A woman who grew up on the Falklands Islands during the Falklands War has opened up on how she thinks the war should be remembered ahead of a major anniversary.

Conservative MP for Carlisle, John Stevenson, said he would be 'keen' to see Carlisle host an event to mark the anniversary of the end of the Falklands War next year, given the 'number of Falkland's veterans living' in the city.

Rachel Simons, who was growing up in Stanley when the conflict on the South Atlantic archipelago started on April 2, 1982, recalled the day that her 10-year-old self realised that there was a war going on.

On April 1, Rachel was on a playing field outside her house when she noticed an aircraft flying "very low" down the harbour.

"I turned around to look at my house to check in with my parents, who were both standing out on the street and I shouted 'what's going on?'," said Rachel, who now lives in Carlisle.

"They beckoned me in and explained that Argentine military forces were going to be invading over night.

"The next morning I woke early to the sounds of war.

"I didn't have a television and I just assumed it was [people] shooting geese or ceremonial guns. I then realised that the Royal Marines, who were stationed in Stanley were engaged in street fighting against the invading Argentines.

"[It had] seemed so unusual to see that one plane flying low down the harbour the day before, whereas the sky was full of planes the next."

Rachel recalled the "awful" moment when her mother - a senior nursing sister at the time - had to go to work moments after there had been fighting on the streets.

Rachel's father was Chief of the fire brigade at the time.

She said: "We were told on the radio that everybody had to stay in their houses unless they really needed to go outside, and that they must carry a white flag with them.

"Mum needed to go to work and she had been called in because of all the casualties in the hospital.

"Dad got a broom handle and tied a white pillow case to it.

"We had this awful scene of brave mum walking across the playing field and down the road where there had been street fighting just half an hour earlier.

"She was walking off to work on her own. It was a really emotional and scary moment."

In response to Argentine President Leopoldo Galtieri's force's takeover of the islands, the British Government - then under Margaret Thatcher - declared war and sent a task force to recover the islands.

Despite only lasting until June 14 of the year it started, the war was costly and resulted in the deaths of 650 Argentines and 255 on the British side.

From day one of the war, Rachel said she witnessed sights that no child should have to witness.

"When I first looked out of my bedroom window, I watched an Argentine soldier being shot," she said.

"I don't know if he was killed, but he was definitely shot and he fell down.

"We saw planes being shot out of the sky. ."

On his proposition for an event in Carlisle to mark the 40th anniversary of the war ending, John Stevenson said he would like to see it involve a service remembering those who fell during the war.

Rachel said the day should also celebrate the bravery of those who travelled to the South Atlantic to "establish peace and freedom".

"Thirty three thousand British military personnel went all the way to Falklands and did an amazing and very brave thing," said Rachel.

"They established peace and freedom back in the Falklands, where it had been stolen from us by an oppressive military regime.

"The 40th anniversary [will celebrate] that hugely brave thing that those men did and I can't thank them enough."

Rachel is involved in a project that makes scarves for Falklands War veterans in the colours of their South Atlantic Medal ribbons.

You can ask to join the Scarves for Falklands Veterans Facebook group here.

You can find Rachel's recently published book about her experience during the Falklands War, called 'A Falklands Family at War', at Bookends in Carlisle or online at Amazon.co.uk.

The book is published by Pen and Sword.