A NUMBER of Remembrance Sunday services will take place across St Helens on Sunday, November 10.

This year’s commemoration events come just two months after the 80th anniversary since the outbreak of World War Two – and are a fitting opportunity for residents to come out to pay their respects to those who fell during the conflicts of the 20th and 21st centuries.

As in previous years, residents are invited to congregate at Victoria Square on Sunday, November 10 at 10.45am, where a parade – led by Armed Forces veterans and young representatives from the cadets, scouts and guides - will make its way from Birchley Street to the war memorial in front of St Helens Town Hall.

The ceremony will open with a welcome and prayers from local parish reverends before the square observes a two-minute silence at 11am.

After the two-minute silence, the ceremony will continue with words of commemoration and a performance by the Haydock Male Voice Choir, recently crowned Choir of the Festival at the Isle of Man Festival of Choirs 2019.

The ceremony will close with the National Anthem, led by the Valley Brass Band and Haydock Male Voice Choir, before the laying of wreathes.

Over in Earlestown and Newton-le-Willows, the focal point will be the war memorial at Earlestown Town Hall, with the event due to get underway at 10.45am.

St Helens North MP Conor McGinn; deputy mayor of St Helens, Paul McQuade; and the deputy lord lieutenant are among those due to attend.

Elsewhere in the borough, a morning service at St Ann’s Church in Rainhill will be followed by a parade and wreath-laying ceremony, during which the A57 Warrington Road will be closed to traffic between View Road and St James Road.

And on the morning of Friday, November 8, schools in Billinge and Seneley Green will attend a service at the Remembrance Garden on Main Street.

The A571 Main Street will be closed to traffic between Pingot Road and Newton Road until the service finishes.

Then on Monday, November 11, a short remembrance service – organised by the Crank Village Community Association - will take place at the memorial on Crank Hill field at 11am.

St Helens Council’s Armed Forces Champion, Cllr Lynn Clarke, said: “Remembrance Sunday is a fitting opportunity for us to honour our servicemen and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

“Each year, it’s moving to see such incredible turn outs at various commemoration events, with young and old coming together to pay their respects which is a heart-warming reminder that St Helens Borough will always remember.”