Watch school pupils light beacons at poignant Battle’s Over ceremony

Beacons created a blaze of light at a poignant Suffolk ceremony to mark 100 years since the guns fell silent at the end of the First World War.

Tonight more than 500 people from the Rushmere St Andrew community turned out to mark the centenary with a lasting tribute to the fallen.

By torchlight, Reverend Heather Marsden from Rushmere Baptist Church read out the names of local people who perished.

Just over an hour later, buglers sounded the Last Post as part of an international commemoration of Battle’s Over.

At 7pm, beacons were lit in a tribute called Beacons of Light, which saw 1,000 around the UK illuminated to signify the light of peace that emerged from the darkness of four years of war.

Two children from Broke Hall Primary School lit the beacon at Rushmere.

They were winners of a competition to design a bookmark commemorating the anniversary.

Everyone present was given a light to turn on at the same time the beacon was lit.

Ahead of the event, county councillor Mark Newton said: “The Beacon Lighting event will be an unforgettable experience for our residents, especially the children, and a terrific social event for the parish.

“It’s a great honour to be able to contribute to the centenary commemorations.”