Central Royal Regiment of Fusilier

The Lord Mayor of Birmingham is lending his support to the campaign to save an historic army battalion from falling victim to defence cuts.

Councillor John Lines joined a delegation in Westminster today raising concerns about the proposal to disband the Second Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

The battalion has strong links to the City of Birmingham. Campaigners say they want the decision reversed.

The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor John Lines, has today taken an e-petition to Downing Street in opposition of the disbandment of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.

The regiment, which is considered to be one of the best in the Army, was chosen by the Chief of the General Staff to be disbanded.

The unit, which was a merger of regiments including the Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers, will cease existence in June 2014.

"We recruit in Warwickshire, Coventry, Birmingham and Nuneaton. And so many of our soldiers come from that area. And if this cut is made there'll be no link from Warwickshire to the Army anymore. And it goes back 350 years "

Hundreds of veterans campaigning to save an historic army regiment that recruits in the West Midlands have been marching outside the Houses of Parliament today.

The Second Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers is under threat because of defence cuts. It was previously called the Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers and has served in every major conflict since 1647.