VETERANS from across Worcestershire and Gloucestershire will meet in Malvern this weekend to pay their respects to the fallen.

A memorial service is being held at Great Malvern Priory at 3pm on June 12 to mark the 40th anniversary of the ending of the Falklands War.

The event has been arranged by the Armed Forces Veterans Breakfast Clubs (AFVBC)  of Malvern, Worcester and Tewkesbury and members of all three groups will be attending.

The service is open to anyone who would like to attend and also includes wreath-laying, a bugler and flag bearers.

Peter Storry and Bill Stowe from the Malvern group helped arrange the event, with Mr Storry saying it was right the town paid tribute.

He said: "The Reverend Rod Corke from the Priory is 'our' chaplain as a group, so we had a meeting with him and agreed it would be right to do something to mark the anniversary, particularly as we have veterans in our area who served in that campaign.

"We have colleagues coming from both Worcester and Tewkesbury, including a couple of guys who served."

The breakfast clubs were originally set up in Hull by two former soldiers. Since then, dozens have been set up across the country, with Malvern's group meeting monthly at the Foley Arms Hotel for breakfast.

At the service, wreaths will be laid at the Priory's war memorial, with Mayor of Malvern Cllr Nick Houghton and vice-chair of Malvern Hills District Council Barbara Jones-Williams both set to attend.

Last month saw Worcestershire County Council agree to officially thank veterans as part of the Queen's Jubilee weekend.

This was after Cllr Martin Allen, himself a Falklands veteran of the Royal Navy, called on the county to do more to represent veterans and thank them officially.

In a meeting in May, he said: "Today Veterans are still fighting this conflict and many other wars, both mentally and physically.

"Some of them live here in Worcestershire and I do feel, we as a council, should acknowledge their sacrifice and commitment.

"Acknowledging their service is not a political party matter, it is a recognition of the great debt we all owe to them."