ANGRY war veterans were forced to abandon their Remembrance Day parade when their police escort vanished.

Members of Oswaldtwistle and Church Royal British Legion cut short the parade after laying wreaths during a 30-minute service at the war memorial in Gatty Park, Church.

They left the park for the march back to Bank Street, but their police escort had disappeared following a mix-up over parade details.

Legion chairman Edna Crabtree described the parade as a "complete shambles" and said members were left fuming by the turn of events.

She said: "Everyone was absolutely disgusted. The old soldiers were really upset - it is not the thing to be done.

"The police escorted us to Gatty Park but when we left there was not a policeman or police car in sight. "We could not carry on the parade because it was not safe to march along Dill Hall Lane without an escort. We had to disbanded the parade."

Around 70 people, including legion members, local scouts and guides and Balderstone Brass Band, were due to take part in the return march on Sunday morning.

Police said the details given to them by Hyndburn Borough Council did not include a request to man the return parade.

Inspector Stephen Lee, of Accrington Police, said: "The order form we got did not ask us to march back. If we had known that we have would have acted upon it.

"We view Remembrance Day parades as very important. Unfortunately it was a minor mistake which had serious consequences for the people at their service."

A Hyndburn Council spokesman said: "Unfortunately the form sent to the police did not specify the return march. The form has been amended for future years. We apologise to all those involved."

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