CARLY Polkey watched with a mixture of pride and relief as her husband marched through the streets of Erewash five months after his return from Afghanistan.

Lance Corporal Ross Polkey was among 300 soldiers from the 2nd Battalion Mercian Regiment who took part in the parades in Ilkeston and Long Eaton.

Thousands of onlookers waved flags, cheered and clapped the troops during the marches, which were held to exercise the regiment's Freedom of the Borough of Erewash and honour Lance Sergeant Dave Greenhalgh, 25, from Ilkeston, who died after his vehicle set off a roadside bomb in Afghanistan last month.

Among those watching the Ilkeston parade was Carly, of Ripley, who said she was incredibly proud to see L/Cpl Polkey take part.

The 29-year-old, who brought the couple's one-year-old son, Kyran, to watch, said: "It was great to see him marching through the streets. It's horrendous when he has to go away.

"Six months without seeing him is really difficult and it's a relief when he comes home."

L/Cpl Polkey said it meant the world to him to be marching in front of his young family back home in Derbyshire.

"It's been a very proud day for me," he said. "It's been a really good turnout and it just makes you feel like you've done a good job. It's nice people appreciate what we do."

The Long Eaton parade was held on Saturday morning and passed along High Street, Old Market Place and Tamworth Road before saluting the Cenotaph outside St Laurence's Church.

Mum-of-three Elaine Trueman, 54, watched from the High Street in Long Eaton with her daughter, Sarah Smyth, 26, who was home for the weekend from serving in the Royal Signals.

Ms Trueman said: "It was excellent."

Ms Smyth added: "It is important for the morale of the soldiers."

Robert Stevenson, 22, of Long Eaton, said: "It makes you proud to be British."

The troops paraded through Ilkeston on Saturday afternoon. They began marching in Derby Road and went up South Street and through the Market Place, where a salute was taken outside the Town Hall, before marching along Bath Street.

Help the Heroes fund-raiser Karen Mabbs stood with a collection bucket outside Ilkeston Town Hall and said hundreds had donated money in support of the soldiers.

She said: "People have come out because they realise that these soldiers are heroes."

Private Brendan Ogden, 21, from Sinfin, said: "It's been an exciting day for everyone. It's made us feel like we're doing something good with our lives."

Click here to leave a tribute to Dave Greenhalgh