happy to get any medal - that's why I wear the ones I've got.

"And it (the French Legion of Honour) is the best one to get, I guess."

He visited the US memorials at Omaha beach, where US troops landed on D-Day.

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Here are some of the more eye-catching pictures of world leaders at the commemorative event.

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World leaders are due to meet to discuss the western alliance and security following the reception with veterans.

From the deck of the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, Mrs May and Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt will then wave off the crowds of veterans who are set to retrace the journey they made across the channel 75 years ago.

The veterans will be followed by a flotilla of Royal Navy vessels.

Later this afternoon, veterans Harry Read, 95, and John Hutton, 94, will parachute into Normandy in honour of comrades they lost when they first made the descent 75 years ago.

Alongside about 280 paratroopers, they will take part in the jump onto fields at Sannerville - the drop zone for the 8th Midlands Parachute Battalion during D-Day.

This evening, a vigil and silent march will take place at Pegasus Bridge which was the scene of a 15-minute skirmish to take hold of the pathways over the Caen Canal and River Orne.

It was one of the first places British troops liberated on D-Day.

If RAF meteorologist James Stagg did not accurately forecast the weather, things could have gone very differently...

The forecast was so bad that the German commander in Normandy, Erwin Rommel, felt so sure there wouldn't be an invasion he went home to Germany to give his wife a pair of shoes for her 50th birthday.

The landings were kept so secret, their significance appeared to surprise a few journalists....

And could Churchill have pulled the name Jelly beach?

Read more in our extended list here.

Around 60,000 members of the public are thought to have attended the Portsmouth Naval Memorial on Southsea Common for today's event, part of this week's 75th anniversary of the biggest amphibious invasion in military history.

A flypast of the Red Arrows and Spitfires proved to be a crowd-pleaser for both the veterans and the world leaders in attendance.

Today's event is the first time the UK has hosted this many world leaders outside a formal summit since the 2012 Olympics.

Image source, PA

The Royal Family's official Twitter account posted these images of the royals meeting some of the D-Day veterans who were honoured today.

The Queen, 93, appeared to thoroughly enjoy chatting with D-Day veterans after today's ceremony concluded.

Addressing the crowds, veterans and world leaders earlier today, she said: "The wartime generation - my generation - is resilient, and I am delighted to be with you in Portsmouth today.

"The heroism, courage and sacrifice of those who lost their lives will never be forgotten.

"It is with humility and pleasure, on behalf of the entire country – indeed the whole free world – that I say to you all: thank you."