Battalion in town centre parade

Soldiers have paraded through a West Midlands town centre on St George's Day before their battalion moves to Germany in the summer.

The 3rd Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Staffords), formerly the 1st Battalion the Staffordshire Regiment, marched in Dudley on Thursday afternoon.

The battalion, which is based in Tidworth, Wiltshire, will move to Fallingbostel in July.

A reception at the Council House in Dudley was to follow the parade.

The battalion said it was "keen to maintain the strong links" with the local communities and civic leaders in the Midlands.

The South Staffordshire Regiment has recruited from Dudley and the surrounding area for more than 200 years.

The South Staffords amalgamated with the North Staffords in 1959.

In September 2007 the Staffords merged with the Cheshire and Worcestershire & Sherwood Foresters Regiments to form The Mercian Regiment.