A SERVICE commemorating the 75th anniversary of VJ Day - marking Victory in Japan and the end of the Second World War - has been held in Maldon.

The special service was held today (Sunday, 16 August) at the Methodist Church in Maldon's High Street and included a talk by Wing Commander Reverend Paul Mellor, NATO Chaplain.

VE Day (Victory in Europe) celebrated the end of the war in Europe in May, 1945, but many thousands of soldiers were still left fighting the war in the Far East. Victory over Japan came at a heavy price and Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day) marks the day of Japan's surrender on 15 August, 1945 - finally ending the Second World War.

The names of the town's fallen servicemen and women were read out by Councillor Stephen Nunn during the service.

Attending the event was Maldon's Mayor, Councillor Abdul Hafiz, who read out the remembrance exhortation:

"They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,