Royal British Legion branch secretary Margaret Atkinson has approached the Yorkshire Regiment with an invitation for a Standard Bearer to take the salute on the rostrum in the Market Place during the grand parade of veterans and re-enactors.

And she has spoken to the garrison Sgt Major at Imphal Barracks in York to invite two Gurkhas to join her in the parade.

Margaret said: "The Gurkhas are currently based at Imphal and they've done so much for this country since heaven knows when, that I thought it would be nice to have them here to add some authenticity to the occasion.

"The Sgt Major said he couldn't guarantee they could come because they're undergoing training at the moment. Fingers crossed."