PARENTS of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan are to take part in a demonstration in Southampton as part of a national day of protest against plans to reduce the size of the Army.

Events are also expected to be held at war memorials in cities including Glasgow, Leeds, Leicester, Manchester, Newcastle and Cardiff on July 24.

A protest will also be carried out at the Cenotaph in central London.

The demonstrations have been organised by Dee Edwards, who set up the group Protest Against MoD Cuts in response to Thursday’s announcement that the Army cut will be cut from 102,000 to 82,000 personnel.

As reported by the Daily Echo, Hampshire’s historic Army unit, The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, survived the cull of 17 major units despite fears that it would be axed or merged under the changes.

She said: “What the MoD are doing is completely wrong.

“We will be holding the protests at 11am, the same time as Armistice Day is marked, to remember all the soldiers’ lives who have been lost and to think about all the ones that could die in action in the future.”