A SPECIAL event to commemorate the work of the armed forces will take place in Burton on Sunday.

Burton Armed Forces and Veterans Day will be held in the village near Christchurch from 1pm to 6pm and feature a parade through the village, drumhead service and entertainment celebrating the forces.

It will be especially poignant this year, with milestone anniversaries commemorating both D-Day and the outbreak of World War One.

And with the campaign in Afghanistan drawing to a close, organiser Burton Parish Council says this will be the final event in this format.

Council chair Judy Jamieson said: “As we look back over the past eight years of this event, we remind ourselves of the reason we started the day.

“It was simply to let our troops know that wherever they were, whatever they were confronting, the community of Burton and Winkton were thinking of them every day.

“And when the Last Post sounds on Burton Village Green on Sunday June 15, we can say, ‘job done, come home’.”

Earlier this year, organisers were left disappointed after failing to meet funding criteria set by the Ministry of Defence.

The date of the event meant Burton Parish Council missed out on funding by one week, despite meeting all the other criteria.

This year’s event also falls on Father’s Day.

Veterans and groups will gather at Burton Primary School around 1.45pm with the Ringwood Pipe Band before the parade leaves the school at 2.10pm.

It will proceed down Campbell Road, Priory View Road and Moorcroft Avenue before reforming to march up Woodstock Road and onto Salisbury Road to the village green.

Anyone willing to lend support to the event should contact Judy Jamieson on 07860 452279.