BRADFORD paid its respects to its fallen soldiers at a poignant annual service today.

The annual Festival of Remembrance was held at Bradford Cathedral to commemorate the servicemen and women who lost their lives during the First and Second World Wars and all conflicts since.

The free 90-minute service also included the traditional Parade of Standards and Act of Remembrance.

The ceremony featured a number of musical performances, including from The City of Bradford Brass Band, Otley-based mezzo-soprano Claire White-McKay and former Bradford Grammar School student Ruby Hendry.

The cathedral choir, under the directorship of Alexander Berry, also performed.

It was the second year the city’s cathedral has staged the service, which had been previously held at St George’s Hall, which is undergoing a major refurbishment programme.

Reverend Jerry Lepine, the Dean of Bradford, opened the ceremony and guests included Bradford Council leader Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, its chief executive Kersten England and former Lord Mayors of Bradford, Councillors Mike Gibbons and Joanne Dodds.

But it was the district’s serving Lord Mayor who spoke at the service. Cllr Abid Hussain paid tribute to all of those who have served and fallen from the district.

He said: “This is time for us to come together as a community to pay respect to all those who have fought for the country.

“Our thoughts go to those men and women who let down their lives for this country.”

A collection was also made at the end of the service in aid of the Royal British Legion and the Combat Stress charity, offering residential and community treatment to former members of the British Armed Forces suffering from a number of mental health conditions including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Meanwhile, Cllr Hussain, will attend the Armistice Day commemoration at Undercliffe Cemetery, where he will lay a wreath on behalf of the city at 11am on Friday.

The district’s remembrance services continue this weekend with a number of Remembrance Sunday ceremonies. These include an Armistice Day service on Saturday at 11am at The Cenotaph, Morley Street, Bradford.

The following day, a Remembrance Sunday service will take place at The Cenotaph and City Park, Bradford. It will include prayers, followed by a two minutes silence, the Last Post and Reveille.