Alongside cities, towns and villages across the country, Leighton has remembered its war dead.

Pupils from Vandyke Upper, Brooklands Middle, Leighton Middle, St Georges Lower, Pulford Lower and Stanbridge Lower schools gathered in Church Square on Friday to lay their poppy wreaths at the Cenotaph.

Sunday's ceremony began with a parade from the Market Cross to the war memorial led by the town's Salvation Army Band.

The parade included standard bearers from services, organisations and youth groups such as the Scouts, Guides and Brownies.

Wreath-laying was led by town mayor Karen Cursons and the chairman of Central Beds Council, Brian Spurr, followed by serving members of the armed services and veterans of the Second World War, whose numbers dwindle with each passing year.

The turnout, however, was the best for many years, with spectators crowding the pavement on both sides of the road.

Chairman of the Royal British Legion Beds County, Georgina Pullen, said the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan probably accounted for the increase.

She said: "I think people are more aware now – certainly we have seen more young people taking an interest this year and there seemed to be more service personnel than in other years. We would like to thank everyone who came along and all those who gave so generously to the Poppy Appeal, which we are hoping will exceed last year's national total of £31 million."

The parade was followed by a service in All Saints Church led by the archdeacon of Bedford, the venerable Paul Hughes, and wreath-laying at Linslade's Mentmore Gardens war memorial.