ALTON mayor Dean-Paul Phillips will lead the town’s annual Act of Remembrance on Sunday, with a traditional service at the Cairn War Memorial on Crown Hill.

As well as extending an open invitation to the people of Alton to join this important event in the town’s calendar, Alton Town Council is asking motorists to note that Normandy Street, from the Courthouse to Church Street, down through the High Street to Turk Street and Market Street will be closed from 10.30am to 11.45am, and they will need to seek an alternative route.

In addition, the Market Square will be closed and car owners are reminded that it is unlawful to leave their vehicles in The Square overnight.

Sunday’s ceremony will begin with a parade through the town of uniformed and youth groups, led by the Royal British Legion standard. The march will start at 10.30am from the Market Square and the procession will make its way down Market Street and up the High Street to the Cairn, to join those gathered to pay their respects to the men and women who have given their lives in the service of their country.

The town council hopes currently serving and retired service personnel will join the parade from the Market Square and encourages residents with medals and their families to join the town as it remembers the fallen.

Organised by the Alton branch of the Royal British Legion and Alton Town Council, the Act of Remembrance service will be led by Reverend Andrew Micklefield from the Parish of the Resurrection and will include an address by Reverend Clive Anderson of Butts Church, followed by a two-minute silence at 11am, and the laying of the wreaths, before the parade marches back down the High Street to the Market Square to be dismissed.

* On Saturday, the people of Holybourne will gather around the village war memorial on London Road for a parade and service of remembrance at 10.30am. The address will be given by Brigadier Tim Carmichael, with poems and thoughts 100 years on from Passchendaele.

* Bordon’s Service of Remembrance will take place tomorrow (Friday) at the war memorial on Camp Road, which will be closed to traffic.

The service commences at 10.40am, with dignitaries, councillors, current and former military personnel and members of the public coming together to pay tribute to those who have fallen in combat during the two world wars and subsequent conflicts.

Wreaths and crosses will be laid alongside a sermon and the traditional two-minute silence.

* In Petersfield, the Service of Remembrance will be held on Sunday.

Town groups and associations will gather at Swan Street car park at 10am and parade to The Square at 10.15am for an open-air service before making their way down the High Street to lay wreaths at the war memorial.