Town's respect to its fallen heroes

A two-minutes silence, service and wreath-laying ceremony at the war memorial - in memory of those who gave their lives in the service of their country - was followed by a parade led by The Band of the King’s Division.

The Mayor of Blackpool, councillor Ian Coleman, was president of the Blackpool branch of the Royal British Legion for a quarter of a century.

He handed over the post to the current president Jack Swann.

The mayor attended an Armistice Day service at the war memorial on Saturday, organised by the RBL and was also in attendance at today’s event where he laid the first wreath.

He said after yesterday’s gathering: “It is said there’s 1,440 minutes in a day and I hope as many people as possible spend two minutes at the war memorial to say thank you to the dead, injured and seriously injured who have suffered through war and conflict. From the past will come a finer future.”

“Tomorrow (Sunday) I shall stand with pride alongside so many of those who served and aren’t with us today and will remember their colleagues with tears in their eyes and pride in their hearts. It will be with a heart that’s full of joy to see those marching and sadness for those we have lost.”