Campaigners to be guests at abbey service

Two Black Country campaigners who have helped run events to honour veterans will be special guests at Westminster Abbey for this year's Remembrance Service.

Dennis Sanders, who regularly releases doves at services in Sandwell, has been invited to the Harry Patch Memorial service, which will be attended by the Queen.

He will be accompanied by Hilary Brown from Alexandra High School, who earlier this year secured anniversary medals for Normandy veterans from the Black Country who were too frail to travel to France to receive them for themselves.

Mr Sanders, aged 73, is an active member of the Royal British Legion and served in Egypt with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps in 1955-56. His grandfather John Henry Sanders fought in the Boer War and the First World War with the 2nd Batallion Yorkshire Regiment and father Albert Sanders was with The Green Howards in the Second World War.

Mr Sanders, a father-of-one and grandfather-to-three, is among selected members of the public who have been invited to the Armistice Day tribute to Harry Patch, Britain's last surviving First World War veteran who passed away this year.

Mr Sanders has invited Hilary Brown, extended schools manager at Alexandra High, Tipton, to attend the service as thanks for all her efforts in organising trips for veterans, including tours back to Normandy and Arnhem. "We have a lot to thank Hilary Brown for," he said.

"She gives lots of free time to the British Legion and to the school, goes on these coach trips and tours and takes students and veterans and she does this all in her own time.

Mrs Brown said: "I'm quite delighted to be going."

Territorial Army major Sylvia Parkin, of Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, has also been invited to the service.