ATROCITIES past and present were remembered at a service to mark Holocaust Memorial Day yesterday.

Crowds braved bitter winds to attend a wreath-laying ceremony at the Cenotaph on Regent Circus to commemorate the day allied forces liberated the concentration camp at Auschwitz in 1945.

The day is also a reminder of more recent genocides across the world and the lessons which can be taken from previous atrocities resulting from the persecution of ethnic groups and minorities.

Speaking to the crowd, organiser Matt Holland urged the need for more compassion and understanding to avoid repeating the tragedies of the past.

"Memories like this cannot change the past, what's done is done," he said.

"However coming here together can help us to challenge prejudice or persecution.

"We should dare to use our own voices to speak up, even though it's not always the easiest thing to do.

"Not simply to stand by but to use our kindness and compassion to make things better across the country and here in Swindon."

He added: "Lots of us hope we can create even better memories for future generations to come."

Mayor of Swindon councillor Junab Ali addressed the crowd afterwards, saying: "All of us here should take that message back to our communities.

"We need more love in this world and more peace, to be more welcoming to all those people that come to our town and to this country seeking refuge from persecution."

Zoe Smith, chair of the Swindon Jewish Community, whose current members include people who escaped Nazi Germany as children on Kindertransport ships to the UK before the Holocaust started, told the Adver after the ceremony:

"It's important to remember the Holocaust to make sure it doesn't happen again.

"And it's probably more important now because we are living in very divisive communities at the moment.

"It's quite frightening that genocide is still going on and that we don't learn the lessons of our own past."

Robert Armstrong, 49, whose parents served in World War Two, said: "I don't like anybody being killed for any reason. War is the worst thing that can happen."