A breakfast club for veterans in Okehampton has presented two framed photographs to the hostelry which hosts their meet ups twice a month.

Kevin Ball from the Okehampton Armed Forces Veterans Breakfast Club presented London Inn landlord Simon Chudley with photographs of two now-decommissioned naval ships called HMS London, the D16 and F95.

Kevin, a Royal Navy veteran, served on the F95 frigate, the last ship he served on.

He explained that they had wanted to thank Simon for welcoming them over the past few years, after they needed to find a new place to meet.

“Simon said to us come here and I’ll cook you breakfast. We have been coming here for a while. We’ve had a couple of other events here as well, Burns Night and we have also had our Christmas dinner here.

“Simon opens a bit earlier on Saturday morning because we meet from 9.30am, he does an excellent breakfast and he is very welcoming so we thought it would be nice to say thank-you. Having two HMS Londons gives us an opportunity to relate it to the veterans club and also to the pub, it being the London Inn.”

The D16, a County Class destroyer spent 20 years in service before being decommissioned. Meanwhile the class 22 frigate, the F95, was in operation for 18 years.

“They are last two HMS Londons but the next one is due in the next two years, a type 26 frigate, so there will be another HMS London,” explained Kevin.

Simon said he was happy to host the club, saying “they all sit in the bar and chat and mingle”.

All veterans are welcome at the breakfast on the first and third Saturday of the month from 9.30am. Make contact by email at [email protected] or via Facebook ‘Okehampton Armed Forces Veterans Breakfast Club’.