THE Bishop of Manchester made a moving speech at a service on Sunday to officially mark the disbanding of Tottington Ex-Servicemen's Association.

The Rt Rev Nigel McCulloch dedicated a granite memorial installed in St Anne's Church, Tottington, to serve as a lasting tribute to the association.

Worshippers attended the special service of Evensong, which was followed by a dinner at Wellington Barracks, Bury. Among the guests were the Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Col J.B. Timmins, and the Mayor of Bury, Coun Wilf Davison. The remaining 14 members of the association, wound-up after 80 years mainly because of a dwindling membership, also attended.

The memorial, which now takes pride of place in the church's north aisle, is engraved with the three Service badges and a simple but poignant inscription followed by the words "loyalty, duty, service".

The Rev Hugh Bearn, vicar of Tottington who had been association chaplain for five years, said: "It was a wonderful service and the bishop spoke with tremendous feeling when relating to his own father."

The Rt Rev McCulloch referred to the familiar line "Missing, presumed dead", stark words which greeted his own mother more than 60 years ago when his family learned the news of the death of his father in action. The bishop was then 18 months old.

Church warden Gordon Lakes, who was awarded the Military Cross for his actions in the Korean War, read the funeral oration of the hymn of Pericles.

Added Mr Bearn: "We are extremely pleased that from now on the church will be taking over the running of the village Remembrance Day parade."