MORE THAN 100,000 people including royalty thronged Scarborough as the town's long wait to host the Armed Forces Day national celebration finally ended

The North Yorkshire seaside resort was to have held the event in 2020 for the first time, but the Covid-19 pandemic caused it to be cancelled for both that year and the next.

Among those who came to Scarborough in 2022, was the Duke of Kent, who headed a high-powered VIP contingent of royal, military, Government and local dignitaries.

They watched as all three services combined in ceremony, pageantry, precision and expertise.

The RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team showed off their freefall and canopy skills before landing on the beach at the start of the event.

At 11.15am, HMS Westminster fired its guns to start the military parade.

The Bands of the Royal Marines, the Royal Air Force College, the Yorkshire Regiment and the Yorkshire Volunteers provided the music as contingents from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, the British Army, the Royal Air Force, the Sea Cadets, the Army Cadets and the RAF Cadets marched along the sea front.

As each contingent stepped into the limelight, a cannon fired confetti into the air.

The parade concluded with flypasts by Royal Navy Merlin Mk2 and Wildcat helicopters, and the Navy Wings charity’s Seafire.

At lunchtime, the Red Arrows gave a 20-minute display before the Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane of the Battle of Britain Memorial flight took to the skies.

They were followed by a display from a Wildcat helicopter, a Stinson Reliant and a Seafire, all Royal Navy aircraft.

With the Duke of Kent, were the Mayor and Mayoress of Scarborough, Cllr Eric Broadbent and Mrs Lynne Broadbent, the Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Mrs Johanna Roper, the minister for defence people and veterans, Leo Docherty and the duke's equerry, Captain Charles Langstaff.

The official part of the day concluded with drum and flute music from the Yorkshire Corps of Drums.

Away from the seafront, the crowds that filled the streets of Scarborough made the most of the chance to talk to serving members of the forces

Scarborough won the bid to host the annual event in 2018 and preparations were well under way when it had to be postponed first to 2021 and then to 2022.

It was the culmination of a week marking the role of the armed forces with smaller events held across the country including elsewhere in North Yorkshire and York.

Transdev bus company laid on free travel to and from Scarborough for veterans and servicemen and women when the national rail strike closed down Scarborough's rail links.