About150 Gurkhas will parade through Maidstone next Thursday to mark the unveiling of a statue erected in tribute to them.

The troops, accompanied by the band of the brigade of Gurkhas, will march from County Road to the site of the statue, outside Maidstone Musuem, in St Faith’s Street.

The tribute fund was started earlier this year, the 60th anniversary year of the raising of the Queen’s Gurkha Engineers, to mark the achievements of Gurkhas locally.

Maidstone’s links with the Gurkhas go back to 1994 when 69 Gurkha Field Squadron moved into Invicta Barracks, joining the 36 Engineer Regiment.

Sculptor Mary Cox has designed the bronze statue, which shows a Gurkha Engineer Sergeant in dress uniform.

The fund raised £5,000 more than the £15,000 needed for. The extra money has been donated to the Gurkha Welfare Fund.

Cllr Dan Daley (Lib Dem) who co-ordinated the fund-raising campaign for The Maidstone Trust said: “We hope the day is going to be quite special. There is a Gurkha Memorial Statue in London, but we think Maidstone is unique in having a staute in tribute of its own Gurkha regiment.”

The parade will move off from County Hall at 11.35am to march along Week Street into St Faith’s Street.

Around 11.40am it will form ranks outside the museum to be inspected by the Mayo, Cllr Denise Joy, and Lt Gen David Bill, the senior military representative present.

At noon the unveiling ceremony will start with speeches, and a history of the Queen’s Gurkha Engineer Regiment.

Maidstone council spokesman Roger Adley, said: “We hope lots of people will line the route and attend the ceremony in St Faith’s Street. ”

BLOB: On Thursday there will also be rolling road closures affecting Sandling Road, Week Street, Station Road and St Faith’s Street, between 11.15 and 12.45.