Hundreds of people gathered to watch the unveiling of a statue honouring the 222 Chorley Pals who served in World War I.

The event, which followed three years of fundraising culminated in the dedication of the 7ft statue of a uniformed soldier on a plinth, overlooking Chorley's Flat Iron market, on Sunday.

Panels surrounding the statue are engraved with the names of all the men who joined the company, many of whom perished at the opening of the Battle of the Somme on July 1, 1916.

An emotional day began with a parade beginning from the TA Barracks on Devonshire Road, following the route the Pals took when they marched off to war 95 years ago.

The parade consisted of soldiers from the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, accompanied by their regimental band and colour party, a TA detachment, local cadets and members of the Royal British Legion and members of Chorley Ex-Services Association.

Steve Williams, Chorley Pals Memorial secretary and trustee, said: “It’s excellent to see so many people gathered here, including dozens of relatives of the Pals. The day has gone so well.

“There has been so much hard work put in by many people to help us arrive at this day and I think Chorley now has a fitting memorial to these brave men.”

Lindsay Hoyle MP, who conducted the unveiling said that the statue was a fitting memorial to the Pals and that ‘a wrong had been righted after 95 years’.

Following the unveiling the Last Post was played, followed by a minute’s silence and the national anthem.

Crowds filled a large part of the market square as the dedication service continued.

Bertrand Leech, 82, was proud to see the name of his father, Thomas Arthur Leech, engraved on the plinth.

He said: “It’s a fine statue and looks good in this location.

“For my father and his comrades to be honoured in this way makes me feel very emotional.”

When war broke out in August 1914, Capt James Milton from Chorley formed a Pals battalion with local men signing up.

They went on to join the battalion known as the Accrington Pals.

They eventually became the Y Company of the 11th Battalion of the East Lancashire Regiment.

To view and buy pictures from the unveiling, click here.