THOUSANDS of people turned out across the Stourbridge area yesterday on Remembrance Sunday to pay tribute to fallen armed forces heroes.

Old soldiers took part in parades to cenotaphs across the area where services were held, silences observed and wreaths laid to remember those who lost their lives in combat.

There was a record turnout at Stourbridge Royal British Legion’s annual Remembrance Service in Mary Stevens Park, Norton, on November 10, with around 2,500 people cramming into the park to pay their respects to fallen servicemen.

Branch chairman Dora Stevens described the event “lovely” and she said organisers ran out of hymn sheets due to the volume of people attending.

Many of them, however, struggled to hear the service as there was no loud speaker.

There were also big Remembrance events in Quarry Bank and Kingswinford.

Quarry Bank Royal British Legion’s Remembrance event, which was attended by Dudley Council leader and ward councillor David Sparks, featured a parade from Christ Church in High Street to the cenotaph in Stevens Park where a service of Remembrance was held.

While in Kingswinford - one of the biggest in the area - old soldiers and dignitaries including Dudley South MP Chris Kelly marched from the Royal British Legion Club, Summerhill, to St Mary’s Church where a service of Remembrance was held after a wreath-laying ceremony and two-minute silence at the cenotaph.

Hundreds of people also turned out to mark Armistice Day today (Monday November 11) despite the cold and rain.

People gathered at the Clock Tower in Priory Street, Dudley, for the borough's main service organised by Dudley Council.

In Lye, community members resurrected the annual Remembrance Day parade after through the High Street which was followed by a service at the cenotaph conducted by Rev Simon Falshaw from Christ Church.

Councillor Tim Crumpton said: “Some 200 or more local people paid their respects at Lye on Sunday.

“Everyone wanted the march to take place so it was just a matter of having the will to get it sorted out.

”What we now need to ensure is that it is back for good and I will be helping to recruit members to the local British Legion over this next year.”