COMMUNITIES around the county are preparing to pay their respects to the war dead on Remembrance Sunday at ceremonies across Oxfordshire.

For the first time, serving personnel, ex-servicemen and women, members of youth groups and civil dignitaries will be joined by members of other faiths at the Remembrance service in St Giles, Oxford.

Members of the Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and Hindu communities will join the procession along St Giles on Sunday, paying their respects at the service at the war memorial at 10.45am.

Lord Mayor John Tanner, who will be laying a wreath at the memorial on behalf of Oxford City Council, said it was vital to remember all faiths on this sombre day.

He said: "It's surprising really that people of all faiths have always supported Remembrance Day, but that the contribution of other faiths has not been overt."

Tony Healey, secretary of the Marston branch of the Royal British Legion, said: "There are a lot of people who have lost loved family members in different conflicts around the world, and it is a stark reminder of the continuing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan."

In Botley, North Hinksey Parish Council will hold a service at 10.45am at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery, in North Hinksey Lane.

Soldiers from Dalton Barracks in Abingdon will form a guard of honour at the Stone of Remembrance and Guides and Brownies will leave poppies on the graves.

In Witney, the two minutes' silence followed by The Last Post is at the war memorial, on Church Green, at 11am, preceded by a parade through the town centre at 10.45am. The Remembrance Day service is held afterwards at St Mary's parish church.

In Carterton, a parade will start at 9.45am from St John's Church, Burford Road, finishing at the war memorial in Alvescot Road at 10.45am.

Among those gathering will be the station commander of RAF Brize Norton, Group Captain Malcolm Brecht, with town mayor Phil Scott laying a wreath on behalf of the town council.

Chipping Norton's Royal British Legion is commemorating the two minutes' silence on Saturday at the war memorial in London Road at 10.50am. The civic Remembrance parade meets at the town hall on Sunday at 10.30am, with a church service at St Mary's at 11am.

In Charlbury, the parade forms at the Spendlove car park at 2.30pm, with the service at St Mary's Church at 3pm on Sunday.

Hundreds will gather on Sunday to lay wreaths around the memorials in Wallingford and in Abingdon - with a flypast by an aeroplane and a helicopter.

In Didcot, a parade will leave Edinburgh Drive at 2.45pm on Sunday for a 3pm service in the remembrance garden behind the Civic Centre.

In Faringdon, the parade will muster at the Corn Exchange at 9.15am and there will be a church service at 10am followed by the wreath laying at the war memorial at 11am.

Wantage's parade starts at the Civic Hall at 10.30am going to the parish church for the two minutes' silence and wreath laying at the war memorial.

A service will be held at Dorchester Abbey, Dorchester, at 10.30am.

Bicester's Remembrance Day Service commences at 10.50am with a wreath laying ceremony at the war memorial, followed by a church service at St Edburg's Church. It will be followed by a parade, with mayor John Cozens taking the salute in the Market Square.

In Woodstock, the town's Royal British Legion arrives in parade today for the 20th annual joint service with pupils in the main hall at Marlborough School.

For more information on Remembrance Day events, go to www.acny.org.uk