A COUNTY councillor has blasted the authority's involvement in the World Peace Day events to be held in Trowbridge this weekend.

Former town mayor Jeff Osborn said that the involvement of the Wiltshire Assembly of Youth, which is overseen by the council, is not appropriate given the situation with Iraq.

In a letter to senior officers of the authority he said: "The USA and the UK are openly preparing for war with Iraq.

"In these circumstances the whole event, with which we as a council are closely associated, is at best extremely naive and at worst positively Orwellian 'War is Peace. Peace is War'."

The former soldier, who served as a regular army NCO in Aden, Cyprus and Germany, said that he will boycott the event.

Up to 2,000 people are expected to attend the World Peace Day event, to be held in Trowbridge Park on September 21.

Top acts lined up to perform include 80s singer Limahl, former Brookside and Celebrity Big Brother star Claire Sweeney, and Pop Idol's Jessica Garlick.

Steve Nash, the town council's sports and community development officer said that Cllr Osborn's stance would not affect the event.

He said: "The fact that there is a possibility that we could go to war with Iraq should not stop us promoting the idea of world peace that is what this is all about.

"It is about people power and people putting pressure on their MPs and government to make sure that things are resolved peacefully."