BOURNEMOUTH has been praised for showing “national leadership” by including non-religious people in its Remembrance Sunday service.

The town was among very few in the country to include a contribution from humanists alongside the Christian and Jewish communities.

David Warden, pictured, chairman of Dorset Humanists, read some words after the service in the Central Gardens had heard from Church of England, Catholic, Jewish and Free Church representatives.

He said he was “delighted and privileged” to have taken part on behalf of the UK Armed Forces Humanist Association.

“Bournemouth has shown national leadership by including people of no religion in this service,” he said.

He pointed out that 30 per cent of people in Bournemouth did not subscribe to any religion, according to results from the 2011 census.

He praised town centre rector the Rev Ian Terry for being “very supportive and persuasive” when the idea was discussed at a meeting of service representatives at the Town Hall. He said Dorset Humanist member Richard Scutt had been instrumental in campaigning for the change.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Roger West, a member of Dorset Humanists who has called for an end to prayers at council meetings, welcomed the development.

He said: “I don’t think religion comes into it.

“When they were fighting, people weren’t fighting on behalf of any God to my knowledge.

They were fighting because they were called up or felt that the cause was right.”