The atomic bombing of Hiroshima was remembered in an annual service by the Deal and Diver branch of the United Nations Association.

Hiroshima Day on Tuesday, August 6, saw members gather around the Hiroshima peace tree in the gardens of St George's Church.

Those attending shared their thoughts and read poems on the theme of peace and reconciliation.

The United States dropped the only nuclear bombs to be used in armed conflict on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, 1945 respectively.

The two bombings killed between 129,000 and 226,000 people on impact, most of whom were civilians. Large numbers of people continued to die for months afterwards from the effects of burns, radiation sickness, and other injuries, compounded by illness and malnutrition.

The mayor of Deal Cllr Eileen Rowbotham laid flowers at the foot of the tree, and shared her thoughts on the importance of the occasion.

After the event Cllr Ben Bano, who who helped to co-ordinate the commemoration, said:

"Our annual commemoration was particularly well supported this year in the light of our increasingly fractured world and the decision to withdraw from the the Intermediate Nuclear Weapons Treaty."

He added: "The service was a timely reminder that we need to do everything possible to avoid a slide into another arms race."

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