Pictures and video: The Rifles regiment given freedom of Shrewsbury
The streets of Shrewsbury were awash with soldiers as a parade took over the town.
The county regiment of Shropshire, The Rifles, was granted the Freedom of Shrewsbury by the town council.
The tradition was marked as crowds lined the streets to see the parade with bugles and bands playing.
They then received the Freedom Scroll from the town mayor, Ioan Jones, at the Guidhall, in Frankwell.
Lieutenant Colonel, retired, Andrew Trelawny, regional secretary for the Midlands, said it was a privilege for the regiment.
He said: "It is a great honour for The Rifles to be granted the Freedom of Shrewsbury as it gives formal recognition to a link between the town and the regiment that has existed for more than 250 years.
"Our forebears, the Royal Regiment of Volontiers, the 85th Regiment, the King's Shropshire Light Infantry and The Light Infantry have been accorded this honour in the past and today's Regiment is especially proud of its connection with Shrewsbury and the county of Shropshire."
The troops, led by the band and bugles, then marched down Claremont Bank, along Smithfield Road, up Castle Gates and Castle Street, past St Mary's Church, down Dogpole and along High Street.
Troops saluted the Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire, Sir Algernon Heber-Percy, senior Rifles officer, Brigadier Edward Chamberlain and continued to march down Shoplatch, along Barker Street and across Welsh Bridge, turning right into Frankwell and finishing the march in front of the Guildhall.
At that point, the mayor presented the Freedom Scroll.
Councillor Jones said: "Having served with the Light Infantry for 27 years I am honoured to be involved in this ceremony, where the right to parade through our beautiful town will be granted to The Rifles, successor regiment of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry and the Light Infantry.
"I am sure that the troops will feel proud to take part in the parade, as I have done myself when marching through Shrewsbury."
Lt Col Trelawny said: "It is particularly fitting that the mayor, Councillor Ioan Jones, took the salute and presented The Rifles with the Freedom Scroll, as he served with the 5th Battalion The Light Infantry (Volunteers) in Shrewsbury for several years. The Rifles is the largest infantry regiment in the British Army.
"Since its formation in 2007, it has served with great distinction in Iraq and Afghanistan, recruits regular soldiers and reservists from Shrewsbury.
"We maintain a presence in the town through E Company 6th Battalion The Rifles, which is based at the Army Reserve Centre at Copthorne Barracks.
"The Freedom Parade gives us the opportunity to show The Rifles to the people of Shrewsbury and to consolidate the highly valued link between us."
The regiment has five regular and two reserve battalions, and it was formed in 2007 from an amalgamation of a number of regiments, including The Light Infantry, which formed in 1968 and included in its antecedents the King's Shropshire Light Infantry, which was originally raised in Shrewsbury in 1759.
The King's Shropshire Light Infantry and The Light Infantry have been granted the Freedom of Shrewsbury in the past and members of the Rifles said they were "extremely proud and honoured" that the privilege had been extended to today's Regiment.
The parade included the Band and Bugles of The Rifles, based in Winchester, and the 5th Battalion The Rifles, based in Aldershot, as well as former soldiers from the King's Shropshire Light Infantry and the Light Infantry.
