TWO veterans of the Second World War were honoured with pride of place in Worcester Cathedral as the fallen were remembered at a service to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the conflict.

Connie Langeard and Frederick Vines laid wreaths in St George's Chapel during choral evensong.

Mrs Langeard, aged 93, of Droitwich, was a corporal in the ATS (Auxiliary Territorial Service).

She said: "I'm thrilled to be here. I'm a Worcester girl and I joined up in Worcester, in Castle Street. I have been to the cathedral before but I have never laid a wreath here before. That's quite an honour."

Frederick Vines, aged 94, a warrant officer first class in Bomber Command, 115 Squadron of the Royal Air Force between 1940 and 1946.

Mr Vines of Tamworth-in-Arden said: "The squadrons colours are laid up in Ely Cathedral. I'm here to remember my colleagues who passed away, especially those in my squadron. There is only now six of us left who flew with the squadron. It is nice to have such a place of honour in the cathedral."

The Reverend Canon Dr Alvyn Pettersen spoke of the need for what he called 'a new vocabulary' when remembering the sacrifices of the war, referring specifically to the use of 'Victory Europe' and 'Victory Japan' when discussing the conflict.

He said: "In speaking of victory they also speak of defeat. In speaking of the victor they also speak of the vanquished. They still employ ideas of 'us and them'."

He said sometimes these terms could militate against unity and peace and used the example of a path in France which now linked the cemeteries of Allied and German dead, breaching the wall which once divided them.

The canon also and spoke of the need to 'break free of an imprisoning past' and the significance of this 'bridging path''.

He said he did not seek to underestimate 'the evil of Nazism', of the need to beat swords into ploughshares and spears into pruning-hooks so that these sacrifices may still 'bear fruit'.

The service also contained readings from the deputy lieutenant of Worcestershire David Blakey, the county president of the Royal British Legion Ken Draper and Royal British Legion county chairman David Waldron.

Jackie Taylor, chairperson of the Royal British Legion Women's Section, said of the service: "I'm honoured to be here and pay tribute to fallen heroes, those past and those present because without them we would not be here."

In total 23 standards formed part of the Royal British Legion procession. The Bishop of Worcester, John Inge, performed the blessing and a collection was also organised at the end of the service for the Royal British Legion.