Military vehicle convoy to mark Armed Forces Day

Thousands of people gathered to see more than 50 historic military vehicles in convoy as part of a town's events to mark Armed Forces Day.

Hungerford Town Council organised a two-day event, which included a convoy organised by Commemorative Convoys from Basingstoke in Hampshire to Hungerford, Berkshire.

Parades, displays and history talks also took place in the town to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day - when Allied forces stormed beaches in Nazi-occupied France on 6 June 1944.

Lee Sainsbury, co-organiser at Commemorative Convoys, said: "We were blown away by the crowds of people lining the streets in support."

The convoy departed from Milestone in Basingstoke and travelled through Kingsclere, Greenham Business Park, Newbury and onto the A4 towards Hungerford, where the High Street was decorated with union flags.

The event also included the unveiling of a D-Day commemorative stone on Hungerford Common.

Mr Sainsbury said: "The crowds were simply fantastic, as we reached Kingsclere the church bells rang.

"It [the crowds] seemed to build up as we travelled the route - it was more than we expected. It's never been like that before."

The parachute team put on a display for the event, where a toy teddy bear skydived and was put up for auction, raising £350.

Mr Sainsbury said: "The crowds were incredible and the service on Sunday at the commemorative stone was emotional and moving.

"But the parachuting teddy bear was really quite something."

The weekend events raised funds for the Royal British Legion Riders Branch Poppy Appeal and other local charities.

Armed Forces Day aims to pay homage to veterans, military personnel and service families. It has been marked in the UK since the late noughties.

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