HUNDREDS of people across Worcestershire paid their respects to those that made the ultimate sacrifice in two World Wars and conflicts since.

Events were held at war memorials, as well as schools, churches and offices across the county, for Armistice Day.

A two-minute silence was observed at 11am - marking the moment guns fell silent after allied forces declared an end to fighting with Germany on November 11, 1918.

Dignitaries joined with residents and members of the Worcester branch of the Royal British Legion to gather at Worcester's war memorial, outside Worcester Cathedral, for the annual service.

The cathedral's bells rang out during the silence and standards were lowered, before a reading of Robert Laurence Binyon's poem For the Fallen.

A service was also held at the memorial in Gheluvelt Park, Worcester, which is named after the battle that took place near Ypres in Belgium in October 1914.

Maurice Smith, secretary of the Worcester Branch, The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regimental Association, said: "Today's short service was in memory of all the Worcestershire Regiment soldiers who fought in both world wars and the conflicts between the wars and after - remembering those that paid the ultimate sacrifice and those that had to live with life changing injuries."

Upton saw one of its biggest turnouts for Armistice Day as more than 150 people lined the high street's roads, outside the Memorial Hall, to observe the service.

In Droitwich, hundreds gathered at the town's Victoria Square memorial for a short service.

Pupils from Chawson First School attended the event, and Droitwich mayor Councillor Graham Beale laid a wreath at the Cenotaph.

Around 100 people attended a service at Great Malvern Priory Church where the town's girls and boy's brigade performed the Last Post, before the church fell quiet for the two-minute silence.

People also fell silent to remember those who have died in conflicts past and present at the memorial at Pershore Abbey, and at Evesham's memorial.

• A special service was held at Somers Park School in Malvern to remember six former pupils who died in the First World War.

A new permanent art installation was also unveiled, where the school's two-minute silence was observed.

The art was created through pupils making their own red pottery poppy on a stem, which was laid out to form a large poppy including the names of the former pupils who lost their lives.