Communities pay Remembrance Sunday respects

Alnwick Remembrance Parade 2016. Picture by Jane Coltman

Crowds gathered at war memorials and attended church services throughout the day to pay their respects to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

In Alnwick, almost 600 people congregated in St Paul’s RC Church for the Annual Service of Remembrance, conducted by Father Oliver Keyes. This was followed by a parade through the town, led by the band of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and included military personnel, veterans, town councillors and representatives from the Scouting and Guiding movements.

Amble Remembrance Service 2016. Picture by Steve Miller

Another service was held at the war memorial, with a number of groups, organisations and individuals laying poppy wreaths, including the Duchess of Northumberland.

In Amble, there was a wreath-laying ceremony at the war memorial in the Town Square, followed by a parade to Trinity Methodist Church for a Remembrance Service.

Other communities to mark Remembrance Sunday included Alnmouth, Bamburgh, Seahouses, Rothbury, Wooler, Belford, Warkworth, Chevington, Acklington, Felton, Whittingham and Holy Island.

Sunday’s tributes followed touching commemorations held across north Northumberland on Friday to mark Armistice Day.

One of these was held at Chevington Cemetery, where schoolchildren laid small memorials on the graves of five local men who died in the First World War.