More than 150 special needs athletes from across the country will take part in a sports day being hosted by the United States Air Force (USAF) at RAF Mildenhall on Saturday.

East Anglian Daily Times: The Joan Mann Special Sports Day at RAF Mildenhall. Picture : RICHARD MARSHAMThe Joan Mann Special Sports Day at RAF Mildenhall. Picture : RICHARD MARSHAM (Image: Richard Marsham - RMG Photography Tel - 07798 758711)

The 37th Annual Joan Mann Special Sports Day will begin with the lighting of the Olympic torch and the parade of athletes before 12 different sporting events, including the basketball shoot, obstacle course, and the wheelchair slalom, take place.

More than 600 volunteers, airmen and dependents from RAF Mildenhall, RAF Lakenheath, and RAF Feltwell, will help make the day possible.

Colonel Robert Shelton, 100th Operations Group commander, said: “Team Mildenhall is proud to host this event for our UK friends and neighbours who come out to enjoy a day of sports and activities.

“After 37 years, this event is just as much a part of our heritage as our flying mission.

“It’s an amazing experience not only for the participants, but for all the airmen and families that have the opportunity to give back to the community that has been so welcoming.”

This day is named for Joan Mann, a Ministry of Defence employee who worked in the public affairs office at the Suffolk base.

She developed the special sports day as a way to not only offer special-needs people of all ages a day of fun, but also to draw the civilian and military communities closer together.