DUDLEY will fall silent on Sunday to remember those who gave their lives fighting for freedom.

The Remembrance service in Dudley town centre, marking 100 years since the end of World War One in 1918, will take place at the cenotaph in Ednam Road from 10.40am.

A two-minute silence will be held at 11am.

Beforehand, veterans will be joined by servicemen and women and community groups in a parade from Vicar Street starting at around 10.15am.

It will move along High Street, Stone Street, Priory Street and Priory Road before finishing in Ednam Road by the cenotaph. Uniformed organisations will meet in Vicar Street from 10am.

Several road closures will be in place to make sure the event runs smoothly and safely including Priory Road, Ednam Road, New Street, Tower Street, Priory Street, Stone Street, St James’s Road, Parsons Street, Market Place, High Street, Wolverhampton Street, Union Street and Vicar Street.

Community-organised services will also be held in other areas of the borough on Sunday morning. They include events in Stourbridge, Halesowen, Gornal, Kingswinford, Lye, Netherton, Quarry Bank, Wall Heath, Wordsley and Sedgley. People can contact their local Royal British Legion branch for details.

Councillor Alan Taylor, the Mayor of Dudley, said: "On this 100th anniversary we remember those from our borough and beyond who went off to war to defend our freedom but were sadly never to return.

"We give thanks to the women at home who contributed to the war effort carrying out important duties in local munitions factories and we think back to those who lost loved ones in the war and how they would have felt when the clock struck the 11th hour, on the 11th day, of the 11th month.

"Each year we pay our respects to all armed forces personnel who have lost their lives in war, but this year we will pay special tribute to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice 100 years ago."

A special tribute will be made at the Dudley town centre Remembrance Service to mark the centenary of Armistice.

Sitting on empty chairs among the veterans will be a number of silhouettes as poignant reminder and mark of respect to those who did not return from the Great War of 1914 to 1918.

The transparent silhouettes are part of the national ‘There but not there’ campaign and will be used at events across the country on Sunday November 11, exactly 100 years since the First World War ended.

As part of the commemorations - a giant cross has also been sited next to the fountain in Dudley town centre, where people can place poppies in honour of the war dead.

A memorial concert entitled Dudley Remembers, featuring the Gentlemen Songsters, will also take place at Dudley Town Hall on Thursday November 8.

Further details are available online at www.gsmvc.org.uk.