BURMA veteran Douglas Duggan died weeks before this year's VJ Day service of remembrance in Poole, but his proud great-grandchildren made sure he was represented.

Mr Duggan, who served from 1941-45 with Fifth Commando Special Service in the jungles of Burma, died aged 88, in July.

His place among the veterans of the Burma Star Association was taken by great grandchildren Meggan Lomas, nine, her brother Jordan, eight, twins Ashleigh and Ewen Clarke, aged eight and Oliver New, four.

All the children proudly wore his ties, berets and medals and were accompanied at the service at the Mountbatten War Memorial in Poole Park by his daughter Diane Lomas and her daughter Samantha Clarke and daughter-in-law Claire Lomas.

"I am very proud of them," said grandmother Diane, 60, of Canford Heath. "My grand-daughter looked at his Burma Star newsletter and saw this coming up.

"They wanted to go down and represent my dad because he would have been there if he hadn't died."

His war came to an end when a dum-dum bullet exploded in his leg and he was sent home after four years of fierce fighting.

Around 15 veterans and 30-40 family and friends joined the annual service to commemorate VJ Day, which brought the Second World War to an end, alongside Poole's Mayor, Cllr Joyce Lavender and Sheriff, Cllr Charles Meachin.

The Burma Star Association was officially founded in 1951 to promote the comradeship experienced in the bitter fighting and to set up a welfare organisation to help members and widows in need.

"We are all getting a little bit the wrong side of 80," said Dorset president Geoff Kendrick, but the youngest recruits are determined to line up and represent their loved great grand-dad in the years to come.