Maidstone had a treat this week when the Coldstream Guards came to town.

First to arrive on Wednesday - by coach - was the regimental band. They set up in Jubilee Square and regaled shoppers with popular tunes such as 633 Squadron, the James Bond theme and the Imperial March from Stars Wars.

Then 120 of their colleagues began to arrive - by bike.

The Guards were taking part in a charity ride from London to Bennecourt in France, a distance of 250 miles.

They had been waved off earlier that morning from the Wellington Barracks by the Chancellor, George Osborne.

The Regiment has just returned from Afghanistan and the sponsored cycle ride was a fund-raiser for regimental charities that support wounded soldiers and their families.

During three tours of Afghanistan, the Coldstream Guards have suffered 100 casualties.

Band leader Adrian Beckett said his musicians were delighted to be in Maidstone. He said: “Obviously it’s a very emotive cause for us.”

After a stop for lunch in the county town, the cyclists continued on their way to Folkestone.

Today they moved on to Dover and then crossed on the ferry to France. Again the band accompanied them, giving concerts at stops along the way.

Bennecourt was chosen as the destination because it is the twin town of Coldstream where the Regiment was first raised and also the town which the Regiment transited through to reach the Western Front during the First World War.