A week of commemoration celebrating the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War culminated last night with the poignant image of a million poppies being dropped above London.

The sky turned red over Buckingham Palace as a 250,000 strong crowd and the Royal family watched a Lancaster bomber scatter the flowers following a day of reminiscence, reflection and entertainment.

The Queen paid tribute to those who lost their lives to save the world from tyranny when she addressed thousands of wartime heroes at a spectacular commemoration show that brought together stars of stage and screen.

?It does not surprise me that during the present difficult days for London people turn to the example set by that (war-time) generation of resilience, humour and sustained courage, often under conditions of great depravation,? the Queen said. The show was the culmination of a week of concerts, exhibitions and parades designed to raise awareness of the sacrifice made at home and abroad by war veterans.

Memories of wartime Britain were evoked at musical event with popular songs reminiscent of a bygone era and the rousing speeches of Britain?s wartime leaders.

Actor Simon Callow opened the show in Horse Guards Parade by telling the crowd: ?Our purpose here today is to honour those who lived through those heroic and terrible experiences of the Second World War and those who died both in the armed forces and in civilian life.?

The 12,000-strong audience basked in the summer sun and waved union flags as the tri-service military band took to the stage along with the 200-strong Bach choir.

Among the performers were actress and singer Jane Horrocks, who gave an exuberant performance as wartime entertainer Gracie Fields, comic Joe Pasquale and actor Bradley Walsh, singer and actress Petula Clark, a wartime child star, who sang A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square. Senior members of the Royal Family, along with Tony Blair and Government ministers, watched as entertainer Bruce Forsyth joked with the crowds recalling his experiences as an evacuee in Clacton-on-sea, Essex.

Actress Claire Sweeney ended the show with the White Cliffs Of Dover as white doves were released above the stage.

Actor Robert Hardy revisited his screen role as Winston Churchill and wearing the politician?s trademark three piece suit and bow-tie, he delivered his most famous speeches saying: ?We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans... we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds... we shall never surrender.?

Earlier, the Royal family attended a thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey. The Archbishop of Canterbury told the congregation the ceremony was a ?fitting response? to the terrorist bombings on Thursday which claimed dozens of lives. Dr Rowan Williams said: ?Today of all days, we need no reminder that the spirit of murder and humiliation is still abroad, as your majesty reminded us on Friday, there is a generation of people for whom the sight of a devastated, bombed London will bring back harsh memories; memories not only of physical damage but of the sense of obligation to go on resisting the venomous tyranny responsible for it.?

Throughout the week, a Living Museum has been open in St James?s Park bringing to life the sights and sounds of both military and civilian experiences for today?s younger generations.

Re-enactments of air-raids and black-outs, through to gas-mask training and code-cracking gave the public an insight into wartime life, while veterans, curators and enthusiastic amateur historians were on hand to answer questions.

Buckingham Palace was one of the focal points of the weekend with images of war projected onto the front of the historic building each evening.

Yesterday, a fly-past of vintage Second World War planes, including B25 bombers, Spitfire and Hurricane fighters and the Lancaster that dropped the poppies, heralded the end of the celebrations.

The image of the Queen on the balcony echoed scenes from 60 years before when her father and mother appeared at the same spot to acknowledge the crowds celebrating the end of Nazi tyranny.