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The Mayor of Hiroshima and the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office contributed to the celebration at Manchester Town Hall to mark the milestone in the city's Nuclear-Free Zone policy.

The policy dates back to a resolution moved on November 5, 1980 by Lightbowne councillor Bill Risby who is still Manchester City Council's lead member for nuclear issues.

It developed out of public alarm in the early 1980s about a drift towards nuclear war in Europe and the mass destruction that would result and Manchester took the initiative to promote peace and the elimination of nuclear weapons.

The policy suffered ridicule among parts of the media and politics and was derided at the time by critics who mocked the use of the policy as a useless shield of protection for the city should nuclear war break out.

Commonly cynics remarked, "Nuclear-Free Zone. That should stop the Russians bombing us."

Those who pioneered the policy were even chided earlier this year by Labour's Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott as having been part of the 'Loony Left' - a phrase beloved of the Thatcherites.

The resolution called on the British Government not to manufacture or position any nuclear weapons within the boundaries of the city and appealed to authorities throughout the country to make similar statements.

Bill Risby's resolution stated: "We believe that it is not in the interests of our people to be the initiators or the magnet of a nuclear holocaust and firmly believe that such unequivocal statements would clearly indicate the overwhelming desires of the people we represent and could lay the ground work for the creation and development of a nuclear-free zone in Europe."

Despite the cynics, Bill Risby remains an ardent campaigner for the movement which is still supported by approximately 100 local authorities and has helped treat child victims of the Chernobyl disaster.

Councillor Risby said: "Although the risk of nuclear war in Europe had receded by the end of the 1980s, the city council has continued to maintain its vision because of on-going nuclear hazards such as potential nuclear accidents and nuclear waste which have continued to pose threats to safety.

"We are firmly in support of all initiatives to achieve a nuclear weapon-free world and the replacement of nuclear energy with sustainable alternatives.

"It is also crucial that a safe solution for nuclear waste is found and that other countries manage their own nuclear waste and do not seek to dump it elsewhere.

"Twenty-years on, we remain fully committed to our nuclear-free policy - it is a vital part of ensuring the on-going safety and protection of all citizens and those who work in and visit Manchester."

The event celebrating the anniversary attracted Malcolm Savidge MP, chair of the All-party Parliamentary Nuclear Non-proliferation Group, representatives of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) and the Nuclear-Free Local Authorities steering Committee.

There were also video messages from the Mayor of Hiroshima and a message from Peter Hain MP, Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.