Express & Star

VIDEO and PICTURES: Midlands marks Armed Forces Day

[gallery] Events have taken place in the Midlands and around the country to mark Armed Forces Day.

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Crowds gathered at RAF Cosford on Saturday and were treated to a flyover by a Hurricane. In Cannock a service was held at the town's war memorial.

On Sunday a Spitfire took part in a flypast at Himley Hall and Park.

Hundreds of parades and displays took place across the Midlands and the rest of country.

The annual event, now in its eighth year, saw hundreds of thousands of people turn out in support of servicemen and women, including regulars, reserves and veterans.

David Cameron attended a national event in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, alongside the Duke of Kent to see displays by the Red Arrows, the RAF Falcons parachute team and the Royal Marines, who performed a beach landing.

The outgoing Prime Minister said: "It made me incredibly proud to be in Cleethorpes today to see so many people showing their support for our armed forces. As Prime Minister I have seen first hand the amazing job that the men and women of all three services do.

"Whether taking the fight to Daesh in Syria and Iraq or helping to deal with emergencies in the UK - their sacrifice keeps us safe.

"It is right that we show our support, both by holding events such as this and ensuring that that those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly.

"That is why we are helping thousands of forces families to buy a home and supporting their children with additional educational funding."

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