Soldiers have gathered in York to celebrate the Yorkshire Regiment’s fourth birthday and prepare for a major parade.

A giant birthday cake will be shared by all four battalions as they mark the anniversary of its formation tomorrow. It is the first time all four have been together, since Yorkshire Regiment soldiers have been scattered all over the world serving in places like Afghanistan and the Falkland Islands.

The enormous cake was unveiled at Clifford’s Tower, supported by three drummers and the regimental ferrets Quebec and Imphal, who are normally held by the first battalion in Munster, Germany. Senior chef Sergeant James Chadwick, 36, has spent two weeks working on the cake.

The soldiers are also preparing for a colours parade on June 18, when more than 1,000 officers, soldiers and cadets will march through the centre of York, forming the largest parade in the city since World War II.