SCORES of Horsforth soldiers who lost their lives in the First World War have been remembered at a ceremony in the town.

More than 140 people were at the event to honour the the 89 local soldiers killed in 1917. The ceremony was staged on October 9 - 100 years to the day since Horsforth's worst day of the war, when eight of its sons died in the fighting around Ypres during the the battle of Passchendaele.

Relatives of one the dead men were among those attending the remembrance ceremony at Horsforth School. Lance Corporal Thomas Edward Rushworth was just 19 when he gave his life - and his sacrifice was remembered with a roll of honour certificate presented to his family by the school.

Teacher James Bovington said: "The ceremony was presented by year twelve students Ethan Wright and Nathan Chaplow. They were joined by fellow year twelve students Joe Moss and Jake Hodgson for a four part dramatic reading of Ian McMillan’s The Tale of Walter the Pencil Man, the first time that this has been done to the best of our knowledge.

"During the reading year nine students Edward Davey and Oliver Ludlam mimed the parts of Walter and his German counterpart Lars and the audience was invited to reflect on how much better it would have been if these lads, symbols of their generation, could have met in peace and shared their common love of art. All did well and are commended for their participation and commitment."

Also involved were a number of year nine students who had laid wreathes at the Menin Gate in Ypres during a school battlefields trip - including one whose great grandfather designed the lions on top of the Menin Gate.

Ethan Wright said: "We're delighted that our event raised £300 which is being split between the Horsforth World War One 100 project and the Royal British Legion Horsforth Branch who will use the funds towards the cost of their attendance at the Grand Pilgrimage 90 to Ypres next August."

Among those attending the ceremony were West Yorkshire's Deputy Lord Lieutenant Gordon Tollefson, the Chairman of Horsforth Town Council Cllr Richard Hardcastle, guest speaker Susan Watson from the 100 Project, and John Huck secretary of the Royal British Legion Horsforth.