THE Queen's Lancashire Regiment will receive the second Freedom of the Borough given by Pendle Council this weekend in a formal ceremony at Colne Town Hall.

Police have warned motorists to stay away from the town centre to avoid congestion as the regiment marches through Colne.

Drums will beat, flags will fly and bayonets will be fixed in traditional style when the soldiers are presented with the Freedom Scroll, signed by the Mayor of Pendle, Councillor Colin Waite, former Mayor, Councillor Ian Gilhespy, the leader of the council, Councillor Azhar Ali, and chief executive Stephen Barnes.

More than 100 soldiers from the regiment based at Alma Barracks, in Catterick, will March from the Municipal Hall in Colne at 11.30am, through the pedestrian precinct, past the Town Hall and return to the Hall led by Commander Major Simon Downey.

They will march to the strains of the King's Division Normandy Band and the Regiment's Corps of Drums.

On parade will also be the veterans from the Regimental Association and cadets from the Lancashire Army Cadet Force.

This is only the second time since the Regiment was formed in 1970 that it has been honoured in this way -- the other Freedom being granted by Fylde in 1989.

Coun Waite will move the motion that the council wish to place on record their high appreciation of, and their debt of gratitude to, the officers and men of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment and, in the light of the long and close association between the borough and the regiment, resolve that the freedom of the borough be conferred on the regiment.

It will entitle the Regiment 'to march through the town with bayonets fixed, drums beating and colours flying'. The new Colonel of the Regiment, Brigadier Geoff Sheldon, will take the salute and will be accompanied by Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Davies.

The Regiment is a combination of three of the Red Rose County's famous infantry regiments -- the East Lancashire Regiment, the South Lancashire Regiment (Prince of Wales' Volunteers) and the Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire). It has a tradition of more than 300 years' service by land and sea and were awarded 203 battle honours.