RECORD numbers turned out for an open air Remembrance Sunday service on Harefield’s village green.
Numbers were so high attendees had to share hymn sheets. It is estimated about 200 people turned up to pay their respects.
Gordon Isaacs of Lovett Road, Harefield, said: “It was a much higher attendance than before, and the weather was beautifully mild.
“All this year there has been more observance than in past years. It must have to do with all that is going on around the world.
“Hearing and seeing on the news young troops dying in Afghanistan brings it home to people in this day and age.
“There must have been two to three times as many people there as there were five years ago.”
Brenda Whitby, Poppy Appeal organiser for Harefield, said: “We’ve been doing very well this year. The normal amount we would collect from the service on the green is £180, and this year we had £320.
“We are still counting overall. There are plenty of tins in the village to collect and count up, we may have a final figure in a week or so.”
The service was held at Harefield’s war memorial at 3pm, conducted by the new vicar of St Mary’s church, the Reverend Martin Davies, for the first time. He read out the names of the village’s war dead.
Karen Walton, who works in the vicarage at St Mary’s, said: “The attendance was a lot higher than usual.
“I think it was partly because of the good weather, and also because people wanted to see the new vicar taking Remembrance for the first time.
“This year the date of Remembrance Day was also 11/11/11, so it has had a higher profile.
“I don’t know about exact figures but I would say the attendance was double last year, more than 200.”