A DAY of commemoration has marked 100 years since the bombardment of North Yorkshire seaside towns during the First World War.

The civic ceremony started at Scarborough's Town Hall gardens at 7.55am to commemorate the time when German shells were fired on the town, causing the deaths of 18 people.

The names of those who lost their lives were read out before a rocket was fired from Scarborough Castle to simulate the attack, and the Last Post was played before a two-minute silence in their honour.

Councillor Tom Fox said: "We think it's important to get it out there and mark the occasion. Everyone thought the war would be over by Christmas but those who joined up and went to the Western Front found themselves engaged in barbaric and difficult war and people at home were detached from it until the bombardment of Scarborough, Whitby and Hartlepool.

"That was the first invasion of our lands of the first world war. It was a real momentous thing to attack an undefended port, and led to Kitchener to create the logo of Remember Scarborough, which massively boosted the number of volunteers over the bombardment of unprotected ports and motivated British in going to war."

A special service was held at St Mary’s Church, where wreaths were laid by guests from Germany - Dr Jann M Witt from Deutscher Marinebund, the German Naval Association, and Commander Jan Hackstein, German Attache on behalf of the Federal Republic of Germany.

A flotilla of boats organised by the RNLI and Scarborough Yacht Club were stationed outside the harbour, and other events and services were held throughout the day, with civic parties and local schoolchildren paid tribute to those who lost their lives, and free guided tours of the castle to mark the anniversary.

Coun Fox said: "The boats in the harbour did their display in the south bay and as the sun came up it was an absolutely fantastic backdrop to the service."

Commemorative events also took place in Whitby, which also suffered heavily from German shells, where members of local scout groups and the coastguard paid tribute on the West Cliff.