CROWDS lined the streets of York this morning to applaud hundreds of military medics as they marched through the city centre to mark their return from Afghanistan.

A service at York Minster was followed by a homecoming and medals parade in Duncombe Place, and then a march by more than 200 members of the UK Medical Group 20, many based at Strensall.

The medics have only recently returned from Afghanistan after closing down the famous field hospital at Camp Bastion.

Eighty Operational Service medals were presented in Duncombe Place by Director General of the Army Medical Services, Major General Jeremy Rowan, and the Lord Mayor of York, Cllr Ian Gillies.

Led by the Band of the Royal Armoured Corps, the medics then marched down Parliament Street and returned via Coney Street to the Mansion House, where the salute was taken by Major General Rowan accompanied by the Lord Mayor of York on the steps.

Lieutenant Colonel Jaish Mahan, who commanded the UK Medical Group and also 34 Field Hospital, paid tribute afterwards to the warm welcome shown by the people of York, saying the knowledge of such support back home had been very important to servicemen and women out in Afghanistan.

“For many of us, York is our home and we are grateful to the city and everyone else for the support we received while we were away," he said.

Camp Bastion’s Role 3 hospital provided care for 14,000 injured personnel over the eight years.

It performed a total of 39,000 CT scans and 50,000 X-rays and transfused 15,500 litres of blood to 2,600 trauma patients.

Staff Sergeant John Heath, based at Strensall, said the last tour in Afghanistan had seen just as many seriously injured casualties as previous ones, but the casualties had been mainly Afghan instead of British.

Captain Simon Sleeman, also at Strensall, said his baby daughter Sophie had been only two months old when he went out to Afghanistan, and was a very different six month old baby on his return.