THE communities of St Helens have been praised for their incredible turnouts at a series of "dignified and poignant commemorative events" to mark the centenary of the Armistice.
There were huge crowds at remembrance ceremonies in St Helens and Newton-le-Willows, while beacons were lit at Taylor Park, Earlestown and Billinge last night.
On Saturday night Haydock Male Voice Choir staged a moving 'Eve of Armistice concert' and there were church services and gatherings in parishes across the borough.
Reflecting on the weekend, Conor McGinn, the Labour MP for St Helens North, said said: "I joined thousands of people across the borough at dignified and poignant commemorative events this weekend to mark the centenary of the Armistice – the end of the First World War – and Remembrance Day.
Huge crowds at Sunday's remembrance service in Earlestown
"On Saturday night I attended the Haydock Male Voice Choir’s Eve of Armistice concert, alongside the Deputy Lieutenant of Merseyside, the Mayor of St Helens and Lord Watts at a packed St Helens Town Hall.
"On Sunday I joined the Deputy Mayor of St Helens, Armed Forces, veterans, cadets, community groups, schools, local councillors and the largest crowd seen for many years at the Newton-le-Willows Remembrance Day parade where I laid a wreath at the War Memorial at Earlestown Town Hall and attended the remembrance service at St John’s Church.
"I also attended an ecumenical service of commemoration at St Aidan’s Church in Billinge and events were also held at the Haydock Garden of Remembrance and at All Saints Church in Rainford."
Mr McGinn added: "Tens of thousands of young men from St Helens, Newton and surrounding villages and parishes fought in the Great War. Thousands did not return home and lie buried in cemeteries or battlefields in France and across the world.
"Many thousands of others who did return home were scarred by what they experienced and were never the same men again."
"A hundred years on, the people of St Helens came together in those same parishes, villages and towns of our borough to honour and remember their sacrifice."
The statue of Norman Harvey VC in Mesnes Park, Newton-le-Willows was adorned with poppies
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