Ex-serviceman hosts Remembrance Parade 'off his own back'

John Price, 68, decided to host his own Remembrance Parade in Walton after hearing there would not be an official parade in the town this year. 

This was due to new changes in how parades are insured.

Proud - John Price outside the Walton Royal British Legion club (Image: John Price) But John decided to start a parade "off his own back" and on Remembrance Sunday set off from Millennium Square to All Saints Church, where part of the service took place.

Mr Price said: "I didn't think it was right that we didn't have a parade and there were so many complaints online and the legion kept getting calls asking why Walton didn't have parade.

"I did this parade off my own back and it was well supported and there was no harm done - everything went really well."

Hundreds of people joined in with the march, which John only realised towards the end. 

Mr Price said: "It was heart-warming really because when I got to the church and I turned around because I didn't realise there were people heading to the parade when I was marching down.

"So they were joining in and they all clapped when I got there - it was humbling."

Parade - John Price with over a hundred people marching with him (Image: John Price) The road was not blocked off but the marchers were still very safe. 

He said: "One of the people from the legion he used to be a pallbearer for undertakers so he is used to marching along the roads and telling people to slow down.

"People were coming down the road and pulling over anyway to let us march past but it was nice he was able to help us."

Mr Price was in the Territorial Army with the Royal Green Jackets and was in Cyprus in 1974 when Greek and Turkish forces were fighting each other.

His great uncle died in the First World War.