Corby parade for Afghanistan war victim James Ashworth

A parade marched through Corby town centre to honour L/Cpl Ashworth

A parade to honour a soldier who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross has taken place in Northamptonshire.

L/Cpl James Ashworth, 23, from Corby, Northamptonshire, died under enemy fire as he tried to eliminate an insurgent position in Afghanistan last June.

Hundreds of people witnessed a parade marching through the town centre, which was marked with two minute silence.

Corby MP Andy Sawford said it was a "poignant ceremony" and a "good way of honouring James".

A parade planned in March had to be called off following heavy snow in the county.

'National hero'

L/Cpl James Ashworth died while on a patrol in Afghanistan

Veterans from 12 branches of the Royal British Legion from across Northamptonshire attended, along with the Royal Naval Association and the Royal Air Force Association.

During the parade standards were dipped and a two minute silence held in the soldier's honour, along with a rendition of the national anthem.

Parade organiser, Councillor Rob McKellar, said: "Corby is proud of the sacrifice that L/Corp Ashworth gave for his country and his name will go down in history both as a local and a national hero."

L/Cpl Ashworth is the 1,361st soldier to be awarded the VC, and the first British soldier to be honoured in this way since Corporal Bryan Budd was honoured in 2006.

The Victoria Cross was created in 29 January 1856 and is hand-made from bronze cannon captured from the Russians at the siege of Sevastopol in 1854-55 during the Crimean War.