Winsford war heroes will be honoured but parade is cancelled

Winsford Town Council had planned to organise a scaled down event because of the pandemic.

A risk assessment had been carried out to reduce the usual 600-strong crowd to 150, but now that the borough is under Tier 2 lockdown restrictions, Cheshire West and Chester Council has ruled out any large gathering.

Town clerk Mark Bailey told members: "It is absolutely right and proper that a much much smaller event is required. There will be no parade this year. We hope everyone will understand the reasons behind that. We will have a small service with very few if any members of the public attending.

"The service will be small and echo the one we had for VE Day which was very heartening."

Members of the Royal British Legion will honour the fallen at a small service in the town centre

Mayor Cllr Don Beckett, a chaplain, a bugler playing the Last Post and representatives from the Royal British Legion are expected to pay tribute to the fallen at the town centre's monuments on Sunday, November 8.

"What we want to do is to commemorate our fallen and remember them in the way we always do but within the restrictions we live within at the moment," said Mr Bailey.

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"We will film the event live on social media so those who wish to watch can do so. We have ordered wreaths for all the usual organisations but the wreath laying will probably take place throughout the day.

The Remembrance Sunday parade has been cancelled in Winsford due to coronavirus restrictions

"All these things are done with a heavy heart but this is where we are."

Cllr Damon Horrill suggested that schoolchildren, local organisations and artists could be invited to contribute art work to be displayed in the town centre on Remembrance Sunday.

The idea was welcomed by councillors and a plan will be drawn up to organise the exhibit.