Soldiers to march in home parade

The troops have just returned from a deployment in Afghanistan

A homecoming parade is to be held in Stirling for troops returning from a deployment in Afghanistan.

Members of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, The 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, will march through the city on 10 December.

Locals are being invited to line the route of the parade from Stirling Castle to Corn Exchange Road.

The Argylls were sent to Helmand Province as part of 16 Air Assault Brigade in March this year.

The spectacle will exercise the Argylls' right to the Freedom of Stirling, which was granted to the regiment in 1947.

'Special place'

The parade is due to step off from Stirling Castle at 1130 GMT, travel down Castle Wynd to Broad Street then take a left into St Mary's Wynd, down Queen Street and into Viewfield Place.

The troops will then march along Barnton Street, Murray Place and up King Street before coming to a stop outside the Municipal Buildings at Corn Exchange Road at about 1210 GMT.

The city's provost Fergus Wood said: "I am delighted that the Argylls are to exercise their right to the Freedom of the City with this parade.

"It will be a magnificent spectacle and I am sure thousands of spectators will turn out on the day to welcome home our local battalion, which has a special place in our hearts.

"I intend to shake the hand of every soldier on parade at the reception afterwards."