Aribase staff join lantern parade

The parade precedes the Christmas lights switch-on

Servicemen and women from RAF Lyneham joined a lantern parade in honour of colleagues serving in Afghanistan and Iraq over Christmas.

The annual event in Calne preceded the switching on of the Christmas lights.

Staff at the Wiltshire airbase were invited to take part for the first time after a couple of them attended a lantern-making course in October.

About 250 service personnel and their families were due to join the parade on Saturday night.

Flying Officer Neve Fletcher said: "It has been great fun making lanterns and then helping others do the same.

"The idea is that each lantern that has been made at RAF Lyneham will represent one of our service personnel who are currently serving overseas."

Jill Martin, chairman of the Calne Area Initiative for an Active Community group, organising the event, said she was "excited" that the airbase personnel were joining the parade.