Mayor drops Remembrance Day procession over fears children will get cold

A town's annual Remembrance Day Parade has been dropped because officials didn't want children to go hungry or get cold.

The town mayor in Saltash, Cornwall, confirmed the decision had been taken not to arrange the popular annual formal procession through the town to honouring fallen war heroes on November 11.

Councillor John Brady, who has faced calls for him to resign after being criticised for the move, said there was already plenty happening to honour the military on the day already.

The ex-serviceman said a Remembrance Service at The Church of St Nicholas and St Faith had been timed for 2pm to accommodate youngsters taking part in a planned pebble laying event commemorating the First World War earlier in the day.

Cllr Brady said any parade would have had to be squeezed in late afternoon - which wouldn't have been fair on families and asked why a parade had not been planned, he said: "Lots of events are going on during the day.

"We have to take into consideration the children that will be out for most of the day there will be lots of children around it could be a very long and cold day."

Cllr Brady - who says the Royal British Legion organise the parade - said the relevant parties decided to pull the plug on the event a fortnight ago. 

But the Royal British Legion has disputed who was responsible, with chairman of Saltash and District Royal British Legion Dave Newman writing on Facebook: "We would like to point out that the Mayor Councillor John Brady has decreed that there will be no parade this year on the afternoon of the November 11.

"The Saltash and District branch of the Royal British Legion do not organise the parade. It is purely a Civic event. The Church Service and Parade are organised by the mayor – and the mayor alone. All invitations are sent out from the Mayor’s office.

"The only input that the Saltash and District Royal British Legion have for this event is the provision of the parade marshall – ably done for the past 25 years by Mr W Dent – president of the branch."

After backlash on social media, a petition has been launched in the town in a bid to reverse the decision.