PREPARATIONS to mark what would have been the 100th birthday of Suffolk composer Benjamin Britten are already well under way in his home county.

And now the classical musician has been honoured with his very own first class stamp.

Britten was born in Lowestoft and lived for much of his life at the Red House in Aldeburgh.

His image is included in a set of 10 “Great Britons” stamps - released today - celebrating people in sport, journalism, music, politics and the arts whose anniversaries of birth fall in 2013.

Others include former prime minister David Lloyd George, legendary football manager Bill Shankly and actress Vivien Leigh.

Andrew Hammond, Royal Mail stamps spokesperson, said: “We are delighted to be honouring some of the UK’s most distinguished figures in history through our latest special stamp collection.

“We hope the stamps will serve as a lasting tribute to their memory and once again encourage people to remember their significant contribution to our Great British way of life.”

The Britten Pears Foundation (BPF) and Aldeburgh Music have a number of events planned this year to celebrate the composer’s 100th anniversary.