Crowds welcome home Afghan troops

Lieutenant Colonel Rob Thomson said he was proud of the troops

Hundreds of people have lined the streets of Croydon, south London, to welcome home soldiers from a battalion that has lost 13 men in Afghanistan.

The 100 members of 2 Rifles, based in Ballykinler, Northern Ireland, were invited to parade through the centre of the town by its mayor.

Rifleman Danny Simpson, who was killed in Afghanistan, came from the town.

Based in Sangin in Helmand Province, the battalion endured fierce fighting in the country last summer.

'Extraordinary courage'

As well as the 13 soldiers who died, 11 suffered permanent serious injuries such as amputations and 51 were wounded.

Commanding officer, Lt Col Rob Thomson, said it had been "the campaign of their lives".

"I'm hugely proud of the extraordinary courage that's been shown," he added.

He said because of Rifleman Simpson's death there was an added "poignancy" to the march taking place in Croydon and thanked local residents for coming out on to the streets.

The battalion has now been granted the freedom of the streets of the borough, Mayor of Croydon Margaret Mead announced.