MEMBERS of Bromley and Beckenham CND held a vigil outside the Churchill Theatre last Saturday in memory of the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki who died 61 years ago and those who are still dying from radiation sickness.

The leaflet they handed out explained the UK's Trident nuclear missile system is highly dangerous; each submarine carries 16 missiles with a total of 48 warheads, and each warhead has seven times the explosive power of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, killing 140,000 people.

Passers-by signed the petition against Trident replacement which is due to cost more than £25bn.

Campaigners also held up a placard criticising the bombing in the Middle East and the fact Tony Blair has done little to initiate any kind of peace settlement between Israel and Lebanon. Protestors are also outraged the UK is selling arms to Israel.

During the protest they laid down on the pavement and an Iraqi member of the public was moved to tears expressing her worry and grief about the thousands of civilians who are dying in Iraq and Lebanon.

For more information, email group secretary Ann Garrett at anngarrett@onetel.com