SCHOOLCHILDREN came out in force to join the crowds lining the streets of Romsey as 140 officers and men from the School of Army Aviation paraded through on a freedom march.

There was a round of applause from onlookers as the soldiers from Middle Wallop exercised their right to freedom of the borough of Test Valley for the first time since 1992.

As the men passed through the Market Place they saluted Councillor Jack Taylor, on the eve of his last day as Mayor of Test Valley, as well as the Commandant of the School of Army Aviation, Colonel Nick Caplin, and the Colonel of the Army Air Corps, Paul Edwards.

The march was made up of personnel from Two Training Regiment, the Flying Wing, 70 Aircraft Workshop and the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, while the marching band of the Army Air Corps brought up the rear.

It seemed like the rain waited until the parade began before pouring down, but the sun came out again just as the soldiers headed off down Church Street and the crowds looked up to the sky for an impressive fly-past.

Leading the fly-past was a Second World War Auster plane, followed by other historic aircraft from the Army Air Corps - the Sioux and Alouete helicopters from the 1960s.

Making up the rest of the contingent of helicopters were operational Gazelles and Lynx, as well as Squirrels, which are used for training.

Test Valley mayor Jack Taylor hailed the event a success, despite a mix-up in Romsey with road closure signs and a repeat march in Stockbridge in the afternoon being scrapped because of protests by traders.

He said: "I was absolutely delighted with the crowd and what I really appreciated was the way the people of Romsey turned out to applaud our armed forces who do so much for this country."

Col Caplin said: "We are very grateful to Test Valley and particularly to Romsey for being allowed to exercise our freedom. We do this infrequently but it's very important to demonstrate the very close links that exist between the military and the community in which we live."

Councillor Cheryl Collier, who was performing her final duty as Mayor of Romsey, said: "I think it's really important that we remember the army is part of our community and it contributes to commerce in Test Valley in all sorts of ways."