LOCAL war veterans travelled to Liverpool to salute the crew of a naval ship during its visit to the North West.

Members of the LST and Landing Craft Association North West Region, including secretary Peter Wilkie from Atherton, were given a guided tour of HMS Chatham. Mr Wilkie said: "We were most impressed by the modern sophisticated equipment in operation and the high standard of accommodation on board.

"It was a far cry from what the veterans had been used to in the days of landings in Normandy, Italy and the Middle East." The veterans were presented with a ship's crest of HMS Chatham which they took back to their group head-quarters at the Mabs Cross Hotel in Wigan.