IT was Bolton's turn to reflect on the horrors of the world's largest peacetime terrorist attack at a memorial service at the Albert Halls last night.

Civic and religious leaders gathered from all faiths united in paying their respects to the victims of last week's terror in America.

Unified in declaring restraint, all party members of the council stood alongside Hindu, Muslim and Christian leaders urging America not to "react to violence with violence".

More than 300 people were lost in their own thoughts of the events over the last eight days as a rendition of Swing Low Sweet Chariot echoed across the concert hall, played by the Smithills School Senior Brass Quartet.

The Vicar of Bolton, Canon Michael Williams, spoke of how Bolton people have been brought closer to their families and loved ones over the last week in the realisation "of the fragile nature of existance".

Canon Wiliams said: "We are united in grief, at the loss of life of which the sheer number overwhelms.

"But we have seen pictures and heard the phone calls and it has become terrifyingly real."

He added: "There is no room in any of our faiths for the destruction of the innocent.

"We have to step outside the confines of our own cultures to gain a deeper understanding of the diversities which enrich our lives. World peace begins with our attitudes and our examples."

Mr Uttambhai Mistry, chairman of the Hindu Forum, called for peace saying: "Four hijacked airplanes caused terror, deaths and destruction in America. Why? What caused this to happen?"

Mr Mistry called for peace and intelligence saying: "The existance of God is in all cultures. Since the divine spark exists in all souls, there is a common bond with all of us." One Muslim leader called for solidarity in the face of such enormity and terror and called for bridges to be built across communities.

The mayor Cllr Kevan Helsby also echoed the need for harmony in the town.

A joint statement from the Bolton Inter-faith Council -- signed by all-party council leaders, Mr Mistry, Canon Williams and the chairman of Bolton Council Mosques, Mr Uttambhia Mangera -- called for restraint.

The statement reads: "We remember before God, the people of America and those from many nations who have been killed, injured or bereaved as a result. "We call upon governments to bring to justice those responsible for this atrocity. But we call for restraint, especially from the United States, so that we do not react to violence by violence.

"People of many faiths have been killed in this disaster and we pray that no one faith or nation will be made to carry the blame. We feel that what is called for is a measured response that does not make victims of innocent people as this would only add to the devastation.

"In Bolton, much hard work has been put into community relations. We trust that this recent disaster will do nothing to undermine what has been achieved so that we can continue to move forward in understanding, fellowship and in the ownership of our common humanity.

"We therefore join together with all the people of goodwill in the town in our desire for harmony between peoples and between nations.

"The world's largest peacetime terrorist attack has taken place. Now is the time for us to show that faith, hope and love are more enduring than any act of human violence."

Guests at the service were asked to stand for a three-minute silence, which was followed by the hymn, Abide with Me, before signing books of condolence about the tragedy.