Benjamin Britten blue plaque unveiled on Lowestoft home

The pavement fountain on Lowestoft Esplanade will operate to the sound of Britten's music

A blue plaque has been put on composer Benjamin Britten's childhood home in Lowestoft in the 100th anniversary year of his birth.

The pavement fountains on Lowestoft Esplanade have been turned on for the summer - with Britten's music being added via loudspeakers this year.

Fifty seven banners commemorating Britten have been hung on the seafront.

A year of celebrations is taking place, centred on Aldeburgh where he founded the annual classical music festival.

The banners were created by Year Seven pupils at Lowestoft's Benjamin Britten High School.

Chris Milton, from the Britten-Pears Foundation in Aldeburgh, said: "From a Lowestoft perspective it's all about children getting involved in the heritage of their town and joining up communities through the prism of Britten.

The plaque is on the wall of 21 Kirkley Cliff Road on south Lowestoft seafront

'Championing music'

"They all love the story of the boy born in Lowestoft, on the same streets as them, going on to world fame."

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has given £1.4m to The Britten-Pears Foundation's Red House Project in Aldeburgh.

Robin Llewellyn, from HLF East, said: "Part of it is funding the foundation's education officer to go out and he's gone into the high school and this is what they have created.

"It illustrates what the fund is about and what people who buy lottery tickets are contributing to.

"Britten was about championing music for everyone and that's manifested here."

Britten, who died in 1976 was born at what is now a guesthouse at 21 Kirkley Cliff Road on 22 November 1913.

Alan Britten, his nephew, was there for the plaque unveiling and said: "Not only did he grow up here, but he wrote a great many things here such as the early juvenilia which turned into the Simple Symphony and all his early experiences came from this house.

"The banners are astonishing and they capture a lot of the man."