VETERANS, cadets, friends and family joined together for the annual reunion of The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regimental Association.

More than 800 people, associated with The Worcestershire Regiment, The Sherwood Foresters, The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment and the Mercian Regiment attended the event at Worcester Warriors' Rugby Club.

At 2.30pm a Drumhead service, which is a church service conducted on battlefields and is still practised in Afghanistan today, was conducted after the military padre led a service to the troops and hymns were sang.

A march past also went ahead.

Harry Ward, who has been in the Worcestershire Regiment for 22 years, said: "I was living in Gibraltar when I joined the Worcestershire Regiment and now every year I come to Worcestershire for this event.

"In some ways it's getting better and better and it's always nice to see family and friends attending, and too the cadets as they are the next generation.

"I have served all over Europe and Britain, and coming back and seeing people I served with is always special."

The annual reunion, which goes ahead on the first Saturday of every June, commemorates the 1794 naval battle known as the "Glorious First of June."

Maurice Smith, secretary of the Worcester branch of Worcesters and Foresters Regimental Association, said: "This is always a nice event and there's still a great comradery between everyone.

"With it being the centenary year, and D-Day yesterday, this event is particularly poignant and special."

In 2007, the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment was amalgamated with the 22nd Cheshire and Staffordshire Regiments to become The Mercian Regiment.