SOLDIERS back from Iraq said they "felt like superstars" after being given a five-minute standing ovation from 26,000 thousand fans at Ewood Park.

Twenty soldiers of Burma Company, 1st Battalion the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, were presented with service medals on the pitch at half-time on Saturday.

It comes after Lieutenant Colonel Gary Deakin, chief of the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment 1st Battalion told the Lancashire Telegraph last year that his soldiers back from Iraq deserved more respect.

And the crowd at Ewood Park certainly showed them that, with a rapturous standing ovation as well as a round of applause for each soldier as his name was announced over the tanoy.

Both the Blackburn Rovers fans and Derby County supporters were equal in their appreciation of the soldiers.

The presentation was the first of its kind for the club and the regiment.

The soldiers - many of whom are Rovers fans - were also given free tickets to watch the match against Derby County.

Lieutenant Henry Russell-Blackburn said: "We weren't expecting it to be as good at it was.

"There was a long round of applause as they read everyone's name out over the loud speakers.

"We felt like superstars.

"The lads were waving to their families in the crowd like they were footballers."

He told how the event came about: "My dad knew a few guys here who he did business with and it was an idea suggested before we went to Iraq.

"Blackburn Rovers were glad to do it and we have managed to make it here."

The soldiers received service medals recognising service on Operation TELIC, the British military operation in Iraq, from Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers Association.

Kingsman Dave Moretta, 21, from Rishton has been a Blackburn Rovers fan all of his life and attends matches when he is at home.

He said: "It's a brilliant idea and there should be more of these type of things."

Lance Corporal Martin Duckworth, 27, from Livesey Branch Road, said: "It's an honour. It's like Christmas!

"It's good to do things like this to gain soldiers some recognition."

Major Tony Royce said: "I think it's nice that guys who have been life-long Blackburn fans are presented with their medals at Ewood.

"It's an opportunity for people to show their appreciation of soldiers even if they don't approve of the war."

The battalion has spent three months in Iraq teaching the Iraqi army and police the western way of operating.

They have worked on operations to stop the smuggling of weapons and have carried out patrols outside Basra looking for mortar teams.

Army spokesman Kevin Hegarty added: "This is a tremendous gesture by the club and will offer thousands of Lancastrians the chance to show their appreciation of the work carried out by our Armed Forces in difficult and testing environments."