Nearly 100 Manchester United fans are making the trip to Dudley this weekend to attend a special service in honour of Duncan Edwards.

The service, which has been organised by the newly-formed Duncan Edwards Foundation, will pay tribute to Dudley’s most famous footballing son - 60 years after his tragic death from injuries suffered in the Munich air disaster.

It is open to the public and will also be attended by the Mayor of Dudley, taking place at 11am on Sunday at St Francis’ Church in Laurel Road.

Afterwards, in the Retreat café next door to the church, a fan club which has been fundraising for charities in Manchester and Munich will present Rose Cook-Monk, the founder of the Duncan Edwards Foundation, with a cheque to officially launch the charity.

The first Duncan Edwards Good Citizen Awards will also be handed out, and then Rose will lead the visitors on a tour of the town visiting sites connected to Duncan. They include the Archives in Tipton Road, which is open specially on Sunday and is running a Duncan Edwards exhibition.

The group will also visit Duncan’s statue in Dudley town centre, and his grave at Queen’s Cross Cemetery. Councillor Dave Tyler, the Mayor of Dudley, said:

“We are looking forward to welcoming our visitors from Manchester United on Sunday. It is fitting that it is being held at St Francis’, where of course there are two stained glass windows celebrating his memory. There will also be a wall of remembrance which has been created telling the story of Duncan’s life.

“It promises to be a poignant day of remembrance, but also a celebration of his life and all he achieved. The newly formed Duncan Edwards Foundation will make sure Dudley never forgets who he was and what he did on a football field.”

The service is one of a number of events taking place in Duncan’s hometown to mark the 60^th anniversary of the Munich air disaster.

It claimed the lives of eight Manchester United players and ‘Busby Babes’ including Duncan, who died 15 days later from injuries sustained in the crash on February 21, aged just 21.

An extended exhibition honouring the footballer is currently running at Dudley Archives in Tipton Road, near the Black Country Living Museum.

The archives, which are not normally open on Sunday, will be open especially from noon to 2pm this weekend as part of the commemorations to tie in with the special service at St Francis’ Church.

Anyone looking for information about any of the events, or the work of the Duncan Edwards Foundation, can email Rose Cook-Monk.