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Day of thanks for UK's veterans Duchess makes Veterans' Day visit
(about 5 hours later)
Thousands of people are expected in Blackpool to recognise the work of the UK's armed forces veterans for the third annual National Veterans' Day. The Duchess of Cornwall was greeted by hundreds of cheering onlookers as she arrived in Blackpool to mark National Veterans' Day.
The Duchess of Cornwall will attend the service of celebration and thanksgiving at the resort's cenotaph. She began her first official visit to the resort by watching Falklands War veteran Anthony Barlow, 62, abseiling 518ft (158m) down Blackpool tower.
The service will be led by the Bishop of Blackburn, Rt Rev Nicholas Reade. The firefighter was presented with a Veterans' Badge and described the royal visitor as a "lovely woman".
Blackpool has been holding its own annual Veterans' Week since 2005 and beat four other UK cities to be named the host of national 2008 event. It was followed by a march past by 12 Regiment, Royal Artillery.
Friday's events are part of a nine-day programme in Blackpool, which finishes on Sunday. The regiment exercised its right to the Freedom of the Borough of Blackpool with a march along the promenade, past the tower to the cenotaph.
The 12th Regiment Royal Artillery will exercise their right to the Freedom of the Borough of Blackpool with a march along the promenade, past the tower to the cenotaph. Cenotaph service
Parachute drop Speaking afterwards, Mr Barlow said: "It was good to see all the people here to recognise the veterans. Camilla was a lovely woman.
A Battle of Britain memorial flight will pass over those gathered for the thanksgiving service. "She asked me if I suffered from vertigo, and said I looked far too young to be a veteran."
Organisers are hoping for the largest Veterans' Day parade with servicemen and women from 1600 BST after a presentation of lapel badges to 50 veterans at the resort's tower ballroom. The duchess, wearing a sand-coloured silk shift dress and a feathered hat, then boarded a classic Blackpool tram to the Cenotaph to attend a special service.
The Red Devils parachute team will drop into the resort via the beach for the day's finale, before a firework display. The service was being led by the Bishop of Blackburn, Rt Rev Nicholas Reade. Blackpool has been holding its own annual Veterans' Week since 2005 and beat four other UK cities to be named the host of national 2008 event.
The National Veterans' Day was established in 2006 and is designed to thank ex-servicemen and women for their service. It celebrates the contribution made by all those who have served in the Armed Forces and raises awareness of veterans' issues.
The focus of Veterans' Day is on celebrating both the past and the continuing contributions of veterans living in our communities. Veterans Minister Derek Twigg and the Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Richard Dannatt, also attended.