BRECON town centre came to a stand still this morning, Wednesday September 30 when the Welsh Guards paraded through to mark the regiment’s centenary year.

Dressed in their new colours, as presented to them by the Queen in her birthday celebrations in June this year, around 150 members of the Number Two Company Welsh Battalion of the Welsh Guards marched from The Watton Barracks towards the town centre where a short ceremony took place.

The Welsh Guards were granted the Freedom of Powys in 2011 by Powys County Council and hundreds of school children, dignitaries and members of the public lined the streets at The Bulwark, Brecon to welcome the centenary celebration parade.

Accompanied by Regimental Adjutant Colonel Tom Bonas, the chairman of Powys County Council, Councillor Paul Ashton and Brecon Mayor David Meredith inspected the troops to the sound of the Guard’s band playing the Tom Jones hit It’s Not Unusual.

In a short speech, Cllr Paul Ashton, the local member for Brecon St Mary’s ward welcomed the Guards to the town. Cllr Ashton who took the salute said: "I am so pleased to welcome the Welsh Guards to Brecon today and it is a privilege. It is an honour and I think the amount of people here today shows how much the public appreciate what the Army do."

For the full story and more pictures see next week’s Brecon and Radnor Express - on sale from Wednesday October 7.