TONY Blair and his government may be celebrating the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War on politically expedient July 10 next year. But in Bournemouth, the occasion will be marked on August 14 with a civic ceremony one day before its official end, on August 15 VJ Day.

The date was decided after representatives of 14 veterans associations met at the Town Hall on Monday November 15.

The meeting was called by mayor Emily Morrell-Cross after she revealed she was "spitting nails" at the government's decision to move the national commemorations to July 10, a date she branded "meaningless".

"All I wanted was for the veterans to have their say," she said, yesterday.

"We didn't take part in the discussions or decision-making, we just helped chair the meeting. After much discussion, they decided they wanted the official Bournemouth commemoration on August 14."

Town hall officials would now start thrashing out the fine detail of the nature the commemorations would take, she added.

"I'd like to remind people that this is only our official celebration," she said.

"If people want to hold street parties and events on VE Day on May 8 and on July 10 we'll be happy to do what we can to make sure they can do that."

In a hard-hitting interview last weekend, Mrs Morrell-Cross raged against MoD officials who, she said, "weren't even a twinkle in their daddy's eye when the war was being fought. That date was chosen for convenience, nothing else."

Controversy over the date of the official commemorations looks set to rumble on nationally because many believe the date of July 10 - midway between VE and VJ Day dates - were chosen for reasons more to do with a possible general election and ministers' holidays.

First published: November 19