LOOK down, and swear by the slain of the War that you'll never forget...

Thousands of people across York, North and East Yorkshire did just that at Remembrance Sunday services yesterday.

In York, residents applauded proudly as veterans joined representatives from the Navy, Army, Air Force, Police and cadet forces in a parade from the Eye of York.

Accompanied by the Shepherd Building Group Brass Band, dozens of ex-servicemen and women marched to the Memorial Gardens to pay their respects to the war dead.

There they were met by the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Lord James Crathorne, the Lord Mayor of York, Coun Janet Hopton and other civic dignitaries.

At exactly 11am, a thunderous gunshot pierced the winter air, the Last Post was sounded, and the crowds gathered in and around the garden fell silent.

After the two-minute silence, eleven wreaths were laid against the War Memorial by community leaders, former servicemen and dignitaries - including the Honorary Recorder of York, Judge Paul Hoffman, the Vice Chancellor of the University of York, Professor Brian Cantor, and York and Selby MPs Hugh Bayley and John Grogan.

There was no parade in Malton or Norton this year, because the necessary road closure orders had not been obtained.

For the first time, though, the two towns' commemorations were united. A service at St Peter's in Norton was followed by a wreath-laying at the Malton War Memorial - but veterans had to make their own way there.

The chairman of Ryedale District Council, Pamela Anderson, joined the towns' respective mayors, Keith Mennell and Jane Ford, in laying wreaths, although traffic continued along the busy main road alongside the War Memorial.

In Selby, the commemoration service had a striking keynote theme - peace, and children played an important part in Pocklington's remembrance services.