TWO Bournemouth Second World War veterans will be hoping for a lorra, lorra votes when they join Cilla Black and Blue's Duncan James on Saturday, for the final of the National Lottery Helping Hand Awards.

Ron Jones, of Bournemouth, and Christchurch-based Laurie Symes, both of the Royal Hampshire Regiment Comrades Association, were chosen along with four other old soldiers to represent the 100,000 surviving veterans on the show, which is being televised tomorrow evening.

Mr Jones said: "The National Lottery has given money to pay for veterans to visit schools and tell children about the war and it was through that, I think, that we were chosen to represent everyone."

He said that six members of the Association were travelling to London to appear at the ceremony, which was being broadcast live from the Tate Modern at 9.50pm.

Earlier in the week, Bill Phillips, also of Bournemouth, travelled to London to help promote the show.

"I went up and stayed overnight in a hotel," he said. "The next day we went to this office in The Strand, where I met Cilla Black and Duncan James. Cilla was very nice - just as you see her on the TV - and she asked a lot of questions about our association and what we'd done in the war."

Although he had to tell Duncan, who was brought up in Blandford, that he'd never heard of him or his band, they did discover they had something in common: "Music! I play fourth trumpet for the New Forest Big Band."

The Awards comprise six categories and recognise the nation's favourite lottery-funded projects or individuals.

The war veterans will be facing some stiff competition in the National Hero category. "I understand that Kelly Holmes, the Olympic runner, and Simon Weston, the Falklands War veteran, are in our category," said Mr Jones.

Whatever the outcome, however, Ron Jones was looking forward to a glittering evening. "It'll be great to meet Cilla," he said.

First published: November 5