A former councillor and mayor who gallantly served his country in World War Two has been presented with a newly-created Arctic convoy medal by the Prime Minister.

Gordon Passmore, a former Wandsworth mayor, was among 40 veterans presented with an Arctic Star in a ceremony at Downing Street in recognition of his brave wartime service.

The Arctic convoys, described by Winston Churchill as the "worst journey in the world", took vitally needed war supplies to the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1945.

More than 3,000 Royal Navy sailors and merchant seamen died during the perilous voyage to the northern Russian ports of Murmansk and Archangel.

Mr Passmore was a gunner in the Fleet Air Arm that provided air cover against the constant threat from German U-boats, aircraft and surface raiders.

His service to his country began at 18 when he volunteered in December 7, 1941 - the day the Japanese attacked the US Navy at Pearl Harbour.

Mr Passmore also saw active service on operations in the North Atlantic, the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific.

Towards the end of the war he survived being shot down, ditching in the sea 1,000 miles north of New Guinea, before being rescued by a Royal Navy destroyer.

After being demobbed in 1945 he became a surveyor and then a Wandsworth councillor in 1960.

He served as mayor of Wandsworth twice, in 1970 and 1989, and remained in public office until the 2006 local elections before retiring as a councillor.

A decade earlier his contribution to public life had been recognised when he was awarded an MBE for services to local government.

In 2007 he was also made a Freeman of the Borough of Wandsworth.

Wandsworth Council leader Ravi Govindia said: "Gordon’s entire life has been dedicated to public service.

"After his extraordinary record of 46 years service at the town hall, it is difficult to overstate his remarkable contribution to public life."