Regiment gets 'yes' in Ulverston freedom vote

That's according to a campaigner who conducted his own battle to get the honour bestowed.

The freedom motion, approved by 14 votes to one at a special session of Ulverston Town Council on Monday, was a major U-turn after members rejected the proposal in April.

The decision caused a huge local outcry and prompted a Facebook campaign to get the vote reversed.

Andy Steele, a leading campaigner behind the petition, described Monday’s result as ‘fantastic’.

Mr Steele, who has a brother in the regiment, said he was overwhelmed by the reaction to the Facebook campaign, which was signed by thousands of people from Ulverston and beyond.

The petition asked councillors to back the proposal from mayor Norman Bishop-Rowe to award the special status to the regiment. It will allow its soldiers to parade through town with fixed bayonets, a marching band and flags.

However, some council members did not support the idea for fear of excluding Ulverstonians who serve for different regiments.

Mr Steele, a builder of Lime Tree Road, Ulverston, said: “It’s a fantastic decision which has been made possible by the people who signed the Facebook petition.

“Afterwards, our Facebook site began receiving messages from soldiers in the regiment who are serving in Afghanistan.

“They say the decision is a massive morale boost for them.”

He said half the regiment was already fighting in Afghanistan while the other half was in Cyprus waiting to go there.

“The regiment won’t be back in England until September and then leave will have to be taken; so there is unlikely to be a march through Ulverston until October or November at the earliest.”

The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment was formed in 2004 from the King’s Own Royal Border Regiment, the King’s Regiment and the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment.

It was initially known as the King's, Lancashire and Border Regiment and was given its new name in November 2005.