People will have the chance to say goodbye to the men and women who have served their county and their country bravely for over a decade.

A parade is being planned in Dereham next month to bid farewell to the Light Dragoons who have been based at Robertson Barracks in Swanton Morley for nearly 15 years.

Lt Col James Senior, commanding officer of the Light Dragoons, said: 'We have had the most extremely strong relationship with the people of Norfolk.

'They have been really behind us when we are deployed, whether in Iraq or Afghanistan.

'This community is so generous to us whenever they see us in public.

'If I go out on the street in Dereham in uniform people come up and thank me for what I do which is a really touching thing to happen.

'We have also been able to help the local community on occasions such as in December 2013 we were able to help build flood defences, which is a small way for us to say thank you.

'We are really looking forward to saying thank you to the people of Dereham on Thursday, April 16.'

As well as their service overseas in some of the toughest warzones in recent years the Dragoons have become part of the community with previous parades showing the strength of feeling among those in the area for them.

In 2012 the Light Dragoons, known as England's Northern Cavalry, were granted the freedom of Dereham and paraded through the town after their return from Afghanistan.

Dereham mayor Tim Birt said: 'We have had such a good relationship with the Light Dragoons, we will be sorry to see them leave and wish them well for the future.

'The ceremonial side is so important because it helps us to remember the conflicts around the world and to hold our politicians to account and make sure we are doing the right thing, whilst supporting our troops in the right way.'

It was announced in 2013 that the Dragoons would be leaving Swanton Morley for Catterick, in Yorkshire, this year.

They are to be replaced by the 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards at Robertson Barracks.

The Light Dragoons is a light cavalry regiment and use Jackal vehicles to be adaptive and manoeuvrable on the battlefield.

During their time in Norfolk the regiment has carried out a number of tours in Iraq, in 2003 and 2005, and Afghanistan, in 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2012.

The Queen's Dragoon Guards will be returning from Germany, having been based there since 2003.

Known as The Welsh Cavalry the regiment will be restructuring to take up a light cavalry role.