West Midlands To Mark The 100 Year Anniversary Of WW1

To mark the start of the First World War, many events are being put on across the West Midlands to pay respects to more than 800,000 that died during service.

At the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum there is a candlelit vigil service being held at 5pm tonight. People are invited to attend the anniversary service that will have music, poems and prayers.  There's also a memory tree there for people to leave their memories of loved ones lost in the war.

In Oldbury in the Civic Square there is a 12 hour vigil starting from 11am, along with a parade by veterans, soldiers marking the occasion.

At the Birmingham Cathedral at 5:30pm a remembrance service will be held with a live broadcast service from West Minister Abbey to finish off at 10pm

Personnel from the 214 Battery Royal Artillery will be Worcester for a service from 10:30am at Dancox House. Meanwhile bells will ring out at Worcester Cathedral from midday until 4pm to mark the centenary.

The Bishop of Coventry and Lord Mayor will lead the service at the War Memorial Park to lay poppy wreaths.

A candlelit vigil at the War Memorial in Quarry Park in Shrewsbury will begin this morning and will be attended by the soldiers based nearby at Copthorne Barracks.

A free exhibition will be in Walsall Town Hall, while veterans will march through the town centre.

Around a hundred soldiers are involved in a service at Beacon Barracks Church at MOD Stafford from 10:30pm.

The celebrations are echoed across the country and the world, as the Tower of London have laid over 8 hundred thousand poppies, one for every British or British Colonial military fatality from the war.

Meanwhile Prince Charles and David Cameron are attending a service at Glasgow Cathedral with other Commonwealth Leaders.

Prince William has joined the Belgium Royals and other World Leaders in Liege to mark the occasion.

Across the Country buildings from Downing Street to the Blackpool Tower will turn lights off from 10pm to mark the centenary.