A LINE of smiling faces beams out to the people gathered inside St Mary's Church. Their expressions are of happiness and joy – the moment capturing their birthday or a happy family occasion.
But the smiles are forever fixed, frozen as they are in picture frames lined up at the front of the church.
Each one is someone's dad, auntie, best friend or colleague who died in a crash.
For the 12th year running, the Service of Remembrance was held at St Mary's Church in Lowgate, Hull – one of thousands of churches across the world that marked the World Day of Remembrance to road traffic victims yesterday.
Two of the pictures lined up at the front are of people who lived to serve others – nursing student Anna Cornick and Paul Foster, who was in the Royal Navy.
Their mothers, united in their insurmountable grief, met at the service and are now friends as a result of their loss.
"You don't feel bad for shedding a tear here. We're all going through the same emotions," said Paul's mum Anne Foster, who lives in Hessle.
"We've shed thousands over the years and we'll shed thousands more.
"It is nice we can all be together and know how everyone feels."
Paul was killed, aged 33, when he was riding his motorbike to work in Portsmouth in June 2003.
Relatives came to see Anne and husband Barry to break the news.
"I knew by their faces something was wrong," said Anne, 66.
"He'd been following in his father's footsteps by joining the Navy, but that was cut short so tragically."
For Angela Ferguson, the services are a chance to remember her 20-year-old daughter Anna, who was killed while crossing Ganstead Lane West in east Hull.
Anna died on November 21, just four days after Hull's first Service of Remembrance in 2002.
For both Angela and Anne, 2003 was their first service and they have been friends ever since that first meeting.
"For me, these services are about meeting other people who understand," said Angela, 53, who lives in Kingswood, Hull.
"I remember when it happened, I was looking at people walking down the street and thinking 'their lives are normal', but here everyone understands how you are feeling.
"Here, when someone says they know how you feel, they really do."
The service was conducted by Father Malcolm Crook, who invited people to light candles for those they wanted to remember.
One by one, the young and old slowly made their way up the aisle to light a candle, while others simply chose to remain seated and bow their heads in prayer.
"Those we have loved here and will be remembered here, because we have brought them with us, are those for whom their day began with a sense of certainty," he said.
"They were going to be going out that day and would be doing lots of things, and the following day and the following week.
"But instead things turned out very differently.
"For us, we can still probably remember the telephone call and the visitors who came completely unexpected.
"We can remember the shock we felt, and probably still feel, and conversations we both did and did not have.
"We may remain angry with God and may certainly be angry with other people – all these things we bring with us to this service here today."
The most poignant part of the service was when 90 names were read out – the long list of people who were being remembered.
Some came in pairs – two same surnames signifying a double loss for an unfortunate family.
A few moments of silence were also held, giving the congregation a moment to reflect, remember and mourn.
The day was a sombre occasion, with many tears shed and many hearts aching inside.
But Angela and Anne are pleased they have a specific day – the third Sunday in November – in which they can dedicate some time to remembering Anna and Paul.
"You think every year it is going to get easier, but it doesn't," said Anne.
"But I like that we had a moment's silence to remember.
"Knowing other people are in the same boat as you helps, because they know how you feel."
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