THE sacrifices of the armed forces will be commemorated across Bolton as the borough prepares to mark Remembrance Sunday.

The mayor of Bolton Cllr Roger Hayes will be joining war veterans in Victoria Square for a short service on Saturday at 10.45am to mark Armistice Day.

This will be followed by the annual Remembrance Concert at 7pm, featuring performances from amateur musical and theatre groups.

Tickets at £7.50 are available and can be collected by calling 01204 840188 or on the door on the night.

And on Sunday, the mayor will lead civic guests and veterans from the town hall and on to Victoria Square for the Remembrance Sunday service, which begins at 10.45am.

Territorial Army officers will lead a parade of veterans, members of various communities and representatives from the police and fire service.

Alan Wolstencroft, archdeacon emeritus of Manchester, will conduct the service with representatives of all faiths in Bolton invited.

The two-minute silence will be marked by live gun fire at 11am, and the Last Post will be played.

There will be short prayers after the silence, followed by ceremonial wreath laying and concluding with the March Past Parade.

Cllr Hayes said: "I am extremely proud that we as a local community come together to commemorate those who have made sacrifices for the sake of our country.

"I hope these events will strengthen the bonds already within our community and I’d like to invite everyone to come down and remember those who have lost their lives."

Commemorations will also be taking place in Blackrod, Horwich, Westhoughton, Farnworth, Kearsley and Little Lever.

Maroons will be fired at the cenotaph in Blackrod at 11am on Saturday, following a short dedication service that begins at 10.30am.

Then on Sunday, the Remembrance Sunday parade will leave from outside Heroes Bar at 2.10pm for the service at the cenotaph at 2.15pm.

There will then be a parade and service at St Katharine's Church at 3pm.

In Horwich, there will be a two-minute silence outside the Public Hall at 11am on Armistice Day.

Sunday's parade will assemble at Ramsbottom Road outside Horwich RMI Club at 11.30am before setting off at 11.40am before a service at the Garden of Remembrance in Lever Park Avenue at 12.15pm.

Westhoughton's parade will assemble outside St Bartholomew's CE Primary School yard at 9.20am before leaving for St Bartholomew's Parish Church at 9.40am.

The service will be at 10am before another at the War Memorial at 10.45am.

The Farnworth parade will gather at the Asda car park at 10am and march along Brackley Street and Market Street to the war memorial in Farnworth Park.

Kearsley's will meet at the cricket club at 9.15am and march to the cenotaph at 9.30am before a service at Kearsley Mount Methodist Church at 10am.

And Little Lever's parade will set off from the car park opposite Mytham Primary School at 10.40am before a service outside Coronation Square at 11am.

For more information, go to bolton.gov.uk