THE overwhelming level of support for fallen soldiers will continue.

That was the pledge last night from people who turned out in their thousands for the first repatriation ceremony back in Oxfordshire.

Nearly 4,000 people turned out to honour Sergeant Barry Weston as his cortege made its way from RAF Brize Norton to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

It included more than 2,500 people in Carterton and nearly 300 in Headley Way, Oxford. Well-wishers also gathered along the A40.

Jim Lewendon, of the Royal British Legion, has been organising vigils at Headley Way since 2008, when corteges came from RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire.

He said: “The overall response from the public was brilliant. The whole thing yesterday went excellently.

“We all hope that this will be the last repatriation but I hope the support continues and it is not just a one-off.”

Pamela Powell, 79, who organised a repatriation event at the Evenlode pub on the A40, said: “I thought Eynsham did so well. Hopefully there will never be another one but if there is I hope there will be even more people to support the fallen soldier.”

The cortege left RAF Brize Norton at 5.40pm on Thursday before going through Brize Norton, into Carterton and on to the A40.

Robert Cleary, who works at the hospital and drove home along the repatriation route was moved by what he saw.

He said: “Being an ex-serviceman myself, I and other service people and the families of our dead heroes really appreciate the homecoming.

“In Eynsham a small number of people had gathered on either side of the road near the petrol station and car showroom. There were people gathered in small numbers at various places all the way to the Witney bypass.

“As the cortege approached I felt a tear in my eye and was overwhelmed with the number of people gathered.”

David Robertson, deputy leader of Oxfordshire County Council, was at the Carterton memorial garden.

He said: “A huge amount of planning went in to Brize Norton, Carterton and Oxfordshire taking on the role of repatriations. Yet all of the organisations involved were acutely conscious all along that they never actually wanted to see such an event.

“The sad news about Sgt Barry Weston put the people of Oxfordshire into the role of representing the entire nation in terms of paying respects to those who serve Queen and Country.

“They turned out in huge numbers at the memorial garden and many other parts of the route to pay dignified and solemn respect and the bereaved family made it clear that they were overwhelmed by the response.”

See more pictures on pages 14 & 15 and visit our online gallery at oxfordmail.co.uk