UKRAINIANS living in Bolton will join thousands from across the UK today to commemorate one of the most tragic episodes in the country’s history.

More than seven million people died in the Holodomor, a famine which lasted 18 months in 1932-33.

The delegation will go to London to mark the 75th anniversary of the tragedy, which wiped out a quarter of the population of Ukraine.

The group will also join calls for the Government to recognise the famine as a Soviet-enforced genocide.

The Bolton Branch of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) is co-ordinating the visit to the capital.

It is also running a petition to ask Bolton Council to acknowledge the atrocity. Yaroslav Tymchyshyn, spokesman for the society, said: “Seven to 10 million people died and they have no recognition whatsoever. These souls deserve that.Now it is the 75th anniversary we are pushing the issue, we keep getting to milestones without the recognition.”

The Bolton group has started a petition calling on the council to also recognise the tragedy which it will present to the authority on December 10, in the hope a motion will be passed. The petition is available to sign at the Ukrainian Social Club in Castle Street, The Haulgh.