RESIDENTS are set to gather across the district to pay respects to brave soldiers on Remembrance Sunday.

Silences, parades and readings will take place across Braintree and Witham as the nation commemorates its fallen war heroes more than a century after the end of the First World War.

Braintree and Bocking Royal British Legion will be holding a service at 2pm on Sunday in Braintree and Bocking Public Gardens.

Every year hundreds of people come to pay their respects at the service, which is followed by a march through the town to St Michael’s Church for a closing service.

This year the Essex County Council chairman, John Jowers, will be in attendance to lay a wreath.

A service will also take place at 10am at St Nicolas’ Church followed by a second service at Howbridge School at 10.30am.

The Witham remembrance service will include the traditional parade followed by a service at the War Memorial

The parade leaves The Avenue around 2.40pm and the service starts at 3pm.

The route goes from The Avenue, up to Collingwood Road, round to Newland Street and up to the memorial.

Town councillors will be present and will pay their respects during the wreath laying service.

The Witham Community Hub is open from 11am until 5pm for free refreshments for those who are attending.

Tom Pleasance, secretary for the Witham branch of the Royal British Legion, said it is always a popular event.

He said: “There will be a parade from about 2.40pm which will march around a small circuit, ending at the war memorial.

“There will then be a service at 3pm.

“The Deputy Lieutenant of Essex Charles Thomas will attend and it is expected Witham MP Priti Patel will attend, but it has not been confirmed.

“There will be dignitaries from Braintree Council and also the town mayor and councillors.”

Hundreds of residents are expected to take part.

He added: “I imagine we will have more than 500 people, it’s always quite a big gathering and people scatter all around the town.”

Services will take place across the country, including the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in Whitehall.