Trumpet fanfares, fast cars and one of the nation's sporting idols will greet the Queen on her visit to Basildon this Friday.

Motor racing legend Stirling Moss will be among the VIP guests when Her Majesty makes her historic visit to the town.

Mr Moss is patron of the world's first glass bell tower at St Martin's church.

The four times runner-up in the 1955-58 world championships has been friends for many years with Canon Lionel Webber, who has a deep passion for racing cars.

As part of his fund-raising campaign for the bell tower Mr Webber, who is chaplain to the Queen, organised a classic car rally back in 1997.

He said: "I have been pals with Stirling Moss for a long time.

"It's all getting very exciting in the town centre, but it's getting so busy that there's hardly time to think about it.

"Welcoming the Queen into my own church is a very special thing indeed."

More than a hundred young people will be involved in and around St Martin's during the Queen's visit.

Mr Webber, said: "I remember going up to see the Queen when I was a boy. I can't think a historical visit like this will happen again in Basildon in our lifetime.

"This day will be remembered by these youngsters for the rest of their lives."

Mr Moss, OBE, will be surrounded by a small display of historic racing cars when he is presented to the Queen by Mr Webber.

Prior to this Her Majesty, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, will take a tour of the inside of the tower and hear the tenor bell sound for the first time in over a century.

The newest bell, which has been given in memory of Peggy Brown, a former member of the church, will also be rung.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will open the tower at about 3pm - nearly two hours after she first arrives in Basildon to celebrate the town's 50th anniversary and unveil a plaque.

She will be greeted at the bell tower with a fanfare by the trumpeters of the Central Band of the RAF.

A guard of honour will be formed by members of the Basildon, Billericay and Wickford squadrons of the Air Training Corps.

The Royal couple will sign a specially commissioned leather-bound book to mark the occasion and then meet the tower's architect, members of the design team and the contractors.

As they leave the tower, Keith Musto, Olympic yachting silver medalist of 1964, who now owns a clothing company in Laindon, will present the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh with specially-made country coats.

After meeting Stirling Moss, the Royal couple will then enter the church for a service of thanksgiving to celebrate Basildon's 50th anniversary and to dedicate the bell tower.

During the service His Royal Highness will read the lesson and the anthem will be sung by the choir of St Clere's School, of Butts Lane, Stanford-le-Hope.

The Royal party will leave Basildon shortly before 4pm.

Friday's tour also includes a visit to Southend, where she will stroll along the seafront, visit Customs and Excise and meet students at South East Essex College.

Visiting - the Queen

(Right) Legend - Stirling Moss

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