Cornwall hosting national Armed Forces Day

Corporal Reine Grant and Air Specialist Madison Grimshaw with a replica Typhoon jet

Falmouth is expecting thousands of visitors over the weekend as it hosts the UK's national Armed Forces Day.

On Friday, dozens of school children were invited to explore the military village before taking part in organised activities.

The main event on Saturday will see more than 1,000 service personnel march through the town.

Cornwall Council said it would be the largest and longest military parade ever held in the county.

The parade will be accompanied by fly-pasts from the Red Arrows, Navy Merlin helicopters and an Avenger.

It is estimated the event will bring millions of pounds to the local economy

At 14:20 BST on Saturday, the RAF Falcons will perform a parachute drop over Pendennis Castle and Falmouth Bay with a further two hours of air displays later in the afternoon.

Aircraft will include the Red Arrows, The Black Cats, Hurricanes, Spitfires, Lancasters, Typhoons, Chinooks and Merlins.

HMS Richmond, a Plymouth-based Type 23 frigate, arrived in Falmouth on Thursday.

It is the event's guardship and is open to the public for tours on Saturday and Sunday.

The warship specialises in anti-submarine missions and in September was part of a group tracking Russian ships near the UK coastline.

The display of the Royal Navy bomb disposal and diving unit forms part of the event

It is set to stay in Falmouth until Monday.

Pupils from a number of schools local to Falmouth had the opportunity to tour the warship on Friday.

In the RAF area of the military village, they have also had the chance to look around a replica Typhoon jet.

Air specialist Madison Grimshaw, a mechanical engineer, said the size of the jet came as a "big shock" to the children.

"[It's] a huge plane in the middle of the car park," she said.

"They've been asking how fast it goes, how many people control it. Obviously you have the pilots flying it but it takes a whole team to get it in the air."

HMS Richmond arrived in Falmouth on Thursday

Corporal Reine Grant, a physical training instructor, said: "It's nice to see so many smiley faces.

"In my opinion it's not a burden giving up a weekend.

"We were really excited to come down and excited to be here for the weekend."

Cornwall's bid to stage the event was accepted last year and it has been estimated it will bring between £5.5m and £7m to the local economy with about 100,000 visitors.

The national event for Armed Forces Day has never been held in Cornwall before

The council said: "It is expected to be one of the most stirring and evocative programmes of public shows ever staged in Cornwall - its backdrop the world's third largest natural harbour and Henry Vlll's sea fort Pendennis Castle."

Councillor Louis Gardner said: "The people of Cornwall will never have seen anything quite like this, on such a vast scale.

"We will even have the naval frigate HMS Richmond docked at County Wharf and giving tours to schools and the public."

Falmouth has ties with the armed forces and is home to 39,000 veterans, the council said.

As many as 100,000 visitors are expected over the weekend

The docks also service ships from the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary when they require maintenance.

Throughout Saturday, a Military Village will be open to demonstrate current military equipment at two sites; Grove Place Car Park and the National Maritime Museum Cornwall Car Park.

The military parade starts at 11:00 BST from the zebra crossing point on Killigrew Street.

The parade will then proceed along Market Street, Church Street and Arwenack Street, past the first military village zone, to take the salute at the dais on Bar Road.

The Red Arrows will be returning to Falmouth

There will also be more than 60 military and associated charities, exhibitors and sponsor stalls primarily located at Church St Car Park.

Exhibitions and live music will take place throughout the weekend at a number of locations.

On Sunday there will be a Thanksgiving service and a cycling challenge setting off from Pendennis Head car park at 09:00 BST.

Mr Gardner said: "Everywhere you look there will be memories to be made, and photos to be captured."

The latest information on all the events can be found on the website.

The Armed Forces Day flag was raised on a beach in Falmouth earlier this week

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