EPPING town mayor Ben Murphy was thrown out of an event held to welcome home troops from Afghanistan, shortly after a church service to celebrate his term in office.

Councillor Murphy was escorted from the Royal British Legion branch in Loughton, where family, friends and former comrades of fallen Royal Marine Georgie Sparks had gathered after the events.

Georgie’s parents Wayne and Toni said they wanted nothing more to do with Cllr Murphy after they reluctantly called an end to the campaign to re-name Stonards Hill play park after their hero son.

Cllr Murphy had offered to name the play park after Georgie, but made the decision without the authority of the rest of the town council, which then threw out the proposal.

Following a campaign by Georgie’s family and friends, the council decided to hold a ‘survey or referendum’ among the voters of the town on whether the name change should take place but the family, faced with the issue dragging on for months, decided to withdraw from the campaign.

More than 60 of Georgie’s comrades from 42 Commando paraded through Epping on Sunday and saw Georgie’s name officially unveiled on the war memorial.

The day culminated with a service at St John’s in Epping where the marines and Georgie’s family sat through a series of prayers giving thanks to God for Ben Murphy.

Georgie’s father Wayne said: “I couldn’t believe what was going on. He didn’t tell us it was all about him, it was a publicity stunt.”

Georgie’s uncle Perry Sparks said: “The whole service was so hypocritical, we all thought it would be about Georgie and the troops.”

Cllr Murphy tried to attend the event held after the service organised by the British Legion, but was asked to leave by a friend of the family, Eddie Long.

He said: “I knew Wayne didn’t want anything to do with him so I asked if he wanted me to have a word, then I escorted him out. He told me he had come to buy the boys a drink and I told him no-one wanted him there. There were a lot of Royal Marines all gritting their teeth at him.”

Wayne added: “He obviously doesn’t realise what he’s done, or hasn’t learnt from his mistake. The whole thing has torn out our hearts and it could have been so different.

“Ben did it all for himself, not us. I regret saying he is a nice person.”

Cllr Murphy said: “I was extremely pleased to see so many people attending to honour Georgie Sparks and his comrades and showing their admiration for the incredible Royal Marine Corps and the work that they do.”