Bolton schoolchildren gather round the standard at the war memorial in Victoria Square A BLUSTERY November Sunday morning failed to dampen the spirits of hundreds of Bolton people who converged on the town's Victoria Square to pay tribute the dead of two world wars.

The number of people paying tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice must have swelled to thousands as similar Remembrance Day parades took place throughout the day in districts such as Horwich, Farnworth, Westhoughton, Blackrod and Adlington.

Just before 11am the town's Victoria Square was packed almost to capacity with young and old, ex-servicemen and civilians alike.

Young representatives from each of the armed forces formed an honour guard around the square's war memorial and the town hall square filled with rank after rank of men and women from the multitude of ex-service associations where they were joined by serving soldiers, sailors and air personnel, representatives from Bolton police and fire brigade, cadets, scouts and many other organisations.

As the town hall clock crept towards 11am, the Vicar of Bolton, Canon Michael Williams, and the Very Rev Henry Jones, Roman Catholic Dean of Bolton, led the congregation in song accompanied by Smithills School Brass Band.

The gathered masses fell silent as the parade was brought to attention.

A single bugler clarioned the Last Post as the Mayor of Bolton, Cllr Alan Wilkinson, laid the first of many wreaths at the memorial. He was followed by Bolton North-east MP David Crausby and representatives from the Royal Artillery Association, Queen's Lancashire Regiment, Royal British Legion, Royal Naval Association, Eighth Army Veterans, WRVS, Women's Auxiliary Air Association and many more.

In Horwich the parade began at 11.15am from the Ex-Servicemen's Club on Emmett Street, culminating in the service at Lever Park War Memorial just after noon.

In Farnworth, veterans took to the streets at 10.40am for a parade up to Farnworth Park memorial at 11am.

While in Westhoughton, the community's memorial opposite St Batholomew's Church was the centre of attention from 10.45am onwards.

On this first Remembrance Day of the new Millennium it seemed people were still as keen to honour and pay tribute those who died.

And judging by the number of young and very young children huddling to their parents throughout the Bolton ceremony it would seem the words on the Victoria Square memorial -- Tell Ye Your Children -- have never been more appropriate.

The spell of silence was broken as the crowd joined in for a stirring rendition of Jerusalem before the lesson and Lord's Prayer.

The service concluded as the massed ranks filed from Victoria Square, reforming in Le Mans Crescent and back onto the square for the march past to rapturous applause from those gathered.