A vigil marking the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the world's first nuclear bombs will be led by Billericay campaigners.

Members of the Billericay Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament are inviting people to join them at two vigils to mark the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Posters and banners bearing the slogan Never Again will adorn the corner of the High Street and Western Road on August 6 and 9 - 54 years ago to the day that the Second World War bombs were dropped.

Even after so many years the Japanese are struggling to rebuild their lives and women are still giving birth to severely deformed babies.

Geoff Batson, from the disarmament group, said people should never forget the devastation caused.

He said: "The vigil will remind people of the consequences of nuclear weapons being used. I was in the Navy during the war and a nuclear bomb is equal to throwing a grenade into a closed space and then walking in after it.

"I know what it's like to hear a plane engine stopping and knowing the bomb will hit the ground in a few seconds and wondering whether it will hit you.

"Think the horror of having a malformed child. What a tragedy for parents. They were punished for the misdeeds of their leaders."

Mr Batson added that it was important to keep the memory of the tragedy fresh in people's memories. But he added that he felt it was only a matter of time before a bomb was dropped again.

He said: "When America let off its bombs everyone was quite confident it was the only country who had them but wiser people know that in reality the knowledge to design and make atomic bombs was known to everyone."

The vigils will also commemorate the life of local peace activist John Steel, who was a member of Billericay CND and died 18 months ago.

They take place from 10am-noon on August 6 and 4.30-7pm on August 9.

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