SPONTANEOUS applause burst out from the crowd gathered at Skipton Cenotaph as veterans from World War Two led a parade through the town.

The ever-dwindling numbers of those who gave service during the last war lined up, perhaps for the last time, to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of the conflict and a rededication ceremony of the cenotaph.

There was a large turnout of local people to witness the ceremony and parade marshall Alex Bentley congratulated the town for its showing.

"I was overwhelmed by the amount of people who turned out, I am very proud of the people of Skipton," said Mr Bentley.

A new plaque paid for by Skipton Lions was also added to the cenotaph for Skiptonians who are killed serving in other conflicts around the world. So far it has just one name: Captain Philip Guy, the Royal Marine who had made his home in Skipton and was killed at the start of the Iraq conflict. Pointedly, there is room left underneath.

Temperatures soared and paramedics had to deal with several veterans and other members of the parade who fainted in the hot weather.

The ceremony started with a march down from the Bailey headed by the King's Division (Waterloo) Band, based at Catterick, to the cenotaph.

There the veterans gathered together with members of the Land Army, the women who were pressed into service in agriculture to keep the country fed while many men were away. It was the first time they had paraded at the cenotaph.

Among those on parade were representatives from the Royal Naval Association, the Royal British Legion, the women's branch of the Royal British Legion, the Duke of Wellington's Regimental Association, the associations of the Coldstream Guards, Grenadier Guards, Royal Air Force and Airborne Divisions.

The service of dedication was led by Father Peter Dawber from St Stephen's Roman Catholic Church and Rev Graham Kidman, from Skipton Methodist Circuit and the hymns 'O God our Help in Ages Past' and 'Jerusalem' were sung to the accompaniment of the military band.

The wreath was laid by Wayne Smith, vice chairman of the Skipton branch of the Royal British Legion, in the absence of the chairman, Gerry Thornhill, who was called away due to a family bereavement.

An inspection was carried out by the principal guests, Michael Heseltine, the chairman of North Yorkshire County Council, David Heather, chairman of Craven District Council, Margaret Spence, mayor of Skipton, David Nelson, deputy Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire and General Sir Charles Huxtable from the Duke of Wellington's Regiment.

The Kohima epitaph - "When you go home, tell them of us and say: for your tomorrow, they gave their today" - was given by Jim Surr, a veteran of the Burma campaign during the war who suffered as a prisoner-of-war.

Then the veterans, led by the band, set off - some under their own steam, some in wheelchairs - down High Street, prompting the crowd of around 1,000 to burst into warm applause.

A contingent of trucks and jeeps from the era accompanied with the Land Army bringing up the rear in a special vintage tractor driven by Geoff Dunn

They headed along Swadford Street, Coach Street, Water Street, Mill Bridge and back to the Cenotaph for dispersal.

Afterwards large numbers took time to inspect the memorial with the names of those who gave their lives picked out.