Suffolk people were among thousands across the UK who acknowledged the bravery of service personnel past and present, on Armed Forces Day.

More than 300 events were staged across the country on Saturday to mark the fifth annual day, which aims to raise public awareness of the contribution made by members of the Armed Forces, and gives people a chance to show their support for serving troops, service families, veterans and cadets.

Bury St Edmunds was just one of the towns and cities across the country which organised events.

Angel Hill was packed as a homecoming parade and medal ceremony for troops from RAF Honington 15 Squadron - who have just returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan - kicked off a full day of celebrations.

There were displays of vintage dancing from the 30s to the 50s, and the Suffolk Regiment Living History Society gave a demonstration of what life was like during that period for members of the county’s infantry.

The Honington Military Wives Choir, which was formed eight months ago to raise money for the services charity SSAFA, showed their support for the returning troops with a special performance. The Armed Forces Day flag was lowered at 5pm bringing the proceedings to a close for another year.

In Sudbury, a parade and ceremony on Market Hill culminated in prayers and a speech by the town’s mayor Adrian Osborne, who paid tribute to the men and women around the world who face daily danger in the line of duty. He mentioned drummer Lee Rigby, who was murdered near Woolwich barracks earlier this year, and remembered significant dates in Britain’s military history.

This year is the 70th anniversary of the Dambuster raids, when bombs were dropped on German dams and flooded the Ruhr valley. The Ministry of Defence also issued medals earlier this year recognising the bravery of the men - several of whom were from Suffolk - who took part in the Arctic convoy missions between 1941 and 1945, delivering vital supplies to the Soviet Union.