ROYAL British Legion veteran Ted Griffiths managed to get off his sick bed to attend York’s annual Festival Of Remembrance.

Mr Giffiths, 91, who is president of the York branch of the legion and has organised the festival for the past 20 years, attended the event last night accompanied by his doctor.

Mr Griffiths, who won the York Community Pride Person Of The Year award last month for his long-standing work for the legion, was taken ill recently and, although he is on the mend, was advised not to attend the service.

But he said: “It is now 20 years since it began and there was no way I was missing it.”

He was joined by about 800 people who filled the auditorium to remember those who have laid down their lives for their country.

They were entertained with music and song. The Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band topped the bill with marches and show numbers while backing singer Janina Sweetenham raised the roof with Rule Britannia and Land Of Hope And Glory.

Children from Sheriff Hutton Primary School recalled memories of wartime evacuees and joined York Ladies to perform The New Seekers’ hit, I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing.

The festival, which has raised more than £100,000 for the appeal over the years, was kicked off with the entrance of representatives of the Army, Navy, Air Force and nursing services and the night ended with the National Anthem.

The event was preceded on Saturday by the rededication of the Garden of Remembrance at The South Africa War Memorial in Duncombe Place, York.

War veterans were joined by the civic party in paying tribute to those who gave their lives in the two world wars and more recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The service, which has been held in the gardens every year since 1948, was again organised by the York branch of the legion.

Afterwards, family and friends of those killed planted wooden crosses near the memorial.