EXMOUTH summoned all the pomp and ceremony it could muster as 3,500 people lined the streets and a record 150 wreaths were laid at the town s Remembrance Sunday commemorations.

EXMOUTH summoned all the pomp and ceremony it could muster as 3,500 people lined the streets and a record 150 wreaths were laid at the town's Remembrance Sunday commemorations.

And there were similar scenes at memorials in Woodbury and Lympstone, while in Budleigh Salterton St Peters Church was packed to the hilt as Rev. Robert Charles conducted the service.

And afterwards 100 people laid 31 wreaths at Budleigh's war memorial, to pay their respects to the fallen in conflicts from the Great War to Afghanistan.

In Exmouth a solemn, dignified parade marched from The Manor Gardens to the Strand Gardens and held a two minutes silence before laying the wreaths, 80 of which were laid by children.

MP Hugo Swire, Mayor and Deputy Mayor Darryl Nicholas and Sandy Sutton, chairman of the district council Graham Liverton, Ian Saddler, father of Jack, the Exmouth servicemen of the Honourable Artillery Company who died last year were just some of the people who attended.

Exmouth Town Band and a choir of 12 Community College students then performed a moving rendition of Let There be Peace On Earth as members of the Royal Marines, the Navy, The Honorary Artillery Company, The Air Training Corp, Sea Cadets, Army Cadets and Royal Marine cadets looked on.

A service, in which members of the RNLI, St Johns Ambulance and emergency services, guides, scouts, cubs and brownies were also present, was then conducted by Rev. Tony Oswin.

Poppy Appeal organiser Tom Harvey-May said: "We had the service in the Strand Gardens instead of the All Saints Church and it was marvellous.

"The people really took to it; they came up to me afterwards and said how much they liked it.

"It was great to see so many people turn out. I think people are very aware of the problems in Afghanistan at the moment.

"When I first did this 11 years ago there were just 32 people to lay 22 wreaths. On Sunday there were 3,500.

"Last year the poppy appeal in Exmouth made �22,500. We hope to break that."

Poppy Appeal organiser in Budleigh Salterton, Glen Sizmore-Hunt said: "We were really pleased with the service. We even had a lady who worked at Bletchley Park there.

"I think the tragic past few weeks and the losses that have been suffered have really brought it home for people.