MORE than 20,000 poppy petals will be scattered from the balcony of Ipswich town hall this month to mark the 60th anniversary of VJ Day.The event will be part of on-going celebrations around the town on August 21 to mark the occasion and will start with veterans marching from the Civic Centre car park to the Cornhill at 2.

MORE than 20,000 poppy petals will be scattered from the balcony of Ipswich town hall this month to mark the 60th anniversary of VJ Day.

The event will be part of on-going celebrations around the town on August 21 to mark the occasion and will start with veterans marching from the Civic Centre car park to the Cornhill at 2.40pm.

A Drum Head service will then be held at 3pm by clergy from the Church of England, Roman Catholic and Free Church Council.

Peter Thompson, chairman of the Royal British Legion in Ipswich, said: "This event is very important because in a few years there will be no veterans left to tell the tales from World War II just as it is now for World War I.

"We need to invite youngsters to come and take part so they can remember for us."

Members from scouts and guides groups in the area will take part in the event which invites everyone to take part in a second march after the service around the town centre.

A reception will then be held in the Grand Hall of the Corn Exchange.

The Big Lottery Fund gave the Royal British Legion £13,900 to hold commemorative events in the town, which also includes the laying of 60 crosses in Christchurch Park on August 14.

At 10.30am 30 veterans and 30 children will lay the crosses on the memorial lawn in memory of those who died in Japanese prisoner camps during the war.

n. What do you think of the plans? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or email eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk