LANCASHIRE’S army regiment looks set to march through the streets of Burnley in a homecoming parade later this year.

Lieutenant Colonel Robbie Boyd said he wanted his Duke of Lancaster’s soldiers to take part in an event in the town to commemorate the end of their mammoth 15-month tour of duty.

And civic leaders in Burnley said they would do ‘whatever they can’ to make it happen.

Lt Col Boyd, 43, who commands 650 North West soldiers of the 2nd Battalion Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (2 LANCS), also called on people to show their pride in the regiment by buying his soldiers a beer.

Three homecoming parades have already been organised for 2 LANCS in Liverpool, Ormskirk and Cumbria.

But he said he was keen to organise more parades, which will be similar to those completed in Blackburn and Clitheroe recently by the regiment’s 1st Battalion.

He said: “We will definitely consider Burnley.

"In October and November we are looking at completing other parades and I am sure we can organise one in Burnley.”

The regiment will return home to the UK in late August after a three-year tour based in Episkopi, Cyprus.

From Cyprus they have deployed continuously for over 15 and a half months into Afghanistan after being chosen to be a Theatre Reserve Battalion.

The period is the longest operational tour for a battalion in recent history.

Burnley Council chief executive Steve Rumbelow said: “We will follow up the interest at this end and will do whatever we can to acknowledge the role of the forces.

“Burnley is a big forces town and a good recruiting area for the army.

“We are always keen to show our support and would love to make it happen.”

Lt Col Boyd said his soldiers had distinguished themselves so much in Afghanistan that he urged people to buy his soldiers a drink.

He said: “If you meet a soldier and he says he is with the Duke of Lancaster’s regiment it means he is a Lion of England.

“Buy him a pint and ask him his stories. It will be so inspiring and show the appreciation that I know is there for our soldiers.”

On their latest period in Afghanistan 2LANCS were deployed to a Taliban heartland north of Chan-e-Jir.

Lt Col Boyd said: “There was a real difficulty in providing security to local people.

“This was a tough mission but we managed to increase security substantially then go on to build a medical centre, decent roads, providing proper security and education.

“Simply to get there, our soldiers were outstanding in tough battles.

"They are some of the most experienced battle soldiers in the Army and they are a great credit to themselves and the North West.

“Even down to the youngest 18-year-old soldier no-one ever let me down in battle.”

For much of the tour of duty they were joined in a 1,000-strong battlegroup by Estonian soldiers, with Lt Col Boyd in overall charge.

In recognition of his work in Afghanistan Lt Col Boyd has been awarded the prestigious and rare Estonian Defence Forces Meritorious Service Cross During the last four-month tour, six of the battalion's soldiers were killed and 24 injured over six deployments.

Soldiers from 2LANCS will be based in Weeton, West Lancashire, from August as they prepare for their next tour of duty in Afghanistan next year.