AROUND 1,000 people are expected to take part in one of the biggest Remembrance parades Durham has seen for many years.

The parade from Durham Cathedral takes place on Sunday and will include around 400 serving military personnel, as well as representatives from the civilian services and a fly-by by 100 squadron from RAF Leeming.

Organiser Arthur Lockyear said; “It’s going to be a bigger parade but very inclusive and I hope goes well and will be an event that honours that which we seek to remember.”

Among those to parade will be members of 607 County of Durham squadron, from RAF Leeming, which is taking part for the first time in 60 years after being re-formed in 2015.

Squadron leader Alfred Hall said: “It will be the first time this squadron has paraded here since the 1950s so it’s really important for us. This is our ancestral home and it’s a huge honour for us to be invited.

“We are the County of Durham squadron and it’s nice of the people of Durham to take us up.

“When we formed in the 1930s it was people from this area who joined up and we still consider ourselves to be from here.”

The parade, which starts at around 11.30am following a service at Durham Cathedral, will be led by a 60 strong detachment of the Rifles from 30 Riflemen from 3 Rifles based at Dreghorn Barracks, Edinburgh, and ‘D’ Company based at Gilesgate Armoury Durham - who will be marching at 140 paces a minute through the city centre.

There will also be troops from the Royal Artillery, Royal Dragoons Guards, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Foot Guards, Parachute Regiment, the Royal Regiment of Scotland, Royal Welch, Royal Irish Regiment, and the Royal Military Police.

The Officer Commanding the parade Major Daryl Dowdal, a veteran of Afghanistan, and company Commander of ‘D’ Rifles Company at Gilesgate Armoury said: “It’s always a good event and people always come out and support us which is always good to see.

“The people here are not necessarily based here is Durham but lots of local lads and lasses want to come back for this parade.

“This is going to be a slightly bigger parade than last year and last year was a great parade.”

Civilian services including police, fire and prison services will also be taking part.

Keith Wanley, area manager for County Durham Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Having served time in the military myself, it is very important to me that as a service, we take time to pause, reflect and honour those who gave their lives in conflict as well as those still on active duty all over the world”

The service at Durham Cathedral starts at 10.15am.