YORK Minster’s Great Peter Bell will toll for an hour on Saturday before the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh - and the cathedral will hold a service of commemoration next week.

The Minster has today announced details of its plans for further services of commemoration and thanksgiving for the life of Prince Philip.

It said that at 5.30pm on Friday,on the eve of Saturday's funeral, there will be a choral evensong in thanksgiving, led by the Songmen and Choral Scholars of York Minster with music by Francis Jackson, Herbert Howells, David Halls and Charles Wood.

During the service there will be special readings and prayers of thanksgiving led by the Dean of York, the Right Revd Dr Jonathan Frost.

He said: “We will remember his sacrificial service, his care for the environment, his visionary work for young people through the awards scheme that bears his name and, above all, for the support he gave to Her Majesty The Queen.”

On Saturday, the Minster will be open for private prayer from 2pm with the opportunity for reflection and the lighting of candles.

"The Minster’s Great Peter Bell will toll at 2pm for one hour. At 3pm, York Minster will join the nation in keeping a minute of silence as a mark of respect for the late Duke."

At 5.30pm next Wednesday, there will be a formal, civid service of commemoration, with prayers, readings and music and preaching by the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell.