Union Jacks were hung in bus stops as more than 5,000 people filled Watford town centre in March to welcome home member of the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment.

Workers hung from second storey windows to catch a glimpse of the soldiers, known as The Poachers, as they took part in the Freedom of the Borough March on their return from a tour of duty in Iraq.

They marched from Lower High Street to St Mary's Square, where they were inspected by Councillor Jan Brown, then chairman of Watford Borough Council, before they continued towards the pond area where they were dismissed.

Private Rikki Maling, from Garston, said: “It's a great pleasure to be back in your home town.”

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