Carlisle marks 80th anniversary of the fall of Singapore

Relatives of military veterans will gather in Carlisle to mark the 80th anniversary of the Fall of Singapore.

Around 80,000 British and allied soldiers were taken prisoner as Singapore fell to the Japenese in 1942 - before enduring years of hardship in Prisoner of War camps.

Winston Churchill called it the "worst disaster" in British military history.

Today (15 February), locals will gather at the City War Memorial in Carlisle at 11am to lay a wreath and remember those who suffered during the event.

Toni Parrini from Carlisle had an uncle who was a soldier in the Far East.

He said: "Although very few of the veterans of the time are alive today, there are people in Carlisle and the area, myself included who had relatives caught up in this event.

"Many of those involved wouldn't tell their stories and as the country had already celebrated VE Day in 1945.

"Their return from their suffering went unnoticed. They were the forgotten heroes."