A MOVING ceremony to close an ex-Servicemen's association has taken place in a Burnley church.

The Burnley and District branch of the Burma Star Association officially closed with the ceremonial laying to rest of their standard at St John the Evangelist Church, Worsthorne. The branch has only eight members left from the 65 it had when it formed in 1976.

Association members were holders of the Burma Star, a medal which servicemen received after 180 days operational service in Burma during the Second World War.

Secretary Larry Duxbury, 80, said: "It was a very sad day. From now on it ceases to be a branch. It is down to lack of members because we are all getting older so we had the standard laid to rest at the church.

"We picked the church to do it and it will stay there for all time. The standard is a symbol of the comradeship of the branch and the association itself."

The Mayor and Mayoress of Burnley, Coun Gordon and Kathleen Birtwhistle and representatives of the British Legion, RAF, Navy and Naval cadets attended the ceremony.