THIS Sunday’s Remembrance Parade to honour the fallen is set to be the largest and most spectacular in living memory with 150 wreaths set to be laid.

THIS Sunday’s Remembrance Parade to honour the fallen is set to be the largest and most spectacular in living memory with 150 wreaths set to be laid.

It will be a far cry from the just 12 wreaths that were laid 12 years ago and with �4,000 already raised for the Poppy Appeal and with the busiest days yet to come, organiser Tom Harvey-May hopes to raise an amount comparable to last year’s total of �27,500.

As usual the parade will convene at Manor Gardens at 10.50am on Sunday before it makes its way to the newly-refurbished Strand Gardens.

For the first time the fire and police cadets will join Mayor Darryl Nicholas, Chairman of East Devon District Council Councillor Graham Liverton and East Devon MP and Northern Ireland Minister Hugo Swire.

Guests of honour will include be representatives of the Honourable Artillery Company, the oldest Regiment in the British Army, and the family of some of the fallen.

These include Jack Sadler, father of father of trooper Ian Sadler and Leona Walker, wife of Corporal Steve ‘Whisky’ Walker who will be laying wreaths alongside her husband’s comrades of 40 Commando.

And in an another first three trumpeters will sound simultaneously and this year the rockets return, sounding before and after the two minute silence in what will be a moving and solemn ceremony.

Mr Harvey-May said: “I am delighted the contractors in the Strand have almost finished the work.

“Although it won’t be perfect hopefully it will be good enough.

“The contactors worked like stink last week in an effort to get it ready in time, and although it will a bit tight I’m sure they will do it.

“Many members of the public who were sceptical are now saying to me the Strand looks a lot better than they thought, that there is more space and are now seeing it in a different light.”

He added that families of the all the fallen have been invited to attend in what promises to be a ‘spectacular’ ceremony.

“With the open space, the rockets and the three trumpeters it will be very impressive and very moving.”