THE sight of marching airmen will bring Wallingford to a standstil next week.

The town will pay tribute to servicemen from RAF Benson at a special parade.

The ceremony will mark RAF Benson receiving the Freedom of Wallingford, which was granted on August 12, 1957.

One hundred and twenty personnel from the air base will march through the town centre, drums beating, bayonets fixed and colours flying on Wednesday, April 1, to celebrate the honour.

It is the first Freedom parade in the town by RAF Benson since 2001.

The parade, which begins at 11am, will also mark the 70th anniversary of the Benson base.

The mayor of Wallingford, Alec Hayton, said: “I’m absolutely delighted. I shall be very proud to be there.”

He added: “It would be lovely to see the whole population of Wallingford out on the streets to cheer them on.

“We have had a very close relationship with RAF Benson for 70 years and we are extremely proud of them. A lot of people who have been based there have gone on to live in Wallingford and I’m delighted the air base will be exercising their freedom to march through the town.”

Warrant Officer Mick Lindop, station warrant officer at RAF Benson, said: “It is a great honour to be able to march through Wallingford on this auspicious occasion to celebrate the Freedom of the Borough of Wallingford.

“This will be the largest parade by RAF Benson personnel since 2001.

“We will have three squadron standards and three flights of airmen, all being led by the Central Band of the Royal Air Force.

“The pomp and ceremony of the occasion will make the personnel participating in the parade grow by at least another foot, as many personnel on the parade would not have taken part in such an august event.”