A WAR veteran has urged those not old enough to remember the end of the Second World War to continue commemorating VE Day.

Sixty years ago Ken Hutchinson, 89, of Richmond, North Yorkshire, was a captain with the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders fighting the remnants of Hitler's army in Germany.

At 2pm on May 8, 1945, he received a radio message to say the war would end four hours later.

He said: "I remember it clearly. I was in a little old building when I got a message that the war would end later that day.

"I called all the platoon commanders together and told them to tell the men to keep their heads down.

"I did not want anybody killed or wounded now that we had come so far."

Mr Hutchinson, who had trained soldiers at Alnwick, in Northumberland, before he was flown to Belgium in March 1945, said: "At 6pm, we got a message to say that the war was over -they said 'thank you very much'."

He said the end of the war came as a huge relief to his men and, as a non-drinker, was put in charge of the unit while senior officers and troops enjoyed a drink to celebrate. He said he was pleased VE Day was still being remembered: "I think the young should never be allowed to forget what it was all about."

Mr Hutchinson is partially sighted and receives support from the St Dunstan's charity, which specialises in providing care, training and rehabilitation for blind former servicemen and women. For further information on the group, go to www.st-dunstans.org.uk