Crowds to attend rebadging

More than 5,000 soldiers are expected to take part in a ceremony watched by the Prince of Wales which will create a new Midlands army regiment.

Preparations are continuing for Saturday's event in Tamworth when the new Mercian Regiment will be established. Organisers say the event has attracted thousands of former soldiers and members of the three regiments which will be swept away as part of the re-badging ceremony. The changes have attracted criticism from some soldiers.

They are unhappy that the traditional macot of the Staffordshire Regiment, the Staffordshire bull terrier, will be replaced by a Swaledale ram, which is the mascot of the Sherwood Foresters.

Many former Staffords have hit out at the traditions that have been lost because of the merger.The Mercian Regiment will become the local infantry regiment for Cheshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire and will inherit the traditions of its predecessors.

They are the Cheshire Regiment, the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters and the Staffordshire Regiment - who will become one, two and three Mercian.

Four Mercian, the Territorial Army Battalion, will be formed from the current West Midland Regiment and part of the Kings and Cheshire Regiment.

The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters are currently serving in Helmand Province in Southern Afghanistan but will take part in the re-badging ceremony over a large video screen.

Tamworth has been chosen for the formation of the Mercian Regiment because it was the capital of the Saxon Kingdom of Mercia from the 7th to the 9th century.

The town has thrown itself into preparations for the big day and thousands of local people are expected to join the 5,200 soldiers and former soldiers and their families who have already applied for tickets.

The re-badging ceremony will take place on the lawn below the castle at 11am.

By Shaun Lintern