DRUMS, flags and a military band celebrated a landmark day in Torfaen this weekend.

Soldiers from the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia) marched through the centre of Pontypool on Saturday morning.

They had been granted the Freedom of the County Borough of Torfaen - the first Freedom Honour awarded by Torfaen Council for 26 years.

This honour is awarded for services to the borough. It gives the regiment the right to march through the streets of the borough on all ceremonial occasions with colours flying, bayonets fixed and drums beating.

On Saturday they did just that, followed by around 120 veterans and grandchildren of decorated servicemen and women, marching behind them to honour their relatives and comrades.

The parade went down Pontypool's Market Street leading to the Memorial Gates where a ceremony was held at 11am.

Lieutenant Colonel David Caulfield, the regiment's commanding officer, said: "This is a great honour and one we will always treasure."

Councillor Bob Wellington, leader of Torfaen Council said: "The award of Freedom to this regiment honours their contribution to the area and will now give them the freedom of every town of the borough in which they are based."

The regiment has just returned from two weeks of training in Germany.

In 2003 its Cwmbran-based 100 Squadron was sent to Basra, Iraq during the second Gulf War. There it provided force protection for the British forces and water and electricity for the army.