PARADES were longer and crowds were bigger this year for remembrance services across the district on Sunday with autumn sunshine lending splendour to the occasion. There were services in Huntingdon, St Ives, St Neots, Ramsey, Godmanchester and Fenstanton

PARADES were longer and crowds were bigger this year for remembrance services across the district on Sunday with autumn sunshine lending splendour to the occasion.

There were services in Huntingdon, St Ives, St Neots, Ramsey, Godmanchester and Fenstanton among other places.

The Huntingdon service was in Market Square, near the statue of the Thinking Soldier, created by Kathleen Scott, wife of the explorer.

In St Ives, some 700 people led by the Mayor of St Ives, Councillor Brian Luter, joined in an Act of Remembrance, conducted by the Rev Roy Muttram, chaplain to the St Ives Branch of the Royal British Legion. This was followed by a march past the Cross of Sacrifice led by Royal British Legion members, the St Ives Detachment of the Army Cadet Force, 2331 (St Ives) Squadron Air Training Corps and other youth organisations. The parade was led by 2331 Squadron Corps of Drums.

In Fenstanton some 60 scouts, cubs, beavers and brownies from Hilton Scout Group and Fenstanton Brownies decided to hold their own service. This was separate from the annual Remembrance ervice at Fenstanton Parish Church, St Peter and St Paul. At the United Reformed Church, the children explained to each other the meaning of remembrance and the symbol of the poppy with thoughts, a specially written poem and a short play. The scouts presented information they had discovered about the men whose names are on Fenstanton War Memorial. The youngsters joined the main service at the memorial for wreath laying. Louise Clover, spokesman for the scouts said: "We have been working with the children to explain why Remembrance Day is important and they were very keen to take the baton on as the next generation.