MORE respect has been called for after traffic blighted a remembrance service.

Residents honouring fallen war heroes were blighted by the sound of traffic whizzing by during a two minute silence at a popular memorial on Sunday.

The Upper Dovercourt memorial sits on a triangle in the middle of the Main Road and Fronks Road junction surrounded on all three sides by busy roads.

But on Sunday, for the first time, during the annual Remembrance service at the memorial police did not close the road.

Harwich mayor Dave McLeod said: "The police were sorely missed this year at the service, which was well attended as it always is.

"It's only five or ten minutres to stop the traffic to make everyone realise there is something going on but there were still cars going past and going fast.

"You had people trying to say prayers but people could only hear traffic.

"It's two minutes once a year to pause and think about who is gone and what they did for us - it deserves a bit more respect.

"Maybe next year we can get something sorted."

Tony Colbourne, who also attended the service, said: "They were just coming past, not having any respect whatsoever."

A spokesman for Essex Police said: "Essex Police recognises the importance of Remembrance Day and 133 Essex police officers, special constables and PCSOs were proud to attend 33 separate events across the county to remember our war dead and show support for our veterans and armed services.

"Responsibility for road closures for pre-planned events, including Remembrance Day services, lies with the local authority but we have provided help and guidance to organisers to assist with planning their events and the vast majority went ahead without any issues."