MORE than 200 people gathered around Great Harwood war memorial in Memorial Park for a breakaway service conducted by the Royal British Legion.

Members of the Great Harwood branch conducted the Remembrance Sunday service themselves after no clergy member could be found to help.

The war veterans first held their own service last year after Rev Janet Heil insisted the congregation at St Bartholomew's stayed in church for the 11am silence.

But retired methodist minister Eric Joslin conducted the first service although he was unable to do so this year.

Len Myerscough, chairman of the Great Harwood RBL, said: "It went well. We ad-libbed a bit but we managed without a minister and will do so again next year if need be.

"All the organisations are in support of us and this year was the best turn out we have ever had, it was a lot bigger than when we used to go to the church."

Throughout East Lancashire, thousands of people joined processions in individual towns as a mark of respect for the county's war dead.

As streets fell silent for two minutes people took time to remember the fallen heroes from the conflicts that have engulfed the world in the last century.

In Blackburn, a procession filed from King William Street to the Garden of Remembrance in Corporation Park.

In Ribble Valley, services were held at Clitheroe Castle, Billington cenotaph and Wiswell war memorial.

In Hyndburn, wreaths were laid at the mobile war memorial outside Accrington Town Hall, at St John's Church, Baxenden, and at St James' Church, Altham.