Second World War veterans met their modern-day counterparts ahead of a commemorative parachute jump marking the 70th anniversary of D-Day.

The former members of the 9th Parachute Battalion watched current paratroopers carrying out ground training at Merville Barracks, Colchester, today.

Troops will travel to Normandy to take part in the commemorative jump on June 5.

On D-Day, the battalion's objective was to put the German gun battery at Merville, France, out of action.

Fred Milward, of East Sussex, who was 20 at the time of the assault, said it was a pleasure to watch the modern day paratroopers in action.

He said: “Really we are all a family in a sense. What we started, they are finishing off.”

Full story in tomorrow's Gazette