THOUSANDS of people lined Bicester’s streets today to salute heroes who had returned from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Flag-waving crowds lined Sheep Street, as 400 soldiers from 23 Pioneer Regiment exercised the Freedom of Bicester by marching with bayonets fixed through the town centre.

Many of the troops have recently returned from Afghanistan, where the regiment was hit by 15 bomb attacks during a six-month deployment. Others had earlier been awarded service medals for missions in Iraq and Cyprus.

Amy Pomeroy, 22, was one of dozens of army wives lining the route to watch her husband Ross, 25, march past.

Their five-month old daughter Tayah was born during Pte Pomeroy’s tour of duty, and spent her first few months 3500 miles away from her dad.

As the troops marched past, her older sister Keeley, two, held a banner simply saying: “Daddy, you’re my hero.”

Mrs Pomeroy said: “It was horrible when he was away. They deserved everything today. They don’t get enough recognition for what they do out there.”

Pte Pomeroy added: “When you’re out there, you don’t realise there’s that much support, but when you see people cheering and clapping, you know all those people are there for you. It’s a great feeling when you march through the town and see that much support from local people.”

Fellow soldier Pte Meli Ncube, 27, whose family had travelled from Birmingham for the day, said: “All these people have come out to see us. Everyone was clapping and cheering, and it makes you want to burst out smiling.”

At the front of the crowd of wellwishers was Gina Ross, 68, who wore a red, white and blue party hat and waved a Union Flag as the soldiers passed.

“These are our boys, they’ve come home and they are our heroes,” she said.

“We’re here to tell them: ‘God bless you, and welcome back.’”

And Second World War veteran Peter Proctor, 82, added: “There is a fantastic turnout today, and they deserve it."

Mayor of Bicester James Porter said: “I am quite choked by the numbers that turned out today.

“I am very proud of the people of Bicester. It’s good to have the soldiers back home and I’m sure the welcome they received was every bit as emotional for them as for the people who gave it.”