Soon after Brighton and Hove remembered the fallen at 11am on Armistice Day yesterday a conman tried to cash in the public’s support for former servicemen and women.
The bogus charity collector called at a house in Compton Road, Brighton, claiming to be collecting for the Soldier Online charity.
The person who answered the door refused to donate and, being suspicious of the man, called Sussex Police.
Officers searched the area to try to identify the man and check his credentials.
He was not found.
Subsequent inquiries have failed to confirm the existence of the charity.
It is not known by either the Royal British Legion or Brighton and Hove City Council, which licenses collectors.
The man was described as white, aged in his late 40s, with a shaved head, rough face and wearing a navy blue anorak which was not smart.
Anyone who saw the man or has any information is asked to call 0845 6070999.
Services of remembrance
Two civic services of remembrance were scheduled for yesterday.
The first marked the traditional two minutes’ silence at 11am at the Peace Statue in Kingsway, on the border of Brighton and Hove.
It was followed by the blessing of the Garden of Remembrance at 12.30pm at the war memorial in the Old Steine, Brighton.
On Remembrance Sunday (14 November), a two-minute silence will take place at the memorial in the Old Steine.
It will be followed by a short ceremony, laying of wreaths and march past.
Those watching and taking part are asked to arrive no later than 10.45am.
A number of other services are due to be held on Remembrance Sunday.
They include one at the Easthill Park Memorial, Portslade, at 10.50am.
Ceremony
A parade is scheduled to depart from Portslade Town Hall at 10.20am and head for Easthill Park for a ceremony and laying of wreaths at 11am.
Another parade is due to leave the Southwick Square car park in Southwick at 10.30am on Sunday.
The parade will be followed by a service at the war memorial on Southwick Green at 10.55am.
In Hove Cemetery, Old Shoreham Road, Hove, a short wreath-laying ceremony will take place first at the South Gate Memorial at 11am.
This will be followed by the same ceremony at the North Gate Memorial.
No service is expected at this location.
In Rottingdean, an act of remembrance is due to take place at the memorial on the village green at noon.
After lunch, at 2.30pm, veterans and supporters are expected to gather by the war memorial in Grand Avenue, Hove.
A parade will leave Hove Town Hall at 2.15pm and make its way to the war memorial for a wreath-laying ceremony.
Afterwards the parade will head to All Saints’ Church for a full service of remembrance which starts at 3pm.
The Brighton and Hove branch of the Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women will gather at 4.25pm.
Members are due to attend a service of remembrance at the Brighton and Hove Reform Synagogue in Palmeira Avenue, Hove, at 4.25pm.
