REDDITCH veterans will mark Remembrance Day 60 years after the end of the Second World War with a special memorial service.

On Friday, the Redditch branch of the Royal British Legion will hold a short service at the newly refurbished cenotaph and garden of remembrance in Plymouth Road at noon.

Prior to this, a two-minute silence will be held in the Kingfisher Centre at 11am.

At the same time, Sambourne will be holding a wreath laying service at the village war memorial, lead by the Rev Jim Symonds.

The chairman of Stratford Council, Les Topam, and the chairman of Sambourne Parish Council, Chris Clews, are expected to attend, along with a number of other dignitaries.

On Remembrance Sunday, Redditch residents are invited to join a parade to remember those who gave their lives for their country.

The parade will begin at the Royal British Legion club in Easemore Road at 10.30am and head along Archer Road, into Queen Street, then Grove Street, around the Palace Theatre and up Alcester Street.

Redditch Mayor Councillor Diane Thomas and other dignitaries will then join the proceedings as the parade passes in front of the town hall at about 10.45am for a salute before continuing to St Stephen's Church for an 11am Service of Remembrance.

Mrs Thomas will also attend a service led by the Astwood Bank and Cookhill branches of the Royal British Legion at 9.45am that morning at St Matthias and St George's Church in Astwood Bank.

In Wythall, residents are invited to a service of thanksgiving and remembrance on Sunday at 9.40am at the Royal British Legion headquarters in Houndsfield Lane.

A parade will then assemble in Alcester Street, north of the Silver Street junction, marching towards the war memorial for a wreath laying service at 10.55am.

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