Veterans who served in the Far East during the Second World War have attended commemorations to mark the 70th anniversary of victory over Japan.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also attended the service at Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh which was hosted by The Royal British Legion Scotland.

While the war in Europe ended in early May 1945, it raged on in the Far East.

The Japanese finally surrendered on August 14 after the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and Soviet declaration of war and invasion of Manchuria. The following day was celebrated as Victory over Japan (VJ) Day.

After attending the event, Ms Sturgeon tweeted: "Privileged to attend a very moving service in Canongate Kirk to commemorate #VJDay70".

The Act of Remembrance at the VJ Day event was led by Lieutenant General Sir Alistair Irwin, national president of Legion Scotland.

WWII veterans Donald Christison and Jim Richardson were among those who attended.

Mr Christison, from Edinburgh, was on HMS Duke of York at the end of the war. He was in Tokyo harbour around the time of surrender, and was taken down to Hiroshima at a later date, not long after the bomb had been dropped. His boat was picking up prisoners liberated from the camps.

The 89-year-old said: "I was working with electrics down below in the ship where the hull was 15 inches thick. It was a scary place to be if we were torpedoed, you wouldn't get out."

Jim Richardson, 90, was taken prisoner when his ship was sunk - and he was a prisoner for three years, seven months and 23 days.

This evening, the First Minister is being joined by a group of veterans as her invited guests at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

She said: "Today's commemorations are a moment to reflect on the huge sacrifices involved in the conflict in the Far East during World War Two. The war in the Pacific continued for several months after it ended in Europe, and that period saw some of the most harrowing episodes of the entire war.

"This anniversary is an opportunity for us to pay tribute to those surviving veterans and to remember the many who did not return home.

"The war in the Far East saw countless acts of selfless courage, many of which will never be known or told, and today's events are a chance to pay tribute to all those who served."

Kevin Gray, CEO of Legion Scotland, said, "VJ Day effectively ended the Second World War.

"It is one of the most significant days in our nation's history. We are honoured to host this special event to pay our respects to those who made extraordinary sacrifices for our freedom."

In London, the sacrifices of British Second World War forces who fought and died defeating Japan were commemorated in a service at St Martin-in-the-Fields church - while later hundreds of veterans gathered on Horse Guards Parade for a Drumhead commemoration to celebrate Victory in Japan, which was attended by the Prime Minister and Prince of Wales.

Burma Star veteran Gordon Scott, 89, who lives on the Isle of Bute, was attending the VJ Day events in London.

Mr Scott, who lives on the Isle of Bute, was a Royal Navy medic on the landing crafts in Burma and was involved in the final assault in Rangoon, saying: "It was the biggest sea borne attack outside of Europe. There were bombings going on. We had to go up inland waterways a few hundred yards while being shot at on both sides from the jungle."

He said it is important to remember those involved in the campaign in the Far East: "We were getting letters from back home from family saying isn't it wonderful the war is over.

"We were 10,000 miles from home and still in the midst of kamikaze attacks. I don't want to witness anything like that again. I did nothing special and speak as one of the many thousands of medics who served in WWII and in wars since."

Around 300,000 soldiers in the Far East became PoWs, with only 200,000 surviving to see victory over Japan.