Walsall's warm welcome for the Mercians

Hundreds of people lined the streets as soldiers from the 3rd Battalion the Mercian Regiment paraded through Walsall.

Union Jacks were waved and crowds applauded as The Staffords marched through the town centre before taking the salute outside the Council House. The homecoming parade marked the end of the tour of duty in Afghanistan. The battalion, based in Fallingbostel, Germany, returned from its tour at the end of October.

Among those celebrating was 23-year-old Walsall FC striker Alex Nicholls, from Bloxwich, who came with his partner Amy McCann, 28, and their daughter Grace, two, to support his brother Cpl Mark Nicholls, 25, whose partner Stacey, 22, of Tamworth, was also there.

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Mark said: "It's nice to have everyone together."

Amanda Buckler, 50, of Coalpool, was there supporting her son Sgt Sam Buckler, with her daughter Becky, 28, and mother Teresa Wright, 68. She said: "We are here to show how proud we are of him."

Another parent, Linda Duffy, 48, of Smethwick, was in Walsall cheering for her son Pte Bobby Duffy, 25. She said: "I'm proud as punch."

Sgt Lee Venables, 37, of Bloxwich, who was handed a medal at the town hall after the parade yesterday, said: "This kind of thing makes you proud to be in the Army."