THE sound of marching feet echoed through the streets of York, as soldiers celebrated the formation of the new Yorkshire Regiment.

Its 4th Battalion the regiment's only Territorial Army (TA) battalion wore the new Lion and Rose cap badge on their berets as they marched from Duncombe Place, though Parliament Street, to Museum Gardens.

The senior TA officer, Major General the Duke of Westminster, joined the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Lord Crathorne, the Lord Mayor of York, Councillor Janet Hopton, and the High Sheriff of York, Viscountess Downe, at the parade on Saturday morning.

The 250 soldiers were inspected by Lieutenant General Nick Houghton, the new colonel of the regiment.

A 21-gun salute was later fired to celebrate the Duke of Edinburgh's 85th birthday. The parade was part of the official formation of the Yorkshire Regiment, which has brought together the 1st Battalions of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment, Prince of Wales's Own Regiment, and the Green Howards, and the TA's East and West Riding Regiment, as the four battalions of the Yorkshire Regiment.

Later, hundreds of teenagers from Yorkshire and Middlesbrough marched on to parade at York's Imphal Barracks to change their cap badge to the new Yorkshire Regiment.

The Army cadets, whose ages ranged from 13 to 18, were inspected by the Duke of Westminster.

And war veterans from the Royal British Legion marked the organisation's 85th anniversary with a service and parade in York city centre yesterday.

The service of commemoration started at All Saints' Church, Pavement, and was conducted by the branch's new padre, the Rev Canon Simon Stanley. The parade finished at St Sampson's Square, where the Lord Mayor took the salute.