Concerns about Britain’s Trident nuclear weapons programme were in everyone’s minds at the Hiroshima and Nagasaki memorial services across the country yesterday.

Young and old assembled in London’s Tavistock Square under the shade of a commemorative cherry tree planted as a tribute to the victims of the atom bomb.

Many of those present still recalled the day of the bombings and had been campaigning against nuclear weapons ever since.

Diana Mukumba, who came to the gardens with her granddaughter Thais, told the Star: “I always remember August 6 since it happened, I remember when it happened because I was eight at the time.

“I always try to come.”

Her granddaughter nodded along as Ms Mukumba added: “I think it’s very important not to renew Trident.”

The day’s events were hosted by the historical Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) and attended by hundreds of people in both London and Edinburgh.

CND vice-president Bruce Kent said he was pleased with both attendance and the many “wonderful” speeches by Labour leadership contestant Jeremy Corbyn, Green Party politician Jenny Jones, poet AL Kennedy and others.

“I think Jeremy was excellent, he spoke passionately and the fact that it hasn’t rained was God’s blessing,” he added.

Mr Kent added that with Trident’s £100 billion renewal coming up for discussion in parliament next year, “this is a critical moment.

“Get local people [involved], and get your Oxfams and your Christians Aids too because you can’t talk about poverty and talk about spending millions on nuclear.

“These people are standing back a bit — get them involved.”