Shropshire falls silent to mark Armistice Day - with pictures

Parades and ceremonies took place throughout the county, albeit on a smaller scale and in very unfamiliar fashion, in honour of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

Similarly to how the people of Shropshire marked VE Day and VJ Day earlier this year, the military organisations and local authorities of Shropshire's towns found ways to observe the Remembrance period in safe, socially-distanced and poignant ways.

Like parades held on Remembrance Sunday, various organisations took to live streaming their events online and encouraged viewers to watch on from home.

Shropshire Council urged people to commemorate from their own doorstep as residents were asked not to attend parades in person.

Instead many paid their respects by taking part in the national two minutes silence at 11am in their homes or on their own doorsteps.

In Telford, the leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, Shaun Davies, made a speech of prayers and blessings before laying a wreath at a small event in Telford Town Park.

The ceremony featured members of the services and local dignitaries, and a bugle player broke the silence with emotive playing of the Last Post and Reveille.

Councillor Davies said: "It was my honour to speak and lay a wreath at a small, socially distanced service this morning in Telford Town Park.

"I also re-committed Telford & Wrekin Council and the borough to the military covenant."

Many pupils and students were also able to pay their respects.

At Telford College, an Armistice Day service was held in the sports hall from 11am.

The ceremony included a two-minute silence and was led by the college's public uniformed services students.

The socially-distanced parade was also live streamed across the video screens around the campus for all to view.

Pupils from Dawley Church of England Primary School attended the war memorial in Dawley Park.

Wreaths were laid as youngsters remembered those before them and the school received a personal thank you from Telford MP Lucy Allan.

Meanwhile, Market Drayton Town Council organised a small, socially-distanced service at the town's war memorial.

In Newport, which also normally has a well-attended parade, the cemetery of St Nicholas Church hosted a socially distanced service which the townspeople gathered to watch safely.

Mayor Peter Scott said it was a shame that the pandemic affected the numbers that could attend, but that the service was "very respectful".

In Bridgnorth, the mayor and deputy mayor, Councillors Kirstie Hurst-Knight and Sarah Barlow, were joined by Reverend Simon Cawdell to pay tribute.

They observed the Armistice at the war memorial in the Castle Grounds at 11am.